Projected Lineup
CF Curtis Granderson
2B Placido Polanco
SS Carlos Guillen
DH Gary Sheffield
RF Magglio Ordonez
C Ivan Rodriguez
LF Craig Monroe
1B Sean Casey
3B Brandon Inge
Granderson’s high strikeout rate
(172 in 596 AB last season) makes him less than ideal as a leadoff man, though
he has both the speed and the power to set the tone atop the lineup… Polanco is
perfectly suited for the two-hole.
Though he displays little power or speed, he always puts the ball in
play, and does everything right fundamentally… Guillen is coming off of a
career year, as he hit 19 homers, scored 100 runs, and hit .320. He enters the
season just a cut below the elite shortstops… Sheffield
and Ordonez combine terrific power with outstanding bat speed and solid plate
discipline. They’re both strong middle
of the order options capable of driving in 100 runs… Pudge isn’t nearly the
player that he used to be, but he’s still capable of batting .300 with double
digit homers and steals… Monroe is
a bit of a wildcard coming off of a career-best with 28 homers. However, his average sunk like a rock for the
second straight season. A premium spot
in the order would make him a solid second outfielder, but he doesn’t have that
in a deep Tigers’ lineup…. Casey remains a nice, professional hitter, but he’s
a two category fantasy option. Don’t
expect him to do anything to help you apart from his strong average and decent
RBI totals… Inge has tremendous physical talents, leading to quality improvements
as a power hitter the past few years.
However, his batting average seems to be stabilizing in the .250-.260
range, and his spot in the order isn’t conducive to driving in anywhere near
100 runs. In AL-Only Leagues, he makes
for a quality start at the hot corner, but there are plenty of better options
in mixed leagues.
Other Hitters To Watch
Marcus Thames
Chris Shelton
Omar Infante
Thames got more regular playing time
than ever before in 2006, and responded with an outstanding 26 homers in 348 at
bats. However, the addition of Gary
Sheffield over the offseason means that he’s going to need an injury or a trade
to work his way into the lineup this season… Shelton
was the breakout star of the first two months, but quickly fell apart enough so
that the Tigers pursued another option at first base. He’ll enter the year backing up Sean Casey,
and doesn’t figure to have much value outside of AL
Leagues… Infante has decent fifteen homer power as a
middle infielder, but with Polanco and Guillen ahead of him on the depth chart,
won’t see nearly enough at bats to realize that potential.
Starting Rotation
Jeremy Bonderman
Kenny Rogers
Nate Robertson
Justin Verlander
Mike Maroth
Bonderman gradually progressed for a few seasons before his
monster breakout in 2006. Long
considered an ace in waiting, Bonderman struck out 200 batters for the first
time in his career while lowering his walk rate a touch, cutting drastically
into his home runs allowed, and dropping his ERA to 4.08. His WHIP keeps him from being a number one in
fantasy circles, but he’s a strong number two in mixed leagues… Rogers
continued to fight father time in 2006, cutting into his WHIP and finishing
with an ERA below 4.00 for the second consecutive season after struggling
through the early part of the decade.
The 42-year-old lefty has won 49 games in the past three years (17 last
year), though his pitiful strikeout rate keeps him from being anything more
than a number three fantasy starter in a good year… Robertson shaved more than
half a run off of his ERA last season while dropping his BAA enough to cut into
his WHIP as well. However, his second
straight season of mediocrity (5.9 K/9 IP) in the strikeout department and the
fact that he didn’t get quite the run support that Rogers and Bonderman got
kept him from being much more than a back-end fantasy option… Verlander was one
of the bustout starts of the 2006 season, keeping a
tremendous 3.63 ERA and 1.33 WHIP as a rookie as he won seventeen games and the
AL Rookie of the Year award. Though he
didn’t show it much early last season, Verlander has bigtime strikeout
potential and could easily prove to have a bigger upside than Bonderman atop
the Tiger rotation… The majors’ last twenty game loser, Maroth
seemed on his way to a breakout campaign before bone chips in his elbow cut his
season short in late May. The
29-year-old lefty is a complete non-factor in strikeout leagues, but he does
have the stuff and the moxie to keep a solid ERA in the low-fours with a WHIP
in the 1.40 range. He’s a quality option
at the back end of your AL-Only rotation, but not much more.
Closer
Todd Jones
Other Bullpen Arms of Note
Joel Zumaya
Fernando Rodney
Wilfredo Ledezma
After starting the year on the DL and struggling early upon
his return, Jones turned in a tremendous second half at the back of the Tiger
bullpen, keeping a 1.80 ERA and 1.07 WHIP after the break. His strikeout numbers make him a number two
option as a closer at best, but his save totals help to make up for his less
than dominant performance in the other categories… Zumaya has huge upside as
the closer of the future in Detroit,
and could realize it as soon as this season.
However, he’s likely ticketed for a setup role and will fall third in
line for saves on the depth chart behind Jones and Fernando Rodney. He’s known for his dominant fastball, and
will strike out a ton of hitters while garnering plenty of vulture wins in the
Tiger bullpen… Rodney was magnificent as a closer to begin the year with Jones
on the disabled list. However, he fell
apart in June and July, costing his overall numbers on the season. He’s a quality setup option who will garner a
few wins while striking out about a batter an inning… Ledezma
figures to serve as the primary lefty out of the bullpen with Jamie Walker now
in Baltimore. He has a tremendous fastball, but hasn’t been
able to translate it into a ton of strikeouts as a swingman for the Tigers
early in his career. As the top lefty
out of the ‘pen, he figures to have plenty of value in holds leagues.
Position Battles
Mike Maroth vs. Zach Miner – Miner proved to be an adequate
filler in the rotation when Maroth first went down,
but struggled to make his impact felt the rest of the way. He’s proven to be a solid option at AAA the
past couple of seasons, posting a 3.58 ERA in Toledo
over 178 innings. Maroth
has a significant edge as a player in his prime with a considerable advantage
in the experience department. However,
he’s coming off of elbow surgery, and doesn’t figure to be at full strength to
start the year.
Sleepers
Joel Zumaya –
He’ll undoubtedly earn a spot in just about any format in the preseason because
of his insane strikeout rate and incredible potential, but he figures to
challenge for the closer’s role at some point late in the year if Todd Jones
struggles.
Duds
Kenny Rogers –
The Gambler seemingly gets by with no stuff at this point in his career, but
he’s been tremendously successful anyway the past two seasons. Look for the ERA to rise to the mid-four
range while his WHIP heads back to the 1.35 range as hitters tear apart his lack
of a fastball. Even if he does maintain his ERA and WHIP, his win
total figures to come down a bit in 2007, and the fact that he’s struck out
under 100 batters in each of the past two seasons cuts significantly into his
value.
Player to watch for
Andrew Miller – The
21-year-old lefty will likely begin the year in AA, but showed some promise in
a late call-up after being selected sixth overall out of North
Carolina last season.
In college, Miller maintained a 2.78 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP over the past
three years while striking out 325 batters in 308 innings. A power lefty, his fastball touches the high
nineties, while he complements it with an outstanding slider and a quality
cutter.
Projected Finish: 84-78, 3rd AL Central
Fantasy Baseball 
