2011 Postseason Predictions

After quite possibly the most exciting night in baseball history, it's time for the postseason to provide a decent follow-up act (if possible)! Let's take a look at each series, and how I think they will unfold. First, the National League.


National League Division Series: Arizona Diamondbacks (94-68) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (96-66)

The Brewers cruised to the NL Central crown with a rock solid bullpen, a frightening offense, and a decent starting rotation that is light years better than they were in 2010. This enabled them to win their first ever division crown since 1982, when they were still in the AL East. In addition to this, they won a franchise record 96 games, breaking the old record of 95 set in 1979 and 1982.

Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy has been one of
the best (and most underrated) starters in baseball this year.

The Diamondbacks however, became only the third team in baseball history to reach the postseason after losing 97 games the previous year (the 1991 Braves and the 1999 Diamondbacks are the other two). They raced to the division crown featuring a decent offense and a very underrated pitching staff, led by Ian Kennedy, who finished with a ridiculous 21-4 record with a 2.88 ERA.

My prediction: Diamondbacks 3 games to 1. I believe that Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson will be on top of their game, stalling Milwaukee's offense along the way. Arizona's offense will find just enough pop to get by Milwaukee, and that will help lead them to their first NLCS appearance since 2007.

National League Division Series: St. Louis Cardinals (90-72) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (102-60)
The Redbirds were huge underdogs in the NL Central heading into 2011, as many prognosticators believed the Reds and Brewers were better teams (myself included). Honestly, for the first five months, this definitely appeared to be the case, as St. Louis was a whopping 10.5 games behind Atlanta in the Wild Card race as late as August 25. The Cards caught fire after that day, going 22-9 the rest of the way, while the Braves went a dismal 10-20 to miss the playoffs in one of the biggest collapses of all-time.

Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay may not no-hit the Cardinals,
but he'll help lead Philly to the NLCS for the fourth straight year.

The Phillies were just the Phillies, winning their fifth consecutive division title with a franchise-record 102 victories. They did this with the best rotation in baseball leading the way, which masked the fact that their aging, injury-prone offense wasn't much to write home about. However, the Phils slumped toward the end of the season, going on an eight-game losing streak just days after clinching.

My prediction: Phillies 3 games to 2. The Cardinals are a team on fire right now, and they will ride that momentum going into the postseason. St. Louis has also given Philly fits this year, going 6-3 against them in the regular-season. Nonetheless, the Phillies will hang on only because their rotation will be just strong enough for them to extinguish the Cards.

American League Division Series: Detroit Tigers (95-67) vs. New York Yankees (97-65)

Justin Verlander will have a lot on his
hands dealing with New York's potent offense.

The Tigers rode to their first division title since 1987 mainly behind the efforts of starting pitcher Justin Verlander, who has a terrific shot at becoming the first pitcher to win the MVP since 1992. The Tigers also have a solid offense, with AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera leading the way. Also, once you give the ball to closer Jose "Papa Grande" Valverde, it's game over; Valverde went a perfect 49 for 49 in saves this year.

The Yankees, as always, are riding on the heels of their intimidating offense into October, but the guy leading the wasn't Jeter, A-Rod or Teixeira. It was former Tiger Curtis Granderson, who hit an unprecedented 41 homers and drove in 119. The Yanks also stayed afloat with a piecemeal rotation behind ace C.C. Sabathia, as White Sox castoffs Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have come through big for them this year.

My prediction: Yankees 3 games to 1. The Tigers will steal game one behind Verlander, but the lack of depth in their rotation will do them in against New York's mighty offense.

American League Division Series: Tampa Bay Rays (91-71) vs. Texas Rangers (96-66)

The Rangers will need for C.J. Wilson to
be on top of his game all throughout
the postseason.

