OT- Baseball is back!
If you're a seam-head like myself then today marks the beginning of spring as pitchers and catchers report today in Lakeland.
I'd like to hear some predictions not only for the Tigers but for the rest of the league as well. I'm gonna put the Tigers at 90-72 and getting a WC birth, as KC takes the division.
2016 World Series: San Francisco GIants (it's an even numbered year) vs the KC Royals in a rematch of the '14 series.
February 18th, 2016 at 12:51 PM ^
Obligatory.
February 18th, 2016 at 12:55 PM ^
I was tempted to put this video in the OP but was awaiting for the first game of spring training to post it.
February 18th, 2016 at 12:53 PM ^
However, -1 for no subject line.
February 18th, 2016 at 12:55 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 1:26 PM ^
I love where your head (and heart) are at. A few additional predictions:
AL-
East: Toronto
Central: (aforementioned) Tigers
West: Houston
WC: Seattle and Red Sox
ALCS: Tigers over Houston
NL-
East: Marlins
Central: Cubs
West: AZ
WC: Mets and Cards
NLCS: AZ over Cubs (sorry Chicago)
AL MVP: George Springer
NL MVP: Bryant
AL ROY: Byron Buxton
NL ROY: Seager
AL CY: Taijuan Walker
NL CY: Strausberg
February 18th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 6:18 PM ^
Taijuan Walker for ALCY? What are you smoking?
February 18th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^
Definately absurd.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:08 PM ^
I think they're certainly in WC contention, a rotation of: Sale, Quintana, Rodon, and Latos is quite good and they've got quite the punch in the middle of the order with the additions of Todd Fraizer, and Dioner Navarro.
February 18th, 2016 at 2:12 PM ^
I still think their offense is average. Abreau is legit. Frazier is lifetime .257 hitter with one season over 30 HRs and never has reached 90 RBI. Eaton is solid. Navarro is not really a difference-maker. Adam Laroche is a 36 year old slated DH coming off a .205 year with 12HRs.
I just don't see the ChiSox winning more than 82 games.
February 18th, 2016 at 3:26 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 3:35 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 1:09 PM ^
USA Today has the ChiSox (90-72) finishing six games up on the Royals in the Central. Speaking of the Royals...
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/fantasy/dc/
...I think they broke PECOTA.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^
If they played the game on paper I think Detroit has the best team in the division. Since they dont they have big questions regarding the health of some pretty important pieces in Sanchez, Miggy and Victor. If those guys stay healthy and Verlander has a good year, which I think he will, and Zimmerman gives us a #2s innings and quality this team can win it all. And the bullpen has to be at least league average, right? These are some huge question marks. Too big to make them a favorite but definately not a team Id want to meet in the playoffs or WS.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:05 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 1:11 PM ^
We are now offering a Single Team Package for the yearly price of $84.99. Subscribers to this package can watch local telecasts of a selected single team’s out-of-market regular season games LIVE in full HD. Note: this product will not allow you to view live games of any in-market team.
You'll get blacked-out when they play the Twins.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:57 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 1:06 PM ^
March 10-12
4 Games @ Hawaii
I'll be there in my Maize and Blue for all 4 games!
Go Blue and Go Tigers!
Is it odd to already start thinking what trade deadline moves we'll make to try and make a 2nd half rally to win the division over KC?
February 18th, 2016 at 1:11 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^
Did you pay attention during the winter meetings? The Tigers traded for K-Rod, and Justin Wilson, and signed Mark Lowe and just inked Bobby Parnell to a minor leauge deal today. The bullpen was the first area Avila went after and he did a nice job to get some assets to an area that sorely lacked any.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:18 PM ^
They have quite a bullpen now.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:18 PM ^
I'm not sure how to feel. What's the absolute most cautious one could be with a shred of optimism? Can I be that?
February 18th, 2016 at 1:27 PM ^
FanGraphs...
http://www.fangraphs.com/depthcharts.aspx?position=Standings#AL-W
...has them ten games better than the Pirates/Cards.
