2014 Detroit Tigers Off to Great Start (Out of the Park)

Albert Pujols has added tons of punch to lineup.

So I tried rewrite all the wrongs that Dave Dombrowski made, I have succeeded at keeping Max Scherzer for a bit longer, while not trading away players like Devon Travis. I also have made great additions without costing the team too much of its future as well, with players like Kole Calhoun and a relatively cheap signing of Albert Pujols.

A 11-3 start is the result, and although we are predicted to win the A.L. Central this season, I am not taking it for granted.

This is how my lineup is doing....

• 1) Devon Travis (2B): .333 AVG, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 3 SB (.893 OPS) in 66 AB.
• 2) Nick Castellanos (3B): .258 AVG, 2 HR & 8 RBI with 15 runs (.749 OPS) in 62 AB.
• 3) Miguel Cabrera (1B): .327 AVG, 4 HR & 11 RBI with 13 runs (.979 OPS) in 55 AB.
• 4) Justin Upton (LF): .345 AVG, 5 HR & 16 RBI with 15 runs (1.104 OPS) in 58 AB.
• 5) Kole Calhoun (RF): .294 AVG. 2 HR & 11 RBI (.859 OPS) in 51 AB.
• 6) Albert Pujols (DH): .370 AVG, 4 HR & 17 RBI with 10 runs (1.100 OPS) in 54 AB.
• 7) Austin Jackson (CF): .357 AVG, 1 HR, 8 RBI & 7 doubles (.991 OPS) in 56 AB.
• 8) Zack Cozart (SS): .245 AVG, 3 HR & 8 RBI (.737 OPS) in 49 AB.
• 9) James McCann (C): .207 AVG, 0 HR & 5 RBI (.682 OPS) in 29 AB.

I'm thinking about doing a tweak to the lineup soon, with Austin Jackson possibly hitting second, with Nick Castellanos falling to the 7th slot; Castellanos' On-Base Percentage (.311) & .258 Batting Average is too low for my liking at the #2 slot. I will also be moving Albert Pujols to the 5th slot, switching with Kole Calhoun; Pujols is batting .556 (10-for-18) with 2 HR & 7 RBI during his last five games.

The rotation seems to be doing its job for the most part, Max Scherzer (2-0, 3.98 ERA, 20 K) & Justin Verlander (2-0, 3.38 ERA & 7 K) head the rotation, while Yovani Gallardo & Rick Porcello may not have been consistent, they have shown signs of better things to come.

The bullpen (like in real-life) was the problem last season, and I feel we may have finally got it stabilized with the addition of Andrew Miller (2.89 ERA, 14 K, 1.07 WHIP & 154 ERA+); Miller joins last season's Rule 5 pickups up Dellin Betances (1.23 ERA, 8 K in 7.1 IP) & Brandon Kintzler (2-0, 4.76 ERA in 5.1 IP), along with closer Joaquin Benoit (6 SV, 1.42 ERA). 

Don't get me wrong, I loved Dombrowski for the most part, he helped make Detroit baseball relevant again, but I felt at the end we just started throwing away too much of our future away, which now has cost us... the upcoming 2018 season, is going to be an ugly one for the Tigers.