Tampa Bay made their third postseason appearance in four years behind a comeback for the ages (and a collapse for the ages from the Red Sox). However, this should not mask the fact that they have one of the best rotations in the game, and all of their starters are under 30! Their team ERA of 3.58 was the second-best in the American League, only trailing the Angels' 3.57. Their offense isn't much to write home about, but then again, it wasn't last year, and they still managed to win 96 games. Simply put, their hitters know how to drive people in when it counts.

The Rangers theoretically are still the team to beat in the American League. After all, they are the defending American League champions and they are back in the playoffs. They reached the postseason again behind some decent pitching and an intimidating offense. As a team, the Rangers hit an AL-best .283.

My prediction: Rangers 3 games to 2. The Rays are on fire right now, but Texas will certainly cool them off behind their blistering offense and solid pitching. Like last year, the Rangers will need all five games to take out the Rays.

The Rest of the Postseason:
ALCS: Rangers over Yankees, 4 games to 2.
NLCS: Phillies over Diamondbacks, 4 games to 2.
World Series: Rangers over Phillies, 4 games to 3.

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Now, for my other award predictions:
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
NL Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
AL Rookie of the Year: Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays
NL Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays
NL Manager of the Year: Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamondbacks

Also, for your reading pleasure, here's Tom Verducci's brilliant recap of last night's drama. (Sports Illustrated)

That's all for now. Take care, and enjoy the playoffs tomorrow!

My Top Five AL MVP Candidates

Yesterday we looked at who I think should be the top five National League MVP candidates. Although Ryan Braun added to his credentials last night with a three-run homer that helped Milwaukee clinch the NL Central, my position still stands. Even if Matt Kemp does not achieve the Triple Crown, he will still finish close enough for me to garner the MVP.

Today, it's time to look at who I believe should be the top five candidates to win the American League MVP.

Fifth-place vote: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Through September 24: .336 BA, 27 HRs, 100 RBIs, .443 OBP, .566 SLG
Cabrera is having another terrific year for the Detroit Tigers as the anchor in their lineup. He's currently third in the American League in batting average, second in on-base percentage and fourth in slugging. However, his home run total is lacking a bit this year (he's tied for 14th in the AL) and he put up better numbers last year on a team that finished with a worse record.

Fourth-place vote: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
Through September 24: .319 BA, 28 HRs, 98 RBIs, .374 OBP, .539 SLG, 37 steals
Ellsbury has been a major catalyst in Boston's lineup this year, as he is on the brink becoming the first 30/30 player in Red Sox history. While his .319 average is impressive for a leadoff hitter, his 28 home runs and 37 stolen bases makes him an all-around threat, along with his defense in center field.

Third-place vote: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
Through September 24: .303 BA, 42 HRs, 101 RBIs, 128 BBs, .447 OBP, .611 SLG, 1.058 OPS
"Joey Bats" is proving that last year was no fluke, as his batting average is significantly higher than it was last year. He currently leads the AL in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS and walks. Oh, and he's also in the top ten in batting average. Make no mistake about it, Bautista looks like he's here to stay as one of the elite hitters in the American League. Only his team's sub-par performance will keep him from winning the award.

Second-place vote: Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees
Through September 24: .277 BA, 41 HRs, 119 RBIs, .372 OBP, .572 SLG, 24 steals
Granderson is having the kind of breakout season that Bautista had during 2010. While his average is lacking (.277), he easily makes up for it in home runs (second in the AL) and RBIs (first in the AL). Even though the Yankees would still be a very good team without Granderson, he is the guy that has them in first place instead of third in the AL East.





First-place vote: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
Through September 24: 24-5 record, 2.29 ERA, 244 Ks, 244.0 IP, 0.91 WHIP
Throw out the fact that he is a pitcher and not a position player and think of him in terms of overall value to his team. The award is called the Most Valuable Player, right? Well, who has been more valuable to his team than Justin Verlander this year? Let's face it, the Tigers are a significantly weaker team without him, and the AL Central would be a race between the Indians and White Sox if it weren't for Verlander's outstanding season for Detroit. The fact that he goes deep into ballgames lessens the workload of the bullpen, and when you look at the other pitchers in Detroit's starting rotation (Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Brad Penny, etc.), this team would be lost without Verlander. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that he's leading the AL in wins, strikeouts, ERA, WHIP and innings pitched.

