Looking at the closer situations in the division, the White Sox and Twins are in the best spot. As a pitching staff, I think the Sox may be the best in the division also, assuming Denks and Floyd can be .500 pitchers. I think this will turn into a 3 team race all season, with the Sox having the edge possibly.

I'm not. I'm not even a Sox fan. I just think this will be a tight division all season. Alot of people I talk to have been writing off the Tigers. I keep saying you can't judge them until Granderson comes back, although their bullpen is real bad.

Yes, the Sox are fine at closer. But the best pitching in the division? They've got at least three unknowns in the staff. Floyd--good through two starts, but let's not get carried away just yet. Danks--Great, terrible, and great in three starts, so nothing proven yet. Contreras--'06 Contreras or '07 Contreras? Vasquez and Buehrle are proven commodities, but either one could easily falter this year and neither has been badly injured for some time (knock on "Wood").

But if the pitching keeps up as it has in just two weeks, then we may be in for a great ride.

And if they do? The biggest problem with thier piss poor start has been lack of offense.

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According to Leyland, he was pissed at the starting pitchers. "There's not a bullpen in baseball that can go 3 or 4 innings a game, every game." I am paraphrasing as I heard him while I was jogging yesterday, but he seemed to be most annoyed by his starting staff.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

Don't sell the Royals short either. This division is going to look like the NL West from last year

Those sons-o-bitches have me more worried than any of the other division teams.

I know their record did not reflect it, but their young players started to develop in the second half of the season. I believe they led the MLB in runs scored in the second half. Soria is coming along well as a closer. Bannister is beginning to show star potential as a starter. Grienke's mind is not cranky.

I don't think they have enough pitching to win the division, but they have enough to contend.

Butler is a great pure hitter.

Worst part is that you know Detroit will get hot, so a few games lead is nothing.

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""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

I heard an intersting stat that while no team has made the playoffs after going 0-7, 11 teams have made it after having the Tigers current record.

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Paws Up

I just need them to get that 16th loss before the 15th victory to rub it in on Mitch

Christ!! What kind of bet was this?

No. It was either the year before 98 or the year after that the Cubs started 0-7.

They started 6-1 in '98.... would've been 7-0 with Dusty

1997 was the year they started 0-7, against florida and atlanta.

With the starting pitching they faced to start that year (the year when florida won the WS) it wasn't exactly shocking.

Here come the Tigers, winners of 3 in a row and need to go 10-5 in their next 15 to make Mitch look like a genius.

@ Cle

@Tor
@Tor
@Tor
@Tor

Tex
Tex
Tex

LAA
LAA
LAA

@NYY
@NYY
@NYY

@Min


I can't see Detroit going 10-5 playing those teams.

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W - @ Cle

W - @Tor
L - @Tor
W - @Tor
W - @Tor

L - Tex
W - Tex
W - Tex

L - LAA
L - LAA
W - LAA

W - @NYY
W - @NYY
L - @NYY

W - @Min


Let's see how many I get right.

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

They will lose tonight against Carmona

Hey GD. CSFMB has seen the power of your prognostications of late. Not so gouda!

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

He's been pretty bad since the game against the Sox. You might be right, let's see what happens.

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"It's not exactly a rocket surgery." D.J.

I have not been close on just about everything.

I will have to point to my prediction of a Contrearas turn around.

If he throws the way he did last nite, you'll be spot on.

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Contreras was dynamite last time out to be sure. Lilly ought to be taking notes on the performance of this 50 year old pitcher.

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Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.

lilly needs a frontal lobotomy.

Tigers were routed 11-1 last nite.

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GD, looks like the Tigers will need to win 9 of their next 10 to stop us.

This one is a virtual lock Hawkeye. The Angels and Yanks are six of their next 9 games and there are only three more losses to burn.

It does not look like the Tigers will even be 20-20. That means they will have used a full 25% of the season playing under .500 ball. They may not be done yet, but it is staring to become critical for them.

The Tigers, while obviously not out of anything at this point, cannot be out biggest concern this season. Do not sleep on the Royals this year, gentlemen. And Cleveland hasn't exploded yet, either.

The Sox just need to keep winning- win every series or at the very wost split. Its much easier to maintain a lead than to play catch up later in the year.

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