Justin Verlander (Detroit Tigers photo)
Justin Verlander (Detroit Tigers photo)
The Tigers still have the talent to make a mark this year, but most realistic fans have to enter the season with cautious optimism, at best.
Detroit News columnist Bob Wojnowski writes on the Tigers' opening day in Chicago:
Once again, no introductions necessary. You know the names, you know the faces. You know the deal.
After a winter of roiling debate and a quiet spring, the Tigers return with the intention of contention. That really hasn’t changed in a decade, although it’s increasingly difficult to maintain. You’ve probably lost track of how many Last Shots the Tigers have taken, but the reality is, it’s still a shot worth taking.
As long as they have generational stars such as Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander producing at a high level, and enough rising talent to mix in, the Tigers would’ve been irresponsible to tear it apart. General Manager Al Avila tried to make trades and the club tried to pare down, but the market didn’t cooperate. That doesn’t mean the market is closed, and that’s why, on a roster of familiar faces, there is unfamiliar uncertainty.