Two more races in MLB, Shades of 1968 and The Pirates

Things have become considerably more interesting since the last time I joined you. Both the Tampa Bay Rays and St. Louis Cardinals have fought their way back into contention, trying desperately to do their best 2007 Rockies impressions. Despite their back-to-back losses against Baltimore, the Rays begin a crucial four-game series in Boston tonight, as they trail the Red Sox by four in the Wild Card race.

Tampa has closed the gap in the AL Wild Card,
but can they overkate Boston?

Meanwhile, in the National League, the Cardinals continue to put pressure on Milwaukee and Atlanta, as they trail the Braves by 4.5 in the Wild Card and the Brewers by 5.5 in the Central. The Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 games, while the Braves and Brewers are both 4-6 in their last 10 contests.

Who has the better shot at making a comeback and reaching the postseason? Right now, I would have to say Tampa Bay, only because they still control their own destiny. They have four games left with the Red Sox and a whopping seven left against the Yankees, so they can not only set their sights on the Wild Card, but the division title as well. The Cardinals however, are not so fortunate. They do not have any  games left against the Brewers or the Braves, meaning that their margin for error is very small, and they do not control their own fate. If the Braves go 6-6 in their final 12 games, the Cardinals will need to go 11-2 to force a one-game playoff. If Milwaukee goes 6-6 in their final 12, St. Louis will need to go 12-1 to tie them, both of which are very tall orders.

Two losses are all the Cards can affford
at this point.

They also begin a four-game series in Philadelphia tomorrow, which further complicates matters. If they escape Philadelphia with a series victory or a split (barring how the Brewers and Braves fare this weekend), the Cards may have a decent shot at coming back, as they finish the season out against the Mets, Cubs and Astros. With the way things stand right now, I would say Brewers fans do not need to be too concerned. However, if the Cardinals escape Philadelphia without a series loss and the Braves fail to gain any ground, then there might be cause for concern in Atlanta.






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Shades of 1968

On the flip side of things are the Detroit Tigers, who are currently riding a 12-game winning streak, their best since 1934. After their dismantling of my White Sox, they can wrap up the AL Central race as early as tonight, provided that they win and the Indians lose. If not tonight, then things will definitely be wrapped up by Sunday.

Another thing to look at with the Tigers' recent surge is whether or not they have a shot at finishing with the AL's best record. Right now, they currently sit at 87-62, just 3.5 behind the Yankees. If Detroit can stay hot, they have a decent shot at delivering one of the bigger surprises of the postseason before it even begins: taking home the best record in the AL. The Tigers have not finished with the AL's best record since 1987, so we'll see.

Tigers pitcher Denny McLain, who went 31-6 with a 1.96 ERA in 1968.

On another note, this team has some eerie resemblances to the 1968 squad that won it all. The '68 Tigers also got white-hot in September, reeling off an 11-game win streak between the 9th and the 21st of that month. Motown's crew in '68 also featured Denny McLain, MLB's last 30-game winner, who would take home both the Cy Young and MVP award in the American League that season. Justin Verlander isn't going to win 30 games, but he still has an outside shot at becoming the first Tigers pitcher to 25 wins since Mickey Lolich in 1971 and to win the AL MVP, which no Tigers pitcher has won since Willie Hernandez in 1984. This year's AL Cy Young is already a forgone conclusion, and it will be a shock if Verlander does not win it.

