COMMENTARY l There are several reasons for Detroit Tigers fans to be hopeful of a World Series Championship in 2013.
I’m so happy that the 2013 Major League Baseball season has finally begun. My favorite team has been, and always will be the Detroit Tigers. Last year they made it all the way to the World Series, but they got swept in four games by the San Francisco Giants. I couldn’t believe how their season ended and I’ve been waiting for this season to start ever since. They had the best team in baseball in my opinion and they have an even better team this year.
Torii Hunter
The biggest off season move made by the Detroit Tigers was the signing of All-Star outfielder Torii Hunter. He has been in the league for 17 years. In those 17 years, he’s been elected to the American League All-Star Team four times and won nine gold gloves. He will be batting second in the lineup right in front of Miguel Cabrera. With the speed of Austin Jackson leading off and Torii Hunter right after him, that will give the Tigers lineup a nice 1-2 punch.
Victor Martinez
Victor Martinez is back in the lineup after missing the whole entire 2012 season due to injuring his knee in the off season last year. There were hopes of him coming back for the playoffs last October but he wasn’t able to make it. Martinez has played in four All-Star games in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2010. He is back at 100% and ready to pick up right where he left off.
Starting Pitching
Led by the 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner and five-time All-Star Justin Verlander, the Tiger’s starting pitchers are some of the best in the business. Accompanied by Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, and Anibal Sanchez, opposing batters will have their work cut out for them.The only
questionable piece of this puzzle will be their fifth starter Rick Porcello, who has been struggling the last couple years.
Cabrera and Fielder
Third baseman Miguel Cebrera is arguably the best hitter in Major League Baseball. He won the Triple Crown Award last season topping the AL in batting average (.330), home runs (44), and RBIs (139). Cabrera is the first player since 1967 to win the Triple Crown Award. Batting next in the lineup and at cleanup is Prince Fielder. Prince hit 30 home runs last year and had a batting average of .313, so opposing pitchers won’t be walking Cabrera too often like they loved to do in past.
Avila and Peralta
Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila both made the All-Star Team in 2011. It seems like when one plays good the other plays good. Same goes for when they’re not playing so well. Avila only hit .243 with 9 home runs last year. Jhonny followed suit hitting .239 with only 13 home runs. I always thought Jim Leyland should bat Peralta sixth in the lineup right after Victor Martinez. Despite a bad season last year in 2012 I don’t think Leyland gives Peralta enough credit as a hitter. If Avila and Peralta can have good seasons this year at the plate like they have in the past it will help put a lot of games in the win column.
2013
So far this season the Tigers are leading the American League Central Division. They’re already looking better than last year, since in 2012 they kind of got off to a slow start. Anyone who is a fan knows that there are no guarantees in baseball, you have to take it one game at a time. I’d love to see the Tigers keep the pace they’re at now and see them in the World Series again. Hopefully this time the Detroit Tigers will become the Major League Baseball World Series Champions.
Jonathan Nowicki lives in Bay City, MI, near Detroit, MI. He has been a fan of, and followed the Detroit Tigers for over 20 years.