Play Ball!!!!!

Folks it is that time of year again, time for the boys of summer to run out on the field and take over the sports headlines. Fastballs, curveballs, split fingers, homeruns, hit and runs, bunts, diving catches, routine plays and Sport Center Top Ten plays. It is baseball time. Today is opening day in baseball (I don't count the games in Japan because baseball is America's game and the major leagues should open in America) tomorrow is opening day for the Detroit Tigers and in a rare scheduling quirk the Tigers get to open at home this year. Normally they would start someplace just a little bit warmer.

This is the best time of the year for all baseball fans because there is hope for every team. Every team starts in first place even the Tampa Rays and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Neither of these two teams should be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs until May or early June.

This year I am armed with 70 sports stations to watch just about any team I want. Just like my sisters with their reality show updates you can expect plenty of updates on baseball especially the Tigers. And the best news of all, unlike Survivor or Idol, baseball is 7 nights a week until October. It just don't get no better than that.

I thought I would start off this year with an introduction of the Detroit Tigers so everybody will be familiar with them for the whole year as I write about them.

Jim Leyland - Manager - He is an old school manager, chain smoker, a little ornery, and brutely to the point with his players. He knows how to push the right buttons on his players to get them to play exactly the way he wants. Remember back in 2006 when the Tigers were floundering away in the beginning of the season he lit them up in the media, the Tigers haven't looked back since. I think this is still the single biggest reason for all the success that has followed the Tigers since.

Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez - Catcher - Evan though Pudge is getting up there in age, especially for a catcher, I think he has one more good year left in him. I expect a big year out of Pudge not only for the great spring training he had, .429 BA and 6 homeruns, but because he is in the last year of his contract. Normally when players are in their last year of a contract they produce some big numbers.

Carlos Guillen - First Base - He played shortstop last year but his knees are starting to prevent him from being a major league shortstop he needs to be for the Tigers to make a serious run at the World Series. I have to give a lot of credit to Guillen for making this move because he did it for the good of the Team. Most players would refuse to make a move like this regardless of the Team's needs. He will be a big upgrade from last year in terms of power numbers and production. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a run at a Gold Glove.

Placido Polanco - Second Base - If I were starting a team and needed a second baseman this is one of the guys I would want. He quietly goes out and does the job he is suppose to do to the tune of no errors in 2007 and a .341 batting average. He is the best number two hitter in all of baseball. He can hit and run, bunt and rarely strikes out. You can attribute a lot of the Tigers quick starts last year to Polanco.

Edgar Renteria - Shortstop - He is one of the new Tigers this year. The Tigers got him from Atlanta last winter to shore up the shortstop position. He brings his .332 batting average and .975 fielding percentage with him from last year. He is a 5 time all star and 2 time gold glove winner. The only problem with him is the last year he was in the American League with the Boston Red Sox he hit only .276. Let's hope that trend doesn't continue.

Miguel Cabrera - Third Base - He is a huge upgrade offensively at third base and a downgrade defensively. I am hoping the offensive numbers out weigh the defensive drop. He has a career .313 batting average and averages over 30 home runs per year and he is only 25 years old. He has already played in 4 all star games in his short career. Let's hope he was worth everything the Tigers gave up for him, I think he will be.

Jacque Jones, Marcus Thames - Left Field - This will be a platoon position depending on who is pitching for the day on the opposing team. This should be an upgrade from a year ago because of the struggles of Craig Monroe for most of the year. All the Tigers need from this position is consistency, the rest of the lineup will do the rest.

Curtis Granderson - Center Field - Is there a better person in all of baseball? I think not. He is what professional athletes should be courteous, educated, and talented. He strives to improve each and every year in baseball, he is a superstar in the making. He is the lead off hitter for the Tigers with a career .280 batting average. He is the second player ever in the major leagues to post at least 20 double, 20 triples, 20 homeruns and 20 stolen bases in a season. The other player, Willie Mays, not bad company. Now if he would only cut down on the strikeouts.

Magglio Ordonez - Right Field - He was in the running for the MVP of the league last year and if he can duplicate last year I think the Tigers have a chance of scoring 1000 runs this year. Mags has a career batting average of .312 and averages almost 30 home runs a year. My only worry is Magglio's age and if he can keep up the pace of the last couple of years.

Gary Sheffield - Designated Hitter - If Sheffield can stay healthy he should have a good year. I am afraid the way he swings a bat he won't be able to though. He has to be the hardest swinger in the major leagues. What I like about Sheff is the patience he has at the plate. You will rarely see him swing at a bad pitch. I just wish this would rub off on some of the other hitters.

Brandon Inge, Vance Wilson, Ramon Santiago, Ryan Rayburn, Clete Thomas - I think Brandon Inge is the key here with his versatility to play any position. With Granderson starting the year on the disabled list Inge will be the starting center fielder on opening day. When injuries crop up this year, and they will, Inge will be instrumental in plugging the holes. Next will be Ryan Rayburn. He is a young promising player destined for a future starting spot either in the outfield or at second base. It would not surprise me if the Tigers traded him for some much needed relief help before the trade deadline approaches.

Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, and Dontrelle Willis - Starting Pitchers - This could have the makings of a great starting fivesome. Verlander and Bonderman are young and yet to have their best years. Willis is young too and if the Tigers can get him back to his form of 3-4 years ago he will be the stopper very few teams have on the back end of their rotation. Robertson should be steady and dependable as long as the Tiger's hitters give him some run support. Kenny Rogers is the big key in my eyes. If he goes out and pitches like he did in 2006 the Tigers will win the division and if he doesn't I think the Tigers will struggle. He won't blow batters away with his fastball but he will out think them. I think this is the most important item Rogers brings with him to this team. I thought it was very important that the Tigers sign him because of his influence on the young pitchers on this staff. There are some things that can't be measured by stats and Kenny Rogers influence is one of them.

Todd Jones, Denny Bautista, Zach Miner, Jason Grilli, Bobby Seay, Yorman Bazardo, and Aquilino Lopez - Relief Pitchers - Oh boy where do you start. Let me say I am not worried about Todd Jones what I am worried about is getting to Todd Jones. This is a huge hole in the Tigers team and I believe this is the area on the team that cost them the division last year. We can all forget about Rodney coming back I don't think he will ever be back with all his arm troubles. I think the only hope is getting Joel Zumaya back to his old form of 2006. If the Tigers don't shore up the bullpen I think there may be a lot of heart breaking losses late in games this summer.