Why Detroit Still May Play in October

Curt Schilling and the people from Baseball Tonight say that the White Sox have the AL Central locked up.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8393611

We at Detroit Tigers Storyline disagree.

If the Tigers had won last night's game, we would say that the AL Central is wrapped up as a comparison of schedules has a serious advantage going to Detroit.

Since the Tigers are now down three, with fifteen to play, they have their work cut out for them, but a comeback is extremely possible.

Here are three reasons why.

1.) The Tigers have nine remaining home games. The White Sox have six. 

2.) The Tigers only play one more team with a record of over .500 for four games. The White Sox play two teams with a record of over .500 for seven games. 

3.) On the current pitching rotation, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer have a total of seven starts left between the two of them. Scherzer has four and Verlander has three. If Verlander goes on short rest for one of the starts, then the two of them will be pitching in eight of the fifteen games remaining. If Verlander does not go on short rest, he will pitch the playoff game against the White Sox or Game 1 of the ALDS.

If the White Sox go 8-7 over the next fifteen, then the Tigers will have to go 11-4. This is a stretch, but with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer getting half, or more than half of the starting, we wouldn't yet count out the boys from Detroit.

Detroit Baseball Hurts My Stomach

Here are ten reasons why it is really hard to watch the Tigers play baseball right now.

1. Miscues by umpires against the Rangers. (The curse of Jim Joyce.)

2. Miscues by umpires against the Red Sox. (The curse of Jim Joyce.)

3. Miscues by umpires against other teams. (The curse of Jim Joyce.)

4. Why do umpires hate the Tigers?

5. Our inability to turn a double play. 

6. Max Scherzer's ability to strike people out but inability to win.

7. Our inability to get a big 2 out hit.

8. 560,341,285,019 runners LOB.

9. The play of our second basemen.

10. The scary comparison with the 2007 disaster.

What We Learned This Weekend

There are three observations that we would like to point out after enjoying a great opening weekend of baseball in Detroit.

1.) Our lineup is intimidating. (But not necessarily because of the 650 lbs of swat in the middle.)

Not necessarily because Prince Fielder now finds himself at the center of our lineup, or because it seems that Rod and Mario have already destined Miguel Cabrera as the AL MVP, but because Austin Jackson is getting on base. If he can improve his OBP of .317 last year to a mildly respectable .367, we can estimate an increase of 15 more runs scored this year by the Tigers offense. He is off to a great start and all signs point toward this reality.

2.) Our pitching is not impenetrable. (Even though it might have been this spring.)

Watching Jose Valverde blow the save on Thursday was new territory that hasn't been explored in a year a half. Watching Max Shetzer's inability to hold a lead was more familiar, but still unfamiliar. With Fister on the DL and a huge question mark in Smyly, we are exposed. We at Detroit Tiger's Storyline will look forward to watching who emerges from the edges and covers the holes that are sprouting in different locations within our pitching staff.

3.)  The Norms of the AL Central may be changing. (Heroes from Florida.)

After having to work through another winter filled with the media in bed with the AL Central, the tides may be changing. Granted, the season is long and we are just beginning, but the early numbers speak for themselves.

While there is no reason to yet be excited about the Orioles, who played a AAA team in the Twins this weekend, there should be excitement in Tampa. The Rays have proven themselves as a consistent contender, even in the midst of an unusual amount of transition over the past four years, through building a strong pitching staff and gathering around the personality of Joe Madden. And... Who doesn't love watching them pound the Yankees over a three game series? We at this blog are sincerely hoping that the Yankee empire is falling right before our eyes and that the unlikely heroes in Florida come to the rescue to save us from their check books.

Oh and by the way... The Red Sox could also be bad this year. But we're sure that you saw that.

5 Tigers Eligible for Salary Arbitration

In case you were wondering what the Tigers were going to do with their extra 30 million dollars this year, your answer may have been answered... Or at least half answered.

According to James Schmel at Mlive, five Detriot Tigers have now qualified for salary arbitration. This means that they all will receive pay bumps. It is likely that approximately 15 million of that extra 30 million (from Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and BAD Penny) will be spent on the contracts of Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer, Delmon Young, Don Kelly and Phil Coke.

The good news is that this still leaves us with 15 million for another player or two... Or three. We'll see if Dave D. can get some action on this 15 million for the spring.

"Get....... Sinker...... Down........"