[Ramoth]

Opening day is upon us and no Tigers thread on the huddle?
Times have changed

Any Tigers fans still on this site?

Verlander is on the mound right now starting off what should be an exciting season for the Tigers.

[Lancer '65]

Born in the Motor City, been a Tiger fan my whole life. Hopefully, this will be a Third World Series victory in my lifetime. !968 and 1984 so far. The 1945 win was I month before I was born. It won't be because the Tigers stood pat in the off season. They certainly have the players (minus Martinez), which is a pretty serious loss, but Prince really strengthens the line-up and makes everyone else a little better.

It will come down to whether the Tiger bull pen and their fifth starter come through and Verlander has another good year. I don't see him matching his amazing season last year, but just a normal Verlander year should do it.


One down and 161 to go for a perfect year!!!

[irish_buffalo]

Watched em in Toledo yesterday and the highlight was seeing Cabrera, Fielder, Boesch, and Young take BP in a foursome. Yesterday had two All-Stars in Peralta and Avila hitting in the 7 and 8 hole which says a lot.

Add the young rising stars like Jackson, Dirks, Worth, Raburn (not so young and look out.

Hopefully pitching holds up.

This is the best Tigers team I've seen on paper in sometime.

[CharlieL]

Jackson has REALLY solved his hitting problems of last year. Read strike outs. He is hitting to all fields and making consistent contact. A really big plus for the Tigers this year.

All the tension is removed from Valverde with his consecutive streak of 49 saves ended.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by irish_buffalo

Hopefully pitching holds up.

Same starting staff as last year except for Penny. Last year, after Justin, it was always a thrill a minute with the remaining four slots. Never knew what we would get. Several outstanding performances by Max and Rick and by the time we got to number five, Penny, it was usually a busy day for the bullpen. Jimmy scrambled successfully to keep the ship afloat.

[Ramoth]

Porcello starts will be interesting with Fielder and Cabrera at the corners.
I would like to see Raburn in the DH spot everyday..................don't let the worst glove in baseball past the batters box.

[freakonaleash]

What has happened to integrity? He's a big tiger fan. Haven't seen him post in awhile?

Would rather see RRayburn in left than 2base. DYoung is average at best in OF, and RR is a little better and covers more ground. I expect DY & RR to split the LF/DH spots against lefties.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by Ramoth

Any Tigers fans still on this site?

Being a vintage aged person, I have been a Tiger fan since '43 growing up in Toledo and listening to Harry Heilmann on Detroit am radio. Hal Newhouser during the war et al. Greenburg just home from service late in '45 just in time for World Series, Al Kaline signed straight out of HS and starting in RF in early 50's when I could watch games on TV with our roof top antenna. Charlie Maxwell from Paw Paw MI, the YANKEE killer on Sundays along with ex Yankee, Charlie Keller in the twilight of his career and always at his best against the Yankees as a spot starter.

On a day of the Inchon landing, Sep 16 1950, my dad took me to see the Tigers play the Yanks in the last of a 3 game series. The Tigers were in the race with the Yanks all the way into September. Unfortunately, it was Dizzy Trout vs Whitey Ford and Dizzy really wasn't that great in the tail end of his career. The bad guys won. We sat behind the left field screen which was my favorite place in years to come. Cheap seats and you could talk to the left fielders that were close by.

From Baseball Almanac, here is the box

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-...d=195009160DET

[Pudge]

Hopefully they can produce like we all think they can. We are heading up on Sunday to catch game 3 of the Red Sox series. I love going to Comerica, but am especially amped to see Prince and Miggy on the same field.

Schertzer vs. Buckholz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cloU58N0YVI

Just wish Ernie was still here.

[defdog22]

Today was fun.

Can't wait for my first game of the summer April 21st, then again the 26th.

[nilesdragon]

Who do you think is going to have a better year for Detroit, Austin Jackson or Brennan Boesch? I believe Jackson is going to be the most productive between the two. He toned down his swing which should cut down on strikeouts. Austin can also give you stolen bases and should score a lot of runs when he gets on. I feel that a lot of players go through a "sophomore slump", which he did last year. Jackson should still get around 10 hr's even though that's not needed for his part of the batting order.

[freakonaleash]

I'll say 20 stolen bases would be high for Jackson. Leyland will not give away outs with the hitters behind Jackson.

