This offseason has been a busy one for the Detroit Tigers,
one in which the Tigers have made moves that will no doubt impact the 2014
season. There are 3 players that I believe will have the most impact on the
success of the team for the coming year. All 3 of these players will give the
Tigers something that they were lacking in 2013.
Ian Kinsler: Kinsler came to the Tigers when Prince
Fielder was traded to the Texas Rangers. He has a decent glove at second base,
and can steal bases for the Tigers. He won’t replace Fielder’s bat, but his
glove can be an asset. He has also hit leadoff for most of his career, which
could help the Tigers because Austin Jackson seemed to hit better late in the
season when he was further down in the lineup. If Kinsler could bat leadoff, it
could take some of the pressure off of Jackson.
Rajai Davis: The Tigers signed Davis to platoon in
left field with Andy Dirks. While his batting average hovers between .250 and
.260, he has stolen at least 45 bases in the last 2 seasons. In 2010, he stole
50 bases. Speed and base stealing are things that the Tigers have been missing
the last few seasons. They have depended on home runs, and having someone in
the lineup that has a lot of speed and can steal bases will help the Tigers
tremendously.
Joe Nathan- Joe Nathan has been a thorn in the side
of the Detroit Tigers for many years when he played for the Minnesota Twins.
The Tigers signed him to a 2-year, 20 million dollar contract with a club
option for 2016. In 2013 with the Texas Rangers, he had 34 saves with an ERA of
1.39. A reliable closer has been something that the Tigers needed to address
for the past couple of years. Having an established, veteran closer in the
bullpen will be a nice change. Too many starts were ruined by the bullpen in
2013. Joe Nathan will be what the Tigers have needed in the bottom of the ninth
inning to finish off games.
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