Detroit Tigers 2015 Pitching Staff

I think it is safe to say that I have come out of my hiatus. This blog started as a project for a class for grad school, but I actually enjoyed blogging for class, because it was about something that I liked! Now that school is done for me, and I will have more free time in my near future, it's time for me to get back to giving my take on the Tigers. Also, I may want to consider a new name for the blog, because Max Scherzer is no longer a Tiger (wah wah).

                                     Max clearly approves of this decision


My first post back from hiatus will obviously be about our 2015 Detroit Tigers. What are my thoughts about this year, you ask? Well, let's start with pitching. For the first time in about 4 years, I am not confident about our starting pitchers. So, since my blog is named after the guy, AND I just posted a picture of him, we will start with Max Scherzer. I had a gut feeling that the Tigers were not going to resign him this past off season. My gut was right, as he signed a monster contract with the Nationals that will pay him 210 million dollars. In all honesty, good for him. He knew he could go out there and get paid, and he did. Anyone who says they wouldn't do the same is silly. What this means for the Tigers is that they lost a crucial part of their once lights out starting lineup. Initially, I was happy that the Tigers didn't resign him. Now, I think that since the Tigers are in such a win right now mentality, and with the kind of season Scherzer is having this year, Detroit should have given him all of the money. The 2015 Detroit Tigers starting rotation consists of (in no particular order) Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, Alfredo Simon, David Price, and Shane Greene.

Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander was once the golden boy of the Detroit Tigers. There was a time when he was considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. That seems like some time ago. To be fair, he has only made 3 starts in 2015. What started off as arm cramping became something that he was sidelined with for quite some time. The past couple of seasons Verlander has struggled, and injury has gotten the better of him. Since his career has started, he has pitched a lot of innings, and it has finally worn him down. My prediction is that he will be a middle of the road pitcher for the rest of his career, with flashes of his old brilliance.

Anibal Sanchez
This year has been a struggle for Sanchez. The 2013 ERA champ is giving up the longballs this year. He has already given up 18 home runs, and that is 2 less than the most he has allowed in an entire season.There are times when Anibal looks lost on the mound, and the Tigers need him to be consistent if they hope to make the playoffs this year.

Alfredo Simon 
To be honest, I didn't know a whole lot about Alfredo Simon before he came to the Tigers this year. I knew that he came to the Tigers from the Reds, and that he had a pretty good first half of the year last year, but fell off in the second half. His first few starts in Detroit were more than could be asked of him. He has starts where he's on, and then he has starts where is seems like batting practice for the other team. I don't honestly know what to think of him, except hope that he gives the Tigers a chance when he's on the mound.

Shane Greene 
I know, I know, I know, Shane Greene has been sent down to the minors. He did, however, start the season on the big league roster, and was expected to become a contributing member to the starting staff, so I'm gonna discuss him. His first 3-4 starts were amazing. He actually is reminiscent of Rick Porcello with his pitching style, since he is also a ground ball pitcher. Unfortunately, his next several starts did not go so well. This lead to him being sent down to AAA Toledo, where he hopefully will figure things out. I still think that Shane Greene can be a decent starter, so I am choosing to be optimistic here.

David Price 
I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but David Price has been our best starter this year. Then again, he is David Price. His one downfall is that he is not returning to Detroit next year. It would be a huge surprise of he came back, since it seems pretty evident that he is not happy in Detroit.

What Does This Mean? 
For the past 4 years or so, starting pitching has not been an issue for the Tigers. This is the first year that Detroit has not had 3-4 starters that would be an ace on another team. The Tigers need to be active at the trade deadline, and starting pitching should be a priority. Price won't return next year, and Sanchez will be in his final year in 2016. It's definitely time to think about rebuilding the pitching staff.

2014: What is to Come?

Since Spring Training has just started, there are always many predictions that come with a new season. Here are some predictions for the Detroit Tigers 2014 season.

Drew Smyly will be a great starter

Drew had lost his starting spot to Rick Porcello in the 2013 pitching rotation. He moved to the Tigers bullpen, and apart from a few bad outings, did a great job out of the bullpen. With Doug Fister now playing for the Nationals, there is now a spot in the rotation for the left hander. He has done well in spot starts for the last 2 seasons, and will be a great addition to the starting rotation.

Max Scherzer will continue to be a force

While Max may not have as many wins as he did in 2013, he will continue to be a great part of the starting staff for the Tigers. His consistency was an issue in 2011 and 2012, but Scherzer has the confidence now to continue to rack up strikeouts and win games.  Winning the Cy Young in 2013 will be just the beginning of Max Scherzer’s coming out party as one of the great pitchers in baseball.

Miguel Cabrera will go for 3 in a row

Back-to-back AL MVP Miguel Cabrera is not going anywhere. He will continue to dominate the American League as he has done in the past. In 2013, he outplayed most of the AL with an injury.  In the very least, he will lead the league in most categories, and be in the discussion for his third straight MVP.

Teams will actually look for the Tigers to steal bases

With the additions of Ian Kinsler and Rajai Davis, the Tigers are now a team that other teams will give a second glance to on the base paths. Austin Jackson and Jose Iglesias can also steal bases, which is a lot more than what the Tigers are used to. When former manager Jim Leyland was asked about how slow the Tigers were on the base paths, he responded with “Well, the idea is that our guys are going to be trotting the bases.” The Tigers have added a new dimension to their game that will help them win games, and speed can prevent outs and stretch singles into doubles.

The Detroit Tigers will win their 4^th straight AL Central Championship

There is no question that the Detroit Tigers are still the best team in the AL central. While Cleveland and Kansas City have gotten considerably better, they are still no match for the Tigers. Cleveland will take a step back in 2014, as they need better starting pitching. The team that will give the Tigers the most trouble this year is the Kansas City Royals. They have greatly bolstered their pitching staff, they have a great bullpen, and they have a core of young guys that are good players. Alas, the Tigers still have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, great veteran presence on the field, and 30 years seems like the time to win it all, which is right now. The Tigers have also improved in some areas they were lacking in past years, such as speed on the base paths, which means they can bring something different to the table.