Detroit Tigers Links: Joe Nathan, Resolutions, Jose Iglesias

Time to turn the calendar to 2015! Happy New Year to all and here we go for another exciting year at Motor City Bengals.

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It’s early, I know. A lot of partying and drinking likely rang out 2014 and welcomed in the new year, so we’ll keep it brief.

The first link we’ll look at discusses how the 27th out is usually the toughest to get in baseball and no one knows that more than last year’s Detroit Tigers and maligned closer Joe Nathan. With another year passing for Nathan, its hard to imagine an improvement imminent, but he can’t be any worse than last year. Right? Right? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Next up on this festive occasion we look at three resolutions for the Tigers and finally we look at a batting order which features light-hitting, but speedy Jose Iglesias in the all-important second spot.

All outs aren’t equal, that’s why Nathan is Tigers’ closer – Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press

"Nathan, 39, had the worst year of his career. Still, he recorded those final three outs 35 times, a final three outs that, with a team’s back against the wall and a loss looming, cannot be counted as just another out.“To say that the 25th, 26th, 27th out is the same as the 13th, 14th, 15th out,” Ausmus said, “that is way off base.”"

3 Detroit Tigers New Year’s Resolutions – James Duncan, Bleacher Report

"Keep Iglesias healthyTransform Anthony Gose to an everyday playerConquer AL Central"

Detroit Tigers Should Consider Batting Jose Iglesias In No. 2 Spot Against RHP – Brad Faber

"Yes, some have suggested that Yoenis Cespedes or J.D. Martinez should bat second, but neither are ideal No. 2 hitters. Cespedes had an OBP of just .301 in 2014 during his time with the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox, and Martinez may strike out too much to bat second as he fanned 126 times and had a K-rate of 26.3 percent last season. It also appears to be a bit of a stretch to imagine Miguel Cabrera or Victor Martinez in the No. 2 spot.Iglesias, on the other hand, had a respectable strikeout rate of 15.7 percent when he last played in 2013. Obviously, there were few who believed that his .303 batting average and .356 BABIP would be sustainable, but perhaps he may be able to duplicate the .354 OBP he posted against RHP that season. If he can get on base, he could prove to be a very effective table-setter for the thunderous heart of the Tigers’ order."

Next: Impact prospects, Max Scherzer landing spots

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