PECOTA...
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/fantasy/dc/
...has them nine games better than the Pirates/Cards.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:40 PM ^
...your grandfather's Cubs. Or your father's Cubs. Hell, depending on how old you are, these aren't even your Cubs.
What's the biggest mistake Epstein & Co. have made since taking over after the 2011 season? Giving a couple bucks to Edwin Jackson?
I know nothing in sports is ever certain, but the Cubs are gonna be a juggernaut for the rest of the decade. It's happening.
February 18th, 2016 at 2:12 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 2:17 PM ^
But Still...
I'm 28, so "My" Cubs are Sosa and Soriano, lots of promise, never delivering. The 07 and 08 Cubs were the best teams in baseball, only to get swept in the playoffs.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:20 PM ^
When I was a kid, I loved baseball. Some of my favorite memories were going to Tiger Stadium with my uncle and brother (he didn't have any boys then, so he took us as his surrogate sons).
It all changed in 1988. The 88-89 squad was bad. They had just gotten beat....not just beat, but embarassed...by the Toledo Mudhens.
The next day, Sparky Anderson went on TV. Instead of being honest and saying something along the lines of "we have a lot of work to do", he proclaimed that the squad was as good as (if not better than) the 84 Dream Team.
I swore off pro baseball then and there, and haven't been able to get back on the bandwagon since...
February 18th, 2016 at 5:01 PM ^
That was almost 30 years ago. Give it another whirl. With PEDs nearly gone the game is back to mostly normal looking people playing a better brand of baseball (in my opinion).
Sparky also said that Gibby was the next Micky Mantle and that Chris Pittaro was going to be an All Star.
Personally I loved when Sparky would say fantastical things. I found it entertaining.
February 18th, 2016 at 1:49 PM ^
Should be a very interesting year in Detroit. Not too stoked to have Ausmus on the bench, and who knows what we're going to get out of VMart and Verlander. However, with Miggy and J.D. you always have a chance. Excited to see what James McCann can do and if Castellanos can break through this year. Wish they could have brought Cespedas back but no the end of the world. Whether or not they make the post season this year is still gonna come down to the bullpen though. LET'S GO TIGERS!
February 18th, 2016 at 1:51 PM ^
Percent chance the Tigers win the World Seires?
February 18th, 2016 at 3:40 PM ^
Hopefully
February 18th, 2016 at 2:04 PM ^
Then for us in Denver, by late May the season is pretty much over.......
February 18th, 2016 at 2:12 PM ^
Season projections are little more than an exercise based on some evaluation of recent existing data at this point, but the FanGraphs AL Central projection is here - LINK
As you might expect, a projection of 162 game yet to be played puts the Tigers at 0.500, but part of me wants to believe that adding some better arms to the bullpen (or if you want to be dramatic, actually realizing we needed a bullpen) will help get 5-10 games more than that, if not more in the win column alone, all the other things that can happen in a game aside for a second.
February 18th, 2016 at 2:36 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 3:00 PM ^
if everything clicks, the tigers will be in it til the end. big if, tho.
February 18th, 2016 at 3:01 PM ^
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February 18th, 2016 at 3:09 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 3:14 PM ^
Over 50% tigers make the playoffs? Yes or no?
February 18th, 2016 at 3:28 PM ^
What scares me is that IMO there's a pretty solid chance that Brad Ausmus is not a good manager. Also, they need some big contributions from some guys who aren't getting any younger. Plus they've got some big pieces (VMart, Miggy, Iglesias) who are injury prone. Also, Verlander can't wait until August to start pitching well.
February 18th, 2016 at 3:39 PM ^
I have to agree with you. I don't think Ausmus is a very good manager.
February 18th, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^
February 18th, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^
He wins division titles 50% of the time. And he has luxurious hair.
I'm still on the fence.
I have a feeling if we're not doing well by the ASG and Ausmus isn't getting the most of his roster, then Avilla may make a move.
February 18th, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^