The Tigers have moved to the AL Central, where they will compete against 
the Cleveland Indians (perhaps the best team in the American League).

They've changed their focus as a team.  For one of the few times in 
baseball history, the Tigers will be fielding a team of low-power, high 
average hitters.  They traded or gave away much of their power hitting 
core, including Melvin Nieves, Travis Fryman, and rookie Bubba Trammell, 
and have added higher batting average guys such as Bip Roberts (DH), 
Louis Gonzales (left field) and Joe Randa (3rd base).  This is an 
experiment to see if putting people on base more consistently will lead 
to scoring more runs.  The Tigers pitched well last year, but lost a lot 
of games because they didn't score many runs.

There are some names to be remembered from the minor leagues, also: Juan 
Encarcion is one of the most highly regarded outfielders in the minor 
leagues.  If he can come up to the majors and play up to his billing, 
he'll be an All Star in a couple of years.  There are a couple of good 
minor league pitchers in Toledo this year; Mike Drumright and Seth 
Greisenger.  Infield prospect Frank Catalanotto isn't highly regarded, 
but hits consistently; if he can play 3rd base (his natural position is 
2nd) he might be able to contribute to the club.  There are those who 
think he'd be a superstar if he was allowed to play at the major league 
level.

There are some very good players remaining from last year, also.  Justin 
Thompson is expected to be the Opening Day starter; he pitched in the 
All Star Game last year.  Deivi Cruz was a defensive wizard last year, 
in his first year playing above A ball (that's *low* in the minors), and 
should hit much better this year.  Tony Clark is the best young 1st 
baseman in the game.  Brian Hunter, Damion Easley and Bobby Higginson 
all made solid contributions last year.  Raul Casanova, he of the weird 
catcher's mask, returns behind the plate.

It looks to be another exciting year for those who want to see young 
ballplayers who are beginning to play together, some of whom are 
expected to help the Tigers become consistent contenders for the first 
decade of the new century.

Go Tigers!

8 responses total.

 Change thier focus? Does this mean they'll stop losing?

They improved 26 games from 1996 to 1997, Jim.  This did leave them 
slightly below a .500 record.  No, I don't really expect them to have an 
above .500 record in 1998, and certainly not to improve by another 26 
games!

But they're building the team from the minors up, which is good to see.   
(The other way to build a team is to buy a lot of free agents and try 
to win immediately -- like the Florida Marlins did last year.  Florida 
then broke up their team and will be an also-ran this year.)

If the Tigers are doing it as correctly as I think they are, they are 
building a team which will contend for several years.

Speaking of baseball, did anyone notice that the 5 cuban baseball 
players who were lost at sea have been found, and they're all OK?
I was happy to hear that Castro hadn't driven them to their deaths.

The last word I heard was that they were said to have been found, and 
hiding out in the Dominican Republic.  I took that to mean that maybe 
some lived and wound up somewhere, but no one knew how many or where 
they were.

Four were players, one was a coach.  All had been banned from baseball 
in Cuba because they were suspected to want to leave the country.

Yeah, it had been rumored that they had talked to an MLB agent. I can't 
think of a more effective way to ensure that they actually did leave the 
country than the method that the cuban government chose, those.

Well. Here we are five games into the season and so far I am NOT impressed
with this revamped Tigers ballclub. They looked good in the preseason and I
saw good pitching, and their first game against Tampa Bay was REAL promising.
After that point, they look like the same old Tigers. At least they didn't
get blown away last night, just a 2-1 loss.

I thought I'd actually be watching them again this year, but perhaps not if
things don't change. I"ll be the first to admit it, I'm a fair-weather friend
and a down-right fickle bastard, but what can I say? I don't like watching
sloppy baseball and teams who play it.

I only wish Justin Thompson could start every game, THEN maybe they'd be
somewhere. OH well, at least they HAVE an ace for a change.

Justin did poorly in today's game.

This is certainly not the start I expected from the Tigers, even with 
their early schedule with lots of away games.  I thought they'd sweep 
Tampa Bay, even in their ball park.  Instead they lost 2 of 3.

Now they're coming home for the first series; hopefully it will make a 
difference.

I have to admit it, it makes it tough when the team is starting so 
poorly, and you aren't a die-hard baseball fan.

It's easier for me.  I *know* they'll win between 78 and 87 games this 
year, and that this is only one of the bad strings of games you can 
expect in any season.

Hang in there!

I guarantee you right now, they will win more games than they did 2 
years ago.  I guarantee you they will not lose 100 games.

I boldly predict they will win 78 games, and lose 78 games, and the 
strength of their season will be decided on the remaining 6 games.  (If 
they win 84 games, they may well be the wild card team this year.  If 
they only win 78, a lot of people will consider this year a bust.

There are 3 players on the Tigers staff right now, or who will be 
brought up from the minor leagues by this year's All-Star Break, who 
will play in the All-Star Game in 2 years.  They're learning the game 
now, and I don't know who they are, but I'm confident my prediction is 
right.  The 2000 Tigers are going to be a pennant-contending team.  
(That means they will have a good chance to appear in the World Series 
that year, in case you don't know what the pennant is.  The pennant is 
the American League championship.)

The home opener is coming up against the Devil Rays. It will be the frst 
away game the Devil Rays have ever played. I wonder who will win?

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