2017 Pre-Season Profile: Detroit Tigers

#17

The Detroit Tigers went from the cellar in 2015 to a step away from the playoffs in 2016.  With a rebound like that, will they continue to climb the ladder in 2017 or fall back to a few rungs?

My 2016 Predictions

1st in AL Central, lose in ALCS

Jordan Zimmermann will win the AL Cy Young.

2016 Results

86-75, 2nd in AL Central

I correctly predicted that 2015 was a one year plunge down the AL Central standings.  What I, and many others, did not predict was the meteoric rise of the Cleveland Indians that kept the Tigers from winning the division.  Without the Indians, I may have had this right on last year.  The one thing I did not get right at all was Jordan Zimmermann.  He started the year off hot, but injuries derailed a promising season.  Who knows, he may have ended up in the Cy Young race.

Additions / Subtractions

In past years, the Tigers have signed marquee free agents like Zimmermann and Justin Upton, or pulled blockbuster trades for guys like David Price and Yoenis Cespedes.  This offseason was bizarrely quiet.  The Tigers return almost the exact same roster as last season.  The one difference is Cameron Maybin moving on to the Angels, and the low level trade for Mikie Mahtook, an outfielder struggling to make the roster for the Rays.

Most Important Hitter

Justin Upton

It was a shock to a lot of people when Justin Upton signed with the Tigers last offseason.  Then, he went on and had a terrible start to 2016.  His numbers ended up respectable, but he needs to have a much stronger year this year for the Tigers to contend.  Upton has always been on the brink of being a superstar, but he has never found himself thought of as one of the game's best.  At 29 years old, he still has a few peak years left, but his window is closing quick.

Most Important Pitcher

Jordan Zimmermann

They brought in Zimmermann last year and paid him like an ace to complement Justin Verlander.  Instead, injuries derailed his season, much like a good portion of his career so far.  With the resurgence of Justin Verlander and emergence of Michael Fulmer, Jordan Zimmermann could make this pitching staff great.

Player to Watch

Joe Jimenez

The Tigers do not have a lot of top prospects knocking on the big league door, but one that has a chance to have a huge impact at the big league level is Joe Jimenez.  Francisco Rodriguez has a limited number of bullets left as the closer for the Tigers.  Joe Jimenez appears to be his successor once he is ready.  This could have as early as mid-season 2017.

2017 Prediction

3rd in AL Central

The Tigers are getting old.  Their window is closing quickly.  Miguel Cabrera is 34, Justin Verlander is 34, Ian Kinsler is 35, and Victor Martinez is 38.  With the talent of some other teams in this division, and the age of the Tigers, it is looking like the window for this Tigers team is just about closed.  If it isn't closed, this is possibly the last year they can compete before they make some wholesale changes.

Fearless Prediction

Brad Ausmus will be fired mid-season.

I'll be honest, Brad Ausmus has not been the greatest manager in the world.  At the same time, a roster of stars on the wrong side of 30 with a first time manager is not quite a fair situation.  There was a lot of talk that Ausmus wasn't even going to make it to 2017 in Detroit.  However you want to look at it, the manager is usually blamed for an underachieving team.  Ausmus will not last long.  Look for Lloyd McClendon, the man who should have replaced Jim Leyland in the first place, to fill in as interim manager if Ausmus get the ax.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: Detroit Tigers

Over the past decade or so, the Detroit Tigers have been one of the strongest franchises in all of baseball.  After a down year, will their aging core bounce back or continue to drift away?

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 2nd in AL Central

2015 Results: 74-87, 5th in AL Central

Heading into the Trade Deadline last season, the Tigers were still realistically in the running for a playoff spot.  They had to decide whether to be buyers or sellers moving forward.  They chose sellers, giving up on their season in 2015 to have better opportunities moving forward.  By moving Yoenis Cespedes and David Price at the Deadline, they were able to gather in some prospects on expiring contracts they most likely were not going to re-sign.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

The Tigers were quite active in the offseason.  Their main subtractions were Cespedes and Price at the Trade Deadline in 2015, however they were able to replace them quite well with Justin Upton (changing uniforms for the third time in four years) and Jordan Zimmermann in free agency.  Then they upgraded their closer with Francisco Rodriguez and upgraded centerfield with Cameron Maybin.  Add in a role player like Mike Aviles, and it is easy to see the Tigers are much improved from where they were in September.

Most Important Hitter

Miguel Cabrera

This seems like a no-brainer, but last year proved just how much the Tigers' success is tied to Cabrera's health.  Miggy isn't necessarily old yet, but he is starting to age as this will be his age 33 season.  Even with all the fire power in their lineup, it all revolves around the man who is still the best hitter in baseball.  If he stays healthy, there is no limit to how far the Tigers can go.

Most Important Pitcher

Justin Verlander

I think Jordan Zimmermann will end up being the best pitcher on the Tigers' staff this season.  With that said, Verlander is their most important pitcher.  The former MVP is a shell of his former self, but he started to show the second half of last season that he can still be successful even if the radar gun doesn't hit triple digits anymore.  He needs to keep pitching like this throughout the entire 2016 season and show that he can combine with Zimmerman to be a formidable top two starters in the league.

Player to Watch

Steven Moya

Most of the Tigers' prospects are still a few years away from making a serious impact at the major league level.  The one most likely to make an impact is Steven Moya, a 6'7" 260 pound power hitting corner outfielder.  He made his big league debut down the stretch last season, and has the potential to have an impact in 2016 if there is an injury to any of the Tigers' big sluggers (Cabrera, Upton, Victor Martinez, JD Martinez).  If the Tigers have a strong season, Moya might be trade bait to improve the roster down the stretch.  If the Tigers disappoint, perhaps some of the aging stars for the Tigers will be traded to make room for Moya.

2016 Prediction

1st in AL Central, lose in ALCS

The Tigers have a lot of fire power all over their roster.  They might be one of the best all-around rosters in baseball.  Look for them to have a strong season and show once again that they are the class of the AL Central.  They will fall short of the ultimate goal, but after finishing in the cellar in 2015, a first place divisional finish will make for a great bounce back year.  The window is starting close for this team though.

Fearless Prediction

Jordan Zimmermann will win the AL Cy Young.

Jordan Zimmermann was always the most underrated pitcher in the Nationals' rotation, at least since Stephen Strasburg came along.  Moving to one of the better pitchers' parks in the league should resurrect Zimmermann's career to superstar status s he has potentially the best year of his career.  Leading his new team to first place could make him the top pitcher in the American League.