Detroit Tigers: 10 reasons to be excited for the season

Miguel Cabrera

Miggy certainly isn’t the same player he was when he won the Triple Crown in 2012. However, Cabrera was once the most-feared hitter since early 2000’s Barry Bonds and is still good for a couple big hits and tape-measure home runs when healthy.

Jason Beck noted earlier in the week that Cabrera seems to be healthy, and ready to put a tough 2017 behind him. A healthy Cabrera could go a long way towards making the Tigers offense much more dangerous this year. Seeing if Cabrera can bounce back will be an interesting watch.

Michael Fulmer

I am admittedly a sucker for pitching and defense. Fulmer is the best the Detroit Tigers currently have in the former category, and when he’s on his game, he’s a delight to watch.

An All-Star last year, Fulmer was slowed by injuries in the second half. The second-year righty went on the disabled list for a few weeks in August, came back briefly, and then missed the final month.

When outings like this are a possibility, it’s easy to get excited to watch Fulmer take the hill every fifth day. It’s also possible the 24-year old is next to go in Detroit’s rebuild. If that is the case, fans better enjoy his starts while they can.

Jose Iglesias

Iglesias is a highlight waiting to happen. The 28-year old Cuban has ridiculous range and a rifle for a right arm. Watching him over the years, it’s unreal how easy he makes the difficult plays look.

It’s hard not be amazed when taking a look at the many highlight reels he’s put together since coming to the Motor City.

Iglesias is another who could be nearing the end of his days in the Old English D.

Who is the next to go?

As mentioned already, Fulmer and Iglesias are among several Detroit Tigers who have come up in trade rumors this offseason. Shane Greene is one of the more likely options to be shipped elsewhere. The righty posted a 2.66 ERA in 67.2 innings in 2017, and could really help shore up a contender’s bullpen.

A couple veterans on the last year of their deals could be intriguing to contenders, too. Francisco Liriano just signed last week, but if he has a good year he could be flipped. Same goes for Victor Martinez as long as he proves he can still hit.

Which youngster(s) will burst onto the scene?

All the trades Detroit has been making have helped restock the farm system with young talent. Trying to figure out who will make an impact and when in the majors is next to impossible.

While many of the top prospects are in the lower levels of the system, guys like Dawel Lugo, Beau Burrows, or Grayson Greiner could make their big league debuts this summer.

There’s also the trio of prospects acquired in the Justin Verlander deal. All three are very highly thought of and we could start to see them late in the year, too.

Who will be the #1 pick?

The rough 2017 season netted the Detroit Tigers a potential franchise-changing asset, the first pick in June’s draft. With most of the high school and college seasons still to play, it’s too early to speculate on who the Tigers might select.

Nothing is guaranteed in the draft, but many recent number one overall selection have turned into franchise players. Examples from the last 10 drafts include Bryce Harper, Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and 2017 World Series Champion Carlos Correa.

The only other time Detroit had the number one overall pick was in 1997. That year, they selected hard-throwing right-hander Matt Anderson.

Anderson never quite lived up to the billing, posting a 5.19 ERA in seven Major League seasons. Not exactly the sort of franchise-changer teams is looking for at the top of the draft.

Ron Gardenhire

Hired to replace Brad Ausmus, Gardenhire brings a winning track record with him to Detroit. Gardenhire had a winning record in eight of his first nine seasons with the Twins.

Despite always being near the bottom of the league in payroll, Gardenhire excelled at getting the most out of his players. His tenure in Minnesota netted the Twins six of the 11 playoff appearances in franchise history.

While Gardenhire isn’t expected to win right away, he is the kind of manager that should pair nicely with the youth movement in Detroit. Only time will tell if he’s the right man for the job and it will be fun to see how his reign starts.

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Hope springs eternal

Sure the Tigers aren’t expected to have a good 2018 season. Baseball is a weird game, though. On any given day, anybody can beat anybody. Last year’s team tied for the worst record in baseball and still won about 40% of their games. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but it is far from the disaster of 2003.

Could Miggy, V-Mart, and Nicholas Castellanos lead a much-improved offense to a few more wins? Absolutely. Could the rotation get a boost from those behind Fulmer to turn the staff around? Sure. Even modest gains, especially on the pitching side, could improve Detroit’s record by a lot in 2018.

I’m not predicting a playoff appearance or even a finish above fifth in the AL Central, but before the season starts anything is still possible.