Where the Tigers stand position by position

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Where the Tigers stand position by position

January 27, 2008

By MEL ANTONEN

USA TODAY

Catcher

Ivan Rodriguez ranks third on the all-time games caught list (2,061) behind Bob Boone (2,225) and Carlton Fisk (2,226). He's still going strong at 35, but the Tigers lack depth, with Vance Wilson recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery. Brandon Inge is a former catcher and could be moved back.

First base

Carlos Guillen, the team's shortstop in 2007, moves as the Tigers try to take the strain off of his legs. He has played 44 games during his career at first base. He was an All-Star last year, with career highs in home runs (21) and RBI (102).

Second base

Placido Polanco is an offensive spark plug who is coming off a season in which he hit .341, third best in the AL. He is also a strong defensive player: He hasn't made an error since July 1, 2006, a streak of 181 consecutive games and 888 total chances.

Third base

Miguel Cabrera, acquired in a trade from the Florida Marlins during the winter meetings, is a superstar who is the only Marlins player to make four All-Star teams. In 2007, he became the third-fastest player in history to reach the 500 mark in RBI. He has a .313 career average.

Shortstop

A day after the World Series, the Tigers got Edgar Renteria in a trade with the Atlanta Braves. Renteria is a Gold Glove-caliber defensive player and a five-time National League All-Star. He hit .332 last season with 30 doubles and 12 home runs. The trade unites him with Jim Leyland, his manager when he played for the Marlins.

Left field

The platoon will be Jacque Jones, 32, who came in a trade from the Chicago Cubs, and Marcus Thames, who has a combined 44 homers the last two seasons for the Tigers. Jones, a left-handed batter, will play vs. right-handed pitchers and Thames vs. lefties.

Center field

Curtis Granderson, a left-handed batter, became the third player in history to have at least 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a single season, joining Wildfire Schulte, who did it in 1911, and Willie Mays. Granderson led the American League with 23 triples, and the Tigers would like to see him cut down on his strikeouts. He struck out 141 times in 2007, compared with 174 strikeouts in 2006.

Right field

Magglio Ordonez, the defending American League batting champion (.363), will be in his fourth season with the Tigers.

Designated hitter

Gary Sheffield, 38, is coming back from shoulder injuries that slowed him the final 10 weeks of last season. He's one of the most-feared hitters and is compiling Hall of Fame-type numbers. He needs 20 home runs to reach 500 for his career.

Starters

The rotation newcomer is LH Dontrelle Willis, 26, who has pitched 200-plus innings in three of his five major-league seasons. He is coming off a subpar season in which he struggled with control. He joins RHPs Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman and LHPs Nate Robertson and Kenny Rogers. Verlander led the staff with 18 wins, 201⅓ innings and 183 strikeouts last season. Bonderman's ERA soared to 5.01, and Robertson was 9-13 with a 4.76 ERA. At 43, Rogers is coming back from a season in which he pitched in only 11 games because of blood clot problems in his left shoulder and inflammation in his elbow.

Bullpen

The big question in the relief corps is RHP Joel Zumaya, who had shoulder surgery in October and is expected to be sidelined until midseason. RH Fernando Rodney, limited to 48 games because of shoulder tendinitis last season, is set to pitch the eighth inning, with the rest of the spots to be figured out in spring training.

Closer

RHP Todd Jones, 39, has 75 saves in the last two seasons for the Tigers. He will start the season as the closer and then eventually help groom Zumaya for the job.

let's GO guys!!

Why can't the season be 200 games? We could start a lot sooner!

would you want to play 200 games?

For THAT kind of money?? YUP!!

just look at 'em at the end of the season, though. They all looked ready for a break!

Just looking for a place to go spend all that dough!!

tigersaint wrote:

Just looking for a place to go spend all that dough!!

LOL! I don't know what they do with it all though. Ever gone shopping for a $10,000,000 home? They're REALLY nice. You've got guys like Rodriguez make enough to buy 2.5 of those a year.

Granderson "only" makes $400,000+ a year yet he has enough money to frequent strip clubs. Those places aren't cheap, especially if you get any....umm...attention.

....never been to one of those places.

no, never!! LOL

maybe I should [/i]work at one of those places!
just kidding

LMAO...Tell Grandy to come out here to Vegas and I will show him around a couple of "those" establishments.

egad..the last time I was there, in 1996, you couldn't even walk on the Strip without getting a handful of flyers advertising "those" establishments!

Strip clubs are a little different from the street peddlers. That is just sick. We have such a great reputation around the country cause of those dirt bags. They will try to give you flyers even if you are walking with your wife and kids.

that was true!

I'm moving to Vegas, baby!!

furnace in the summer!

It has its good and bad like all else...it can be fun though.

caution when the water runs out!

Yea there is that issue too.

It's irrigated desert! and all the water the casinos use is scary....

They say it could be a real problem someday especially if the snow cap in the western rockies doesn't pick up.

although u guys are in high desert, there's not much snow on those nearby mountain ranges!

I'm an inside person

LOL..u r funny Saint.

....and the Yankees still SUCK!!

Yes they do and that my friend will never change!!!!!!!!!

wonder if McCartney knows this....

In his heart he does, but he will deny it on the outside to others. I firmly believe the Yankees are a true cause of depression in their fan base.