The '68 Tigers and this year's squad also received big offensive contributions from their catchers. The '68 Tigers got a big year out of Bill Freehan, who finished with a .263 average, 25 homers and 84 RBIs during "the year of the pitcher," when offense was scarce and the AL's best batting average was .301. Alex Avila is having a terrific year behind the plate for Detroit, as he has a .301 batting average, 19 home runs, 77 RBIs and is slugging .577. Also ironic is the fact that both catchers started the All-Star Game for the AL, Freehan at the Astrodome, Avila at Chase Field.

The '68 squad also clinched early, winning the AL on September 17 and finishing 12 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles in what would be the final year before divisional play (the team with the best record went to the World Series from 1903-1968). This year's Tigers will definitely clinch their division early too, and if they cool off for just two days, it could very well be on the 17th too.


Since I'm teetering into the realm of speculation, I'll end the comparisons on this note. The Tigers in '68, despite finishing with 103 victories, were underdogs in the World Series against the defending-World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, who boasted MLB's best pitcher that year, Bob Gibson. Detroit went down 3-1 in that year's series before making an improbable comeback to win it all, defeating Bob Gibson in Game Seven. Would it not be crazy if something similar were to happen this year, if the Tigers were to face Philadelphia (I know they aren't the defending champions, but they are the most comparable NL team), and pull off a seven-game series victory, defeating Roy Halladay in Game Seven? I know, I'm stretching here, but baseball can be a funny game sometimes.

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Oh those Pirates

The Bucs clinched their 19th consecutive losing season with a 3-2 loss against the Cardinals last night. I know Pittsburgh fans have likely gotten used to the losing seasons, but this one had to sting a little bit more, considering they were in a tie for first as late as July 25. However, the Bucs have not been the same since their 19-inning loss in Atlanta featuring quite possibly the worst call I have ever witnessed during a Major League game. They have not been the same since that ill-fated evening.

                                Jerry Meals, how could you?

However, there are some positives to be taken from this season. For starters, they will not lose 100 games this year, and their final record will stand as a significant improvement over last year. The Bucs still need pitching help badly, but Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker look like they can both be the two players Pittsburgh can build their franchise around. If you also factor in that Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata both have the potential to improve (despite their dismal performances this year), their streak of losing seasons can end very soon.

That's all for now. Take care.

Mercy...

Blowing a seven run lead on Saturday. Losing 18-2 yesterday. Having your GM and hitting coach go at each other. Having your manager plead for a contract extension near the end of a disappointing, lackluster season. Although Ozzie's plea occurred before the Detroit series, the 2011 season reached its nadir over the weekend, when the Sox could not muster a single win against the division-leading Tigers. What was more disappointing was how the Sox lost the last two games, in perhaps the most disappointing series I have witnessed since the 2003 season.

It goes without saying that blowing a seven run lead is inexcusable during any point in the season. However, you would expect a team fighting for survival to come back and put up a good fight in the next game. That didn't happen, as the Sox just rolled over and were pronounced dead at the scene following last night's game.

Now that this season is effectively over, the biggest question is no longer whether or not Ozzie Guillen stays. He's good as gone now. I am wondering if the entire coaching staff will be axed along with Ozzie. Since Walker was nearly fired on Friday, I cannot imagine him sticking around for too long, and the only people I see that would have a remote chance of returning would be first-base coach Harold Baines and possibly pitching coach Don Cooper. "Coop" is one of the more underrated pitching coaches in the game, and it would be a real shame if the Sox were to lose him. Nonetheless, he may be an unfortunate loss if the Sox go through a full cleansing of the the coaching staff.

Another person I am curious about is bench coach Joey Cora. He interviewed for the Brewers managerial position last year, and he will eventually get scooped up by a big-league club looking for a new manager. I wonder if that club is right there in the South Side? I do not know if he will have the same approach as Ozzie, but he will certainly be a lot quieter (and sadly, less entertaining).

All I know is that the Sox on the field are no longer worth following this season. They are listless, apathetic and honestly, only a handful of players look like they actually give a damn on the team right now. The real drama will unfold after the final out is made on September 28. Stay tuned.

