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2008 MLB
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2008 Detroit Tigers Predictions & Season
Preview
With
Miguel Cabrera joining an
already potent Detroit
lineup and Dontrelle Willis
joining an already explosive
starting rotation, the
Tigers appear to be poised
for an AL Central title, and
maybe more, but can Jim
Leyland’s team bring it
home? Jimmy Boyd has your
answer in his 2008
Detroit Tigers predictions
and season preview.
Starting Rotation/Bullpen
Justin Verlander leads the
way as the ace of this
Tigers staff. He won 17
games in his rookie season
and 18 last year. He has to
mentioned in the same breath
as the Cy Young this season
and will likely get several
of those trophies before he
calls it quits. The other
four starters are all
talented and can all produce
but must stay healthy, which
was a problem at times in
’07. Jeremy Bonderman went
11-9 last season and we know
that he is better than that.
Nate Robertson also seems to
be underachieving. Kenny
Rogers has been brilliant in
Detroit despite being
100-years old, and his
health is a huge concern.
Dontrelle Willis comes in
and is the wild card. Will
he be the 22-game winner
that he was in 2005 or the
10-game winner that he was
last season? I’m optimistic
and putting him in front of
a better lineup should help.
If this staff stays healthy,
it will rule the central
division and could help the
Tigers earn the best record
in the AL. But if injuries
come up like they did last
season, Detroit will
struggle at times.
Batting Order
Centerfielder Curtis
Granderson may be the best
leadoff hitter in the league
with 23 homeruns, 74 RBIs,
26 stolen bases and a .302
average. Even is Placido
Polanco drops off from a
solid year at the plate, he
is worth having in the
field. He became the first
big league second baseman to
play an entire season with
no errors. Miguel Cabrera
will step right in and fill
the three-hole. He has 34
homeruns and 119 RBIs with
an offensively challenged
Florida team last year.
Imagine what he’ll be able
to do once he settles in
with Detroit. Gary Sheffield
still has it. Sheff had 25
bombs in 133 games last
season and even stole 22
bases at nearly 40 years of
age. He will greatly benefit
from the addition of
Cabrera. And there won’t be
a better five hitter in the
league than Magglio Ordonez
who won the 2007 batting
title. He batted .363 with
28 homeruns and a staggering
139 RBIs. Carlos Guillen
will take over unfamiliar
territory at first base but
will give Detroit a 25
homerun, 100 RBI threat in
the six spot. With all the
hype that Cabrera and Willis
have received, many forget
that the Tigers also landed
shortstop Edgar Renteria. He
is one of the best clutch
hitter in the game with a
career .307 average with
runners on base. Ivan
Rodriguez is only a 14-time
All-Star and a 13-time Gold
Glove winner and Jacque
Jones is a solid left handed
stick to round out the
order.
This could be the year for
the Tigers to bring home a
title to the Motor City.
Leyland is among the game’s
best managers and there no
question about the talent on
this team. If anything costs
them, it will be a lack of
experience in big games or
the injury bug. All in all,
I like the Tiger in the
Central and they will be a
strong contender for the AL
Pennant.
Make sure you check out all
World Champion handicapper
Jimmy Boyd’s MLB predictions
to get a leg up on your man
prior to the season. The
defending MLB handicapping
champ will be ready to
deliver winners from game
one and hopes to have you on
board for another big year!
Odds to win AL Central:
5/6
Odds to win 2008 AL Pennant:
3/1
Odds to win 2008 World
Series:
5/1
Other Predictions for the 2008 Season:
Updated February 12th, 2008
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