Detroit Tigers

So a couple nights ago I'm dinking around on the computer, trying to figure out what my fantasy baseball team's pitching rotation is going to look like this year, when my buddy Paul texts me out of the blue to see if I want to go to the Tigers' home opener at Comerica Park.

"Oh, hells yes," I answer. I've never been to a Tigers game in my life before, and what better place to start than the '10 home opener?

The Down on the Farm series began last week, as I examined the Tigers' top pitching prospects entering the 2010 season. Today, we briefly examine some position players to keep an eye on this season.     

COMING SOON:

1B/DH RYAN STRIEBY
2009: AA Erie 
Stats: .303 average, .427 OB% 
18 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 58 RBI

He’s 6'2", with arms the size of Paul Bunyan’s and thighs that look like folded over sandbags. He doesn’t have a chest, he has Rhode Island, and maybe a little of Vermont.

He doesn’t walk, he advances.

He’s just shy of 27 years of age and already has 211 home runs, is edging nearer to 800 RBI, and has collected over 1,200 hits. He has a career batting average of .311.

To a respectable, married, man, the Detroit Tigers are like a provocatively dressed woman.

You don’t want to look, it’s almost painful in a way, because when you do, you get reprimanded and regret it. But that opportunity to see something amazing is just so great that you can’t help but watch.

And besides, if there were no consequences to face, what would the point of looking be?

Dontrelle Willis and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Royals 7-3 Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Willis, who made his first start today since last June when he was placed on the disabled list due to social anxiety, pitched six innings and surrendered only two earned runs.

They used to be scattered all over the state, particularly in the tri-county area.

The tony suburbs of Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills were popular for them, but towns like Washington and Livonia were home to some of them as well.

Theirs was a time when you not only played baseball for the Detroit Tigers, you stuck around to experience our winter months, too.

Well, it is official. The season is ready to start, and the 25-man roster is set. So just leave it to Your Party Host to give you the lowdown on what you need to know about each player.

The Detroit Tigers finished last year with a record of 86-76, tied for first place in the AL Central… but they failed to make the post-season when they lost Game No. 163 to the Minnesota Twins and sat home while the post-season got underway.

At the conclusion of the season, Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski began the process of rebuilding his team from top to bottom. In a seven-player, three-team trade with the Diamondbacks and Yankees, Trader Dave sent CF Curtis Granderson to the Yankees and SP Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks.

If nothing, this was a sign of trust in Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman.

Because what the Tigers did on Tuesday—dealing left-hander Nate Robertson to the Florida Marlins for left-hander Jay Voss—was nothing short of a release.

Did anyone really think otherwise?

The Tigers are paying $9.6 million of his $10-million salary this year and are virtually giving the payroll-sensitive Marlins the left-handed starter that they desperately needed.  

The end of March is rapidly approaching. We are now less than a week away from opening day. With that in mind, I decided to announce my 25-man roster based upon what I have witnessed so far this spring.

As the Tigers are preparing to trim down the roster , I decided to take a stab at it as well. Rather than predict who I believe the Tigers brass will select, I decided to list my 25 man roster.