Interview with Tigers beat writer John Lowe

Detroit Tigers beat writer John Lowe from the Detroit Free Press stops by "Breakfast and Baseball" to discuss the Tigers' offseason.

Air date: 1/27/11.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

The 30 Team/30 Day Report Cards: Day 15- Detroit Tigers

Our 100th post on this blog takes us to Motown for the half-way point in our series. Today's team: the Detroit Tigers!

Detroit Tigers
Record: 81-81 (Third place in AL Central, 13 games behind Minnesota)

Batting Leaders
Batting Average: Miguel Cabrera (.328)
Home Runs: Miguel Cabrera (38)
RBIs: Miguel Cabrera (126)
On-base Percentage: Miguel Cabrera (.420)

Pitching Leaders
Wins: Justin Verlander (18)
Strikeouts: Justin Verlander (219)
Innings Pitched: Justin Verlander (224.1)
ERA: Justin Verlander (3.37). Bullpen- Jose Valverde (3.00)
WHIP: Justin Verlander (1.16). Bullpen- Jose Valverde (1.16)
Saves: Jose Valverde (26)

Highlight of the Season: On June 2, Armando Galarraga retired 26 consecutive Indians before finally surrendering a hit to Jason Donald. He would complete the one-hit shutout though, winning 3-0 on just 88 pitches.

Lowlight of the Season: Unfortunately for Galarraga, the way he lost the perfect game was due to a blown call at first base by umpire Jim Joyce, as Jason Donald was clearly out at the bag. Joyce was very contrite after the game, apologizing to Galarraga for his blown call, which the pitcher took in stride.

The Lowdown:
Four years removed from their AL Pennant run, the Tigers looked to return to the postseason with a retooled roster that included two rookies as part of their regular lineup. Outfielders Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch were each plugged into the lineup not as fill-ins or platoon players, but as regular members of the everyday lineup, and both of them would live up to the challenge, as each player brought their own strengths to the team. Jackson would nearly take Rookie of the Year honors, hitting .293 with 27 steals and superb outfield defense, while Boesch showed a great capability to hit left-handed pitching, finishing with a batting average of .337 against southpaws.

Even though the Tigers hit well, their pitching (which was once one of their strengths) would ultimately be their downfall, as they received inconsistent performances behind number one starter Justin Verlander. Despite this, the team remained in contention until after the All-Star break, when the rug was finally pulled from underneath them, finishing with an unimpressive 13-16 record in August.

Offense:
The Tigers were among the best hitting teams in baseball in 2010, finishing 11th in runs scored (751), fifth in batting average (.268), 14th in home runs (152), eighth in on-base percentage (.335) and 11th in slugging (.415). They were led by one of the best hitters in the game, Miguel Cabrera, who placed himself in the discussion for AL MVP with his performance at the plate. Cabrera finished second in the American League in batting average at a clip of .328, while pounding 38 home runs and driving in a league-best 126. Surprisingly enough, despite the team-best batting average, he did not lead the team in hits, as rookie Austin Jackson stole the show with 181 of them this year. Jackson would also go on to lead the team in steals with 27, establishing himself as a capable lead-off hitter, and giving the Tigers’ lineup an extra dimension to it heading into 2011.

Even though the rest of the Tigers lineup featured either average or below average seasons from their hitters, this is a case of the whole simply being better than the sum of its parts.
Final Grade: B-

Pitching:
Collectively, the Tigers were below average pitching-wise, finishing 25th in ERA (4.30), 21st in “batting average against” (.262), 23rd in quality starts (79) and 20th in WHIP (1.37). Even though they were toward the bottom in many of the major pitching stats, they still featured one of the best arms in the game in Justin Verlander. He would finish with an 18-9 record, with a rock solid 219 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.37 in 224.1 innings, proving that in just his fifth big-league season, he is one of the best pitchers in baseball today.

