The 2011 Detroit Tigers’ roster included an ace pitcher trying to make a name for himself as the best, a star first baseman trying to continue hitting without much help in the lineup and not much else in terms of a lineup or starting pitching.
Needless to say, the expectations weren’t very high in 2011.
The 2012 Detroit Tigers now have a team coming off a 95-win season and a trip to the American League Championship Series. The Tigers now have a Cy Young winner and AL MVP, a batting champion, a strong starting pitching staff along with a lineup consisting of five potential .300 hitters.
The Tigers have made expectations reach an all-time high after a fantastic season and a surprising yet outstanding offseason with a high-profile signing in free agency. The Tigers now expect to power through the ALCS and into the World Series with an electric lineup that has a powerful one-two punch in sluggers Miguel Cabrera and the 214 million dollar man Prince Fielder, brought in to bring protection for Cabrera with the loss of Victor Martinez.
Detroit also boasts a lineup consisting of Delmon Young, who came over in a trade with the Minnesota Twins and Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila, who both had outstanding years in which they had career highs in batting average and home runs. Brennan Boesch, coming off a season ending injury, and Austin Jackson hope to return to form from their rookie seasons to round out a solid lineup.
The starting rotation also has a good one-two punch with ace Justin Verlander, who distanced himself from the rest of the American League as the best pitcher in the league, and Doug Fister who was 8-1 since he came over in a block-buster trade with Seattle at the trading deadline last July.
Verlander is looking to feed off a monster season last year in which he recorded a “pitchers triple crown” with 24 wins, a 2.40 ERA and 250 strikeouts which earned him both a Cy Young award winner and American League MVP. Fister followed that up with a 2.83 ERA with both Detroit and Seattle.
Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello are coming off solid seasons and round out a solid rotation. The only question is the fifth rotation spot that has come down to a position battle between left handers Andy Oliver, Drew Smyly and Duane Below.
The bullpen is also very solid with closer Jose Valverde, set-up man Joaquin Benoit and middle relievers Phil Coke and Octavio Dotel. Dotel, who was signed from the world champion St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, will break the record for playing for the most teams with the Tigers being his 13th team.
With the acquisition of Fielder, Cabrera will move from first base to third base, making on a paper what looks to be non-effective defense. With a lack of speed and range with Fielder, Cabrera and short-stop Peralta, pitching will be key for the Tigers to have a successful season defensively. There is also a Spring Training battle at second base between Ryan Raburn, Ramon Santiago and Brandon Inge.
The outfield is very solid with centerfielder Austin Jackson having all-star speed to cover Comerica Park easily. Delmon Young is scheduled to be the designated hitter, allowing either Andy Dirks or Don Kelly hold down left field while Boesch playing in right field.
The 2012 season for the Tigers is highly dependent on the power offense and pitching with a suspect defense. Even with potential problems with the defense and with no way of producing runs from bunting or stealing bases, the expectations have been put on the Tigers to go beyond the ALCS and win the World Series. Only time will tell whether or not the season is a success or complete failure. That time begins on April 5 when the Tigers open the regular season.
