Report Card: Quarter of the way through the season issue.

Yes we are a little over a quarter of the way through the 162 game season, time to do Grade Reports for Your Detroit Tigers:

Starting Pitching

Grade: C+

Starting pitching which carried this team last year has kind of been the Achilles heel of the Tigers this season. Outside of Verlander we really don’t know what we’re going to get. Verlander is a MLB Ace however, just ask Rod Allen, he’ll tell you all bout it. Porcello has had some really good starts and some really bad ones. Opponents are still hitting over .300 against him. Willis still walks every other guy he faces, the sad thing about this is, his pitches are really good. Guys have a hard time hitting the D-Train when he’s on. Bondo has been really good, this needs to continue if the Tigers hope to have a chance of winning the division. The 5th spot is currently held by Galarraga but he’s just holding the spot until Scherzer gets his issues figured out.

Prediction: Eddie Bonine becomes a starter if Galarraga, Willis or Scherzer can’t figure it out

Bullpen

Grade: A+

In 2009 the Tigers pen wasn’t very good. Zumaya spent the majority of the year hurt, Rodney was very inconsistent in non save chances, for the most part the pen sucked. Fast forward to 2010. Zumaya is pitching like the 2006 version of himself, except maybe he’s a little bit better. Jose Valverde has been phenomenal. He may be the single biggest free agent signing in Detroit since Magglio Ordonez.  You know when Valverde comes in to close a game out, its a done deal. Phil Coke and Fu Te Ni have been two very good lefty’s out of the pen. Both pitch extremely well against left handed hitters. Finally Eddie Bonine who I think is headed for a starting spot, has been very very good in long relief for the Tigers.

Prediction: Alfredo Figaro gets a call up to the majors in the near future to work long relief for the Tigers.

Outfielders

Grade: A

This unit has been very consistent, which is pretty surprising considering the youngsters they have playing out there. Both Brennan Boesch and Austin Jackson are rookies and they are probably the two favorites for AL Rookie of the Year right now. These kids can flat out hit, and Jackson is the equivalent of Curtis Granderson in the outfield.  Boesch started out slowly playing the field, but he has made some nice plays recently. Ordonez and Damon provide veteran leadership for the two youngsters, its nice to see Mags return to form. Lets face it 2009 was an anomaly. Damon was a good free agent pickup, he’s still one of the best table setters in the game.

Infielders

Grade: B-

Without Miguel Cabrera this grade would probably be a D+/C-, however Cabby is probably the 2nd best 1st baseman in baseball, right behind Albert Puljos. The rest of the infield has been pretty substandard. Lots of errors. At 2nd base so far we have seen Sizemore, Worth, Raburn, and Santiago, all start there. Guillen will be the starter once he gets back. Inge is still probably the best 3rd baseman in the game, yet he still can’t hit. Everett and Santiago platoon the shortstop position,a role that I would like to see Santiago get 75% of the playing time. Everett is well lets face it, he sucks at the plate. His glove is good no doubt about that, but Santiago’s glove is also good, and He can hit a little bit more consistently than Everett.

Prediction:  Brent Dlugach gets a call up sometime in June.

Catchers

Grade: D

The catching position has been woefully inconsistent. However even if Laird and Avila can’t hit they both are pretty solid defensively.  The Tigers are going to have to hope that Avila grows into this role, and hopefully he can replace Laird as the everyday catcher.

Overall Grade: 

 

There you have it folk the Tigers a little over a quarter of the way through the season Report Card We Own The Central Style.