Detroit Tigers

It is starting to get intriguing down in Lakeland, Fla.

What appeared to be the longshot of all longshots this Spring may indeed be coming to fruition, although not in the way many believed it would happen.

Rick Porcello, the Detroit Tigers first round draft pick way back in 2007, is a strong bet to make the rotation. 

That alone would merit a "wow" sentiment.  What may really blow your socks off is the idea that Porcello might not be the number five starter, but rather number four.

The 2009 ball club very much resembles the team that struggled through 2008, and that’s why you can expect the records to be very similar.

The offense looks to be formidable once again, but the Tigers are going to find out once again that pitching wins games.

Assuming that Verlander returns to his dominant self and Galarraga can duplicate his rookie season success, the Tigers still have many questions pertaining to their starting rotation.

In the interest of full disclosure, Justin Verlander and Gary Sheffield destroyed my fantasy team last year. Verlander was the second pitcher I drafted (after Aaron Harang—ouch), and all I needed from Sheff was one decent run at the end of the season to take my opening round playoff series. Swing and a miss on both counts.

Consequently, the residual bitterness may creep into this preview of the 2009 Detroit Tigers. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Last season, the Detroit Tigers finished 74-88, last in the AL Central, in large part due to their disastrous pitching. The Tigers' 4.90 team ERA in '08 was the fourth worst in the major leagues.

Detroit's hyped lineup was good, but it didn’t produce the galactic numbers that a lot of people expected. The Tigers may be facing some difficult financial decisions if their disappointing play continues. 

The Tigers were top three in player spending in 2008, along with the Yankees and Mets. They spent about $138 million. 

*From Protect the Plate

After a busy offseason spent making upgrades to the offense, many experts had the Tigers as the team to beat in the American League in 2008.

While the team scored plenty of runs, its pitching staff fell apart. The end result was a last-place finish in the AL Central.

The question marks still surround their pitching staff, but the Tigers are hoping their lineup can power them back into contention in 2009.

Pitching woes