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Ahhh, finally I have reached the end of the line with the pitchers and positional players for the Tigers. The bench analysis, coaching breakdown and farm report will be coming soon, but I won’t get them out prior to opening day. I didn’t think this would be a problem to get everything done and analyzed before the season started, but after I got going I realized I was on page 13 of a single spaced Word document and putting way too much time into this. There is some data to quantify my true BGeek status. My hope is to keep a game-to-game analysis of my beloved Detroit baseball club. We’ll have to see how that goes and if time permits. The centerfield job this spring began as a competition between two young players and ended with Curtis Granderson taking control. He was so dominant in spring that his competition, Nook Logan, did not even make the roster. Instead, Marcus Thames will fill the fourth outfielder role. The 25 year old Granderson is an exciting young prospect with power and speed potential. Granderson, who is 6’1” 185 lbs, will be given the chance to play everyday in the cavernous Comerica Park outfield. Curtis showed promised last year in 47 games with the big club hitting .272 with 8 HRs, 20 RBIs and a steal. He could potentially be a 20-20 guy and score a lot of runs leading off the potent Tigers’ offense. Granderson will have his struggles, but I expect him to hit in the .280 range with 15-10 HRs and 10-15 steals. Hopefully he will surprise and beat those expectations. He tore it up in spring training this year.  In left is the constantly improving Craig Monroe. The guy just keeps getting better every year. I see no reason that will not continue this season. Leyland loves the guy so that is working in his favor. Monroe turned 29 this spring and has 5 years of major league experience. Last year he hit .277 with 20 HRs and led the team with 89 RBIs. He played in all but 5 games last year and is a consistent defensive player. Monroe will bat 6th in the Tigers’ line-up following Pudge, Maggs and D. Young. I expect Monroe will hit for a higher average, around .290, with 25 HRs and 90 RBIs. Don’t expect a drop-off from Monroe who tends to fly under the radar.  The Tigers are hoping to get their monies worth out of their right fielder this season. When he is healthy Magglio Ordonez is one of the top run producers in the game. Last year was hampered by injury, but Maggs enters this season healthy for the first time in the last few years. He will give the Tigers legitimate power from the clean-up spot in the batting order. Maggs is now 32, but I don’t think he is over the hill just yet. I envision him putting together a stretch of a few good seasons in Detroit. A healthy Ordonez will return to the .300 average, 30 HR and 120 RBI type of season. Expect that to happen this season as the Tigers have a potentially dangerous offensive line-up. Maggs does not have a reputation as a great outfielder, but his .988 career fielding percentage won’t hurt the team.  The fourth outfielder is going to be Marcus Thames, who surprisingly beat out Nook Logan for the spot. The 29 year old Thames has all the power in the world, but has never received consistent playing time. This will not change this year unless there is unfortunate injury to a starter. He hit 7 HRs in only 38 games, but also hit below the Mendoza line at .196. In 2004 he popped 10 HRs in 61 games and hit .255. Marcus has bounced from the Yankees to the Rangers to the Tigers since 2002. While the power potential is there…the .226 lifetime average and the age of 29 do not scream break-out season. Thames can give the Tigers some pop off the bench, but I don’t figure much else.  Additional outfield help can be provided by Dmitri Young in the corners or Brandon Inge in center. I also think Infante has played some games in the outfield. It is good to see D. Young dropped some weight and reportedly is in better shape. He could return to the .300 hitter he was before 2005 as the DH.  --------------------------------------------------------
Go Tigers!!!
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