[Ramoth]

Jackson scored 90 runs despite his batting average being down and the ridiculous amount of whiffs.
He cuts down on the k's and raises his OBP he'll crossing home well over 100 times.

[defdog22]

If Boesch stays healthy he should be able to hit 20 homers and drive in 80 with the protection he's got behind him. If both step up with a good year the offense will be almost impossible to stop.

[defdog22]

That game just.....I have no words. Literally speechless. We can't be giving up 12 regularly and expect to be good. Scherzer needs to be better. Fister's injury could be a major problem. But no lead for our opponents is safe with this offense.

Time will tell whether we live up to the expectations and get to and then have a long run in October. But it's going to be a fun summer no matter what.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by defdog22

That game just.....I have no words. Literally speechless. We can't be giving up 12 regularly and expect to be good. Scherzer needs to be better. Fister's injury could be a major problem. But no lead for our opponents is safe with this offense.

Time will tell whether we live up to the expectations and get to and then have a long run in October. But it's going to be a fun summer no matter what.

Agree. Scherzer went through starts like today's last year, blowing games in the first three or four innings of several games in the front half of the season. It was that arm angle thing. Halfway through the year he conquered it for the most part and was very tough down the stretch. Porcello had the same start of game blowing that was mostly solved by mid season. Mechanics again. Last year was managed agony by Jimmy and this year likely to be similar.

Makes one wonder what spring training is for.

Love that "no holes" offensive lineup. Best ever in my long memory. They may earn the nickname "Bombers".

[Lancer '65]

Only 159 to go. I realize that this is rubbing it in but Tiger fans don't generally have much to brag about and this is a special team. They need to stay injury free and Max needs to bounce back in his next start but this is going to be a very tough team to beat.

[defdog22]

Originally Posted by CharlieL

Agree. Scherzer went through starts like today's last year, blowing games in the first three or four innings of several games in the front half of the season. It was that arm angle thing. Halfway through the year he conquered it for the most part and was very tough down the stretch. Porcello had the same start of game blowing that was mostly solved by mid season. Mechanics again. Last year was managed agony by Jimmy and this year likely to be similar.

Makes one wonder what spring training is for.

Love that "no holes" offensive lineup. Best ever in my long memory. They may earn the nickname "Bombers".

Scherzer's just frustrating to watch. He had that terrible start 2 years ago cause of mechanics. Went down to Toledo, fixed it, then was a 2nd ace the 2nd half. Last year he started on fire and ended the season well, but the middle was terrible. This start was even worse.

He's got top of the rotation stuff and I think eventually he'll figure it out and get there. But you just never know which Max is going to show up game to game. He's either going to go 8 innings of 1 run ball, or he's going to give up 6 or 7 over 4.

[Lancer '65]

The Lions started off like a house on fire, the Red Wings started out like a house on fire, and now the Tigers have started out like a house on fire....Hopefully one of these houses can avoid burning out too soon. The Tigers last year had a similar beginning. Fortunately, Detroit fans always have the Pistons to jolt them harshly back to reality. (although the Pistons haven't been as bad lately as they were during the first month or so....)

[Pudge]

Was at the game yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the win. But with that said, I was proud of the way Tiger fans conducted themselves during the game. When Prince struck out in the bottom of the 9th with a chance to win the game, not a mumble was heard from the crowd. I have been in other ball parks where people start yelling or complaining as soon as a highly paid star doesn't deliver in a key situation. Also, when Prince got his first hit of the game and his 1000th hit of his career, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. They understand even though it is his first year with the Tigers he has long been a member of the Tiger's family.

But the big "positive" I noticed yesterday was the fact there were dozens of Red Sox fans at the part yesterday, they seemed to be treated with respect. We had a large group of them sitting about 10 rows in front of us and they felt comfortable in standing and cheering their team. During a time when we hear of opposing fans being verbally abused or assaulted due to loyalty to their team, opponents can go to Comerica knowing they will be safe. There was some good-natured jawing going on, but it was in fun from what I saw.

I read an atricle several years ago where they did a poll of MLB players. They said that St. Louis and Detroit fans were the most knowledgeable fans in their respective leagues. I would tend to agree with that poll and am proud to say I am a Tigers fan.

GO TIGERS!!!!