<!--quoteo(post=85789:date=Apr 4 2010, 02:59 PM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ Apr 4 2010, 02:59 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=85784:date=Apr 4 2010, 01:25 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Apr 4 2010, 01:25 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I don't understand what people see in the Tigers. They were a mess last season, and I don't see how they improved at all.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I like them a lot actually and think they win the division. They finished just 1 game out of 1st last year and 6.5 games ahead of the White Sox. They won't lose anything offensively in the Damon-Granderson change, added Valverde at closer, and have a very good 1-2 in Verlander and Porcello(just turned 21, 3.96 ERA last year, and has really opened eyes this spring).
I -loved- the trade with the D'backs. I think Scherzer's better than Edwin Jackson and they also added two other very good young arms in the trade. Then on offense, rookies Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore are each two of the leading ROY candidates in the AL this year. Jackson's still a project, but Sizemore is expected to step right in and put up solid offensive numbers with 15+ homer ability immediately.
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I guess I overlooked some of those moves. I still am interested to see how they perform after a bizarre season and with so many young players being asked to step up. Their rotation lacks depth IMO, and I'm always expecting Verlander to fall apart at some point. As long as they finish ahead of the Sox, that's fine by me.