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Kansas City Royals: AL Central Rivals Preview

Apr 3, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; A vender selling score cards, as fans file into Kauffman Stadium before opening night between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; A vender selling score cards, as fans file into Kauffman Stadium before opening night between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
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Mar 28, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Justin Upton (8) runs to first after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Justin Upton (8) runs to first after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a spring training baseball game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers

2015 Finish: (74-87)

Major Additions: OF Justin Upton, SP Jordan Zimmermann, CL Francisco Rodriguez

Fangraphs Projection: 80-82 3rd place

The Detroit Tigers crashed to a 74-win season in 2016, after winning four consecutive AL Central titles. The once-dominant starting rotation could not withstand Justin Verlander missing half the season due to injury and terrible seasons from Anibal Sanchez and Alfredo Simon.

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Not only did the pitching collapse, the offense showed its age with cornerstone Miguel Cabrera missing more than a month, and DH Victor Martinez collapsing to a .667 OPS after an outstanding .974 in 2014.

If that weren’t enough problems, the Tigers bullpen continued to be a disaster area after closer Joe Nathan suffered a season-ending injury, and Al Alburquerque got lit up.

Tigers GM Don Dombrowski traded off ace David Price and OF Yoenis Cespedes, who were in the final year of their contracts, in what appeared to be the first move toward rebuilding. However, elderly owner Mike Ilitch canned Dombrowski and replaced him with Al Avila—who then loaded up with veteran free agents in the off season in hopes of contending in 2016.

Rotation

  1. Justin Verlander
  2. Jordan Zimmermann
  3. Anibal Sanchez
  4. Daniel Norris
  5. Mike Pelfrey

Closer: Francisco Rodriguez

Lineup

  1. 2B Ian Kinsler
  2. LF Justin Upton
  3. 1B Miguel Cabrera
  4. DH Victor Martinez
  5. RF J.D. Martinez
  6. 3B Nick Castellanos
  7. C James McCann
  8. SS Jose Inglesias
  9. CF Anthony Gose

To win, the Tigers need to buck the league-wide trend toward youth and get vintage seasons from their long-in-the-tooth veterans. Though they appear formidable, the question is whether they can hold up over 162 games.

The Tigers will also have to see considerable improvement from their rebuilt bullpen, which needs to reverse a long-term problem with blowing leads late in games. Along with replacing closer Joakim Soria with the legendary K-Rod (who relies on guile and a sinker more than whiffs these days), the Tigers have brought in the venerable Mark Lowe and return the effective Justin Wilson.

While everything could come together for the Tigers, I wouldn’t count on it. I don’t see them challenging the Kansas City Royals in 2016.

Next: Minnesota Twins

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