Rotation

1 - Justin Verlander
2 - Max Scherzer
3 - Anibal Sanchez
4 - Rick Porcello
5 - Drew Smyly

Bullpen

Closer - Joe Nathan
Setup - Al Alburquerque
Setup - Bruce Rondon
Setup - Ian Krol
Setup - Luke Putkonen
Setup/Long - Phil Coke

Projected Lineup

1 - Austin Jackson - CF
2 - Ian Kinsler - 2B
3 - Victor Martinez - DH
4 - Miguel Cabrera - 1B
5 - Torii Hunter - RF
6 - Nick Castellanos - 3B
7 - Alex Avila - C
8 - Andy Dirks - LF
9 - Jose Iglesias - SS

Projected Bench

C - Bryan Holaday
IF - Hernan Perez
IF - Danny Worth
IF/OF - Steve Lombardozzi
IF/OF - Don Kelly

The Tigers are obviously not done building this roster yet. I think they will get at LEAST one more bullpen arm to be Nathan's main setup guy. Maybe two depending on how the market shakes out in the next few weeks for bullpen arms. Smyly was more than ready to move into the rotation and the front office obviously was so confident in his ability to step into the rotation that they felt they could trade Fister. It's nearly impossible to keep together a staff with FOUR of the best pitchers in the majors, let alone three, and it was time to get Smyly into a regular spot along with Castellanos, The Tigers needed to make the move with their two best young players and get them on the field on a regular basis. Detroit's trading of Fielder and Fister freed up some money, some of which went to Nathan, but I think they will still get one of Choo or Beltran for left field. If not, their lineup is obviously weaker than last year, but also more versatile, better defensively and more suited to their ballpark. Castellanos has been in-waiting for at least two seasons and it's time for him to make the jump. He could be a rookie-of-the-year candidate or he could be Mike Moustakas 2. Only time will tell. Lombardozzi is one of the best utility guys in the majors and led the NL in pinch-hits last year. As of right now, the bench is thin, but if Dirks is replaced as the everyday left-fielder or they add a platoon guy to go with him, the bench takes a step forward. Kelly takes a lot of crap, but his hustle and versatility is an undervalued asset as a bench player. Bottom line, this team is a little different than the one of the last couple of years. A player in the mold of Kinsler is a MAJOR change and could be an excellent catalyst for the lineup. Jackson could also move down and Kinsler could lead off. Hunter might hit second. Cabby might hit 3rd with Martinez hitting 4th. A rookie manager in Brad Ausmus is also a major difference. I think he was an excellent choice and I'm really looking forward to seeing him in action. This team will be far less station-to-station with him in charge and with the players now inhabiting the lineup. Ausmus has a lot of choices and a lot of decisions to be made when they get to Lakeland in March. But, before then, I still think Dombrowski has some moves up his sleeve that we have yet to see. Either way, even if this projection is the exact team that goes into 2014, they're still EASILY the best team in the Central and will win the division going away again. Their top 3 starters are the best in the major leagues and Nathan is the lockdown closer they've been seeking. Their pitching will lead them and Cabrera continues to be the best hitter in baseball. There is no question that this is an easy 90 win team right now, which should put them, at the very least, in the playoffs again, where their top 3 starters will make them a championship threat.

Take your best shot runruh.......

The tigers did not trade for Kinsler to let Jackson hit leadoff.
Why would the Tigers let M.C. hit 4th instead of 3rd?

Again, it's a projection. Who knows what Ausmus will do. I like the lineup better with Jackson at 1, Kinsler at 2, Martinez at 3, Cabby at 4 and Hunter 5. That's why I put em in that way, not because it's how I think they'll be when the season starts.

If Detroit goes in to 2014 with this current roster and no more changes the lineup will probably be closer to this.......

Kinsler 2B
Hunter RF
Cabrera 3B
Martinez DH
Castellanos 3B
Jackson CF
Dirks LF
Avila C
Iglesias SS

Which is why, lineup-wise, I think, at the very LEAST, they add another OF to platoon with Dirks to hit for some right-handed power against lefties and add some protection for Cabby, etc.

Nobody with anything to say???

Rotchamp is predicting the following lineup.



Projection System Used:  

I think Rajai Davis is exactly the type of player they need

Davis will most likely be the platoon with Dirks in LF. I can see them hitting Davis leadoff when he's in the lineup. I don't think he's going to play every day.

He hits LHP well.  Just the offensive downgrade losing Prince, Peralta and Infante seems like a lot.  I don't think Kinsler, Castellanos, Iglesias/Davis gets you close.  Infante out hit Kinsler last year.  Defensively they should be a lot better though.  If Cabrera can't play through his injuries this year, eek.

Did the Tigers lose Joaquin Benoit???? If not, they should let him be the full-time closer, then the Joe Nathan signing wouldn't be necessary!

Benoit is a free agent. The Tigers tried him at closer last year. He wasn't the answer. He's a set-up guy.

Brayan Pena is no longer a Tiger and he was not an IF

Sorry, that was supposed to be Hernan Perez...DOH!!!

Posted by rsp777 on 12/10/2013 5:58:00 PM (view original):
Benoit is a free agent. The Tigers tried him at closer last year. He wasn't the answer. He's a set-up guy.

I had him on my fantasy team and I thought he did great. Jose Valverde & Bruce Rondon were not answers either!