Spring Training is officially over, and I am looking forward to the start of the regular season tonight on ESPN, with the Atlanta at the World Champions Phillidelphia Philles.  Get ready for the flyover, because it is time for the first pitch!

Of course, I am really looking forward to the Tigers first pitch, and especially the home opener.  Armando Gallaraga got the job this year because of his surprisingly great job, coming out of nowhere last year.

All of the so-called “experts” (except for Harold Reynolds on the MLB Network) have picked Detroit to be about the same as last year.  Credit to Reynolds, he picked the Tigers to be first place in the American League Central Division, on the MLB Tonight Predictions show.  Former Tiger Sean Casey picked Rick Porcello to be the AL Rookie of the Year.  After last year, we all know that predictions are absolutely worthless.  None-the-less, it is fun to see who you think will come out on top this year.

I am really excited about the Detroit Tigers this year, and think this season will be great.  Our Spring Training went much better, and even with injuries to Bonderman, Zumaya, and Willis hope springs eternal.  I love the offseason roster moves.  Sheffield was going to go this year, just like Pudge did last year.  Of course, I didn’t expect it to happen before the start of the season.  But hey, it is better to get it done sooner and establish a good team from the beginning.  Edwin Jackson will be a great pitcher for us – steady and reliable.  Adam Everett will provide what Inge has done for us for years, provide extraordinary defense where his offense lacked.  This year Brandon Inge will be much better offensively – look at his numbers from the spring.  I also really like the deal for Josh Anderson from the Braves.  It integrates speed and many more outfield and DH options for Detroit.  Indeed, Anderson is on the opening day lineup card for the first game in Toronto.

If the Tigers can get off on a better foot than we did last year, with the terrible 0 and 7 start, things will be immeasurably improved.  If not, it could mean Jim Leyland’s job is in trouble.  I’m not saying that the Tigers will definitely make the playoffs, but the American League Central Division is wide open.  Every single team, including the Royals, are much improved from last year.  The White Sox will still be the “good guys” and be in the hunt from day 1.  Cleveland will still be Cleveland and will be the Tigers chief rival.  The Royals could be a sleeper team and surprise everyone with a first or second-place finish.  Minnesota has problems with their key injuries to the M&M boys.  The Tigers will rely on the overhauled pitching staff, with eyes on the rookie pitcher Rick Porcello.  He pitched well in single-A last year and deserved a shot in the majors this year.  But management has learned from key mistakes in the past, such as relying only on players who play good, regardless of how much they are paid.  Sheffield gone.  Nate Robertson, being paid millions, is in the bullpen.  You can look for him to gate traded this year.  The offense is good, just like the last few years.  The addition of Thames at DH most of the time will give him 400 at-bats this year, which he has never had before.  With stats providing for a home run every 10 at-bats, does that mean 40 home runs for our beloved Marcus?  Wow!  Hope springs eternal.

So where do the Tigers finish?  As high as they aspire to.

TCS

P.S. I have renamed my blog to Displaced Tigers Fan, which certainly described me.  It is a rare occassion for me to see the Tigers play in Detroit.  The first time I saw Comerica Park was 2 years ago (7 years after it opened).  I only saw the Tigers in Chicago last year.  This year I am going to Tigers games in Seattle.  After living all over the world, including places like Hawaii, Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) and Seattle, I’ve come to accept the strange looks I get while wearing my beloved Detroit Tigers gear.