2019 Detroit Tigers

[matt1]

What do you think about the Tigers this year?? I say second place behind the Cleveland Indians at the end of September & the playoffs.

[Deleted User 4520]

I'm not expecting much from them this year. Prolly finish 4th or 5th place in their division.

[Mr.Transistor]

Wow...2nd place is very optimistic. That would be great. I feel like a last place will be in order and lose about 95 games. I just want to see growth from the young players and the ones brought up during the year. I like Gardenhire, he seems to maintain a positive attitude, I'd enjoy playing for him. I'll be at opening day and about 6-7 other games during the year.

[Matt]

I'm hoping they fold.

[moldyoldie]

I just want to see growth from the young players and the ones brought up during the year. I like Gardenhire....

Ditto!

[Chrocket87]

Vegas has them at 67.5 wins. I’d say that’s actually a good one, I think I’ll put my money on just over. Still have them in 4th, just ahead of KC.

The thing to watch about this team is how well will those prospects brought in during the 2017 blowout progress.

[moldyoldie]

It looks as if CF JaCoby Jones is gonna be out for awhile with a semi-serious shoulder injury sustained while diving for a ball. He's still having a tough time with pitch recognition, batting below the Mendoza line in spring training. I'd like to see last year's Rule 5 pick-up Victor Reyes platoon with Mikie Mahtook in CF to start the season.

Ex-Tiger catcher James McCann is hitting well this spring for the White Sox, but so is his ostensible replacement Grayson Greiner. I viewed catcher as a potential problem position for the Tigers this year.


(edit)
It looks like last year's waiver pick-up Dustin Peterson is slated to take Jones' roster spot with Mahtook and versatile Niko Goodrum splitting time in CF. Peterson had a productive spring before being assigned to minor league camp; he's never played CF at any level.

[moldyoldie]

5-3 after eight games - not a bad start. Pitching has been great!

[Deleted User 24]

I didn't expect this team to be atop its division at 7-3 based on pitching and defense.

[Chrocket87]

Team is off to a pretty nice start. The pitching looks great so far. The bats need to wake up fast, though. The Indians’ rotation is hard enough to beat even if their bats weren’t off to a slow start.

[moldyoldie]

I have to admit I'm disappointed starter Matt Moore is lost for the season, both for him and me. For him, he's lost his chance to pitch for a contender after the trade deadline a la Mike Fiers last season. For me, I love watching crafty veteran southpaws a la Tommy John and Frank Tanana. At least we'll finally get to see if Daniel Norris is ready for regular rotation duty.

With the injury bug hitting the team more often than anticipated, we may see these highly touted young bucks currently in the minors sooner rather than later.

[fuzzpower]

Moore would have crashed and burned had he stuck around longer. He is washed up.

[moldyoldie]

Moore would have crashed and burned had he stuck around longer.

You don't know that, Fuzz. We'll never know. He was pitching very well when he went down, giving up zero runs and three hits in ten innings with nine strikeouts and only one walk. Some of these veteran pitchers are very successful in reinventing themselves.

[moldyoldie]

With the season rapidly turning into a major dumpster fire -- three of the original five starting pitchers at season's open are on the shelf and a fourth got hammered yesterday -- the question becomes do the Tigers bring up their minor league hotshots much sooner than planned. I say no; not only are they probably not ready to face MLB hitters, but there's also their service time/team control to consider for contractual reasons. I remember veteran Blaine Hardy pitching quite well in a starting role last season; stretch him out and let's give him the nod for the rotation. Norris and rookie Turnbull are looking like they "belong"...so far. Strong-armed Drew VerHagen was DFA'd yesterday after yielding six runs in the eighth inning.

As far as the hitters are concerned...

Interesting comparative stat:
Recently DFA'd outfielder Mikie Mahtook is hitting .360 with a 1.189 OPS in 64 plate appearances at Toledo. Meanwhile, our supposed center-fielder of the future, Daz Cameron, is hitting .194 with a .651 OPS for the Mudhens, albeit in 115 PAs.