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Solid Tigers are no lock

Pat Caputo

They won the pennant in 2006, thrilling us along the way.

Last season, there were more disappointments than thrills, but at least it can be said the Tigers stayed in the race deep into the summer.

So expectations were already high. This town had been itching for a return to the World Series anyway. Seemed like the Tigers blew a golden opportunity when they self-destructed against the St. Louis Cardinals, who were crowned world champions despite a paltry 83 victories during the regular season.

But since Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski played “Let’s Make A Deal” during the offseason by trading nearly every player of real value in the Tigers’ farm system to acquire third baseman Miguel Cabrera, starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis and shortstop Edgar Renteria, the anticipation for this coming season has soared.

Getting to the World Series has become more than a goal. It has become a quest. At least that is the view of Tigers fans who, despite a flagging economy, have already bought tickets in record numbers.

After a spring of relative discontent — the Brandon Inge saga, Todd Jones getting hit hard, injuries to Fernando Rodney and Curtis Granderson — time has come for the Tigers to deliver.

And in truth, doing so will be more difficult than anticipated. It’s not only that the Tigers, while obviously formidable, are also somewhat flawed, but because the competition in the American League is amazingly strong.

The Red Sox have won two of the last four world titles. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz remain in the middle of what is a solid and balanced lineup. The Red Sox also have excellent pitching — much better than the Tigers.

The Yankees might have some starting pitching problems. They are relying, uncharacteristically, on youngsters. Yet, the Yankees’ batting order remains fierce, and Mariano Rivera is still their closer.

Only a fool would expect the Yankees not to be in the playoffs. They just get there — as if it is a birthright.

The Indians didn’t do much to match the Tigers’ trading frenzy. Why should they?

The Indians were eight games better than the Tigers last season. In retrospect, the down-to-the-wire epic race we were longing for never transpired. The Indians won the American League Central in a rout.

Seattle has picked up Erik Bedard, who has developed into one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. The Mariners are very good and should contend.

The Angels figure to be better with Torii Hunter in center field and Jon Garland added to an already stout starting rotation.

The White Sox also seemed improved, augmenting their struggling middle relief corps with veterans the Tigers bypassed on the free-agent market, Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel, while getting outfielder Nick Swisher from Oakland for prospects and shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Angels for Garland.

The keys for the Tigers are clear. The starting rotation needs to live up to its potential. Just pitching two or three more outs deeper into games would benefit the Tigers’ bullpen to a large degree.

That means not only just pitching effectively, but also efficiently.

Justin Verlander, however, is the only Tigers’ starter coming off a strong season.

And he did have problems most of last year running up his pitch count early in starts. That has to change, along with Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson, Jeremy Bonderman and Dontrelle Willis reverting to form.

The Tigers will score runs. That is a given. With such a potent lineup, averaging more than six runs per game is not out of the question.

The Tigers have the best lineup in baseball. So the only fireworks at Comerica Park this summer won’t be after night games at home on the weekend.

The idea, however, is to prevent fireworks from opposing teams. The Tigers won in 2006 because their pitching was the best in baseball. They didn’t win in 2007 because their pitching dropped to the bottom third in the American League.

Maybe if the competition wasn’t so tough, the Tigers might be able to get away with being a one-dimensional club — and still get back to the World Series.

But the current landscape of the American League doesn’t dictate it. Their margin for error is small.

It makes the Tigers anything but the lock to reach the postseason many fancied them to be when Dombrowski completed the big trades. It’s more like they are just another contender.

Albeit a bona fide one.

Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist. Contact him at pat.caputo@oakpress.com and read his sports blog and listen to his sports podcast at Blog Central at www.theoaklandpress.com.

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