Behind him, unfortunately was mostly mediocrity, as Jeremy Bonderman, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello and Armando Galarraga put up largely unimpressive numbers. Galarraga outside of his stellar performance on June 2, was mostly mediocre the rest of the way, finishing with a 4-9 record with a 4.49 ERA. Righty Rick Porcello unfortunately could not follow up on his spectacular rookie performance from last year, finishing 10-12 with a 4.92 ERA in 162.2 innings. Bonderman was uncharacteristically bad this year, finishing with a 5.53 ERA in 171 innings, and Scherzer, despite striking out an average of eight hitters for every nine innings pitched, was often the victim of bad luck, finishing 12-11.

The bullpen was fair in the Motor City this year, finishing 14th in baseball with a 3.96 ERA. Phil Coke would make the most appearances out of the ‘pen with 73, and he was mostly average, finishing with a 3.57 ERA and 17 holds. Closer Jose Valverde was pretty solid in finishing out games this year, recording an ERA of 3.00, along with 26 saves. Ryan Perry, Brad Thomas and Joel Zumaya were all solid out of the ‘pen this year as well.

While the bullpen was average, the starting rotation could be better. If anything, the inconsistency in the starting rotation kept the Tigers out of the postseason this year.
Final Grade: C-

Wild Card: Rookies
It’s not too often where you find a team that features two rookies in their everyday lineup that produced like the aforementioned Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch did this year. Even if a team did feature two rookies in their everyday lineup, they are usually on a very bad team, mostly because they cannot find anyone who can play the position any better. The Tigers however, not only featured two rookies who were legitimately good enough to be major leaguers, they were big contributors to a team who was in contention for at least half of the season.
Final Grade: A+

Overall:
A .500 season can mean different things for different teams. For one team, .500 can be a sign of progress, while for another, it can be a sign of underachievement. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the latter would ring true.
Final Grade: C

Check back soon for the report card on the Oakland Athletics!

AL MVP candidates: who gets your vote?

Well, the pennant races are finally hitting the home stretch, and it is at this time of year that we usually find out who the league MVPs are. Who are the players that put their team on their back throughout the season, and carried them through the thick of the pennant race? If you took that particular player off of a contender, would that team be in the position they are in? Those are the questions that voters usually look at when it comes to who deserves the recognition of the "Most Valuable Player." Tonight, we'll take a look at the top three candidates in the American League.

Stats are as of September 13.


3.) Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
.335 batting average, 34 home runs, 116 RBIs, .429 OBP

Cabrera is arguably having the best all-around season of the three players listed here this year. His 116 RBIs and .429 OBP both lead the American League, while his batting average and home runs rank second and third respectively. If the Tigers were having a better season, he would definitely be the runaway pick for the MVP. Unfortunately for him, and for the Tigers and their fans, this summer has not been kind to them, as their 72-72 record would attest. The fact that the Tigers are not in contention right now will be the only reason Miguel Cabrera won't win the MVP.



2.) Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox
.322 batting average, 36 home runs, 104 RBIs, .399 OBP

I know many of you out there may think this is a heavily biased pick, but just hear me out on this one. Konerko has been raking for the Sox all year, and this year is turning out to be a career one for "Paulie." He's currently fifth in the AL in batting average, second in home runs, tied for fourth in RBIs with Vladimir Guerrero, and is fifth in on-base percentage. Here's a potential dilemma with Konerko's case though: the Sox still have a very decent shot at missing the playoffs, and still finishing with a better record than the Texas Rangers (they're only one game worse than Texas right now). The thing that could hurt Konerko's MVP chances is similar to Miguel Cabrera's in nature, but at the same time more unfair. With the way the Twins are rolling right now, they still have an outside shot at finishing with the best record in the AL, something completely out of the control of Konerko and the Sox. Should Konerko get penalized by the voters only for the reason that the Sox have a much tougher divisional foe than Josh Hamilton's Rangers do? I don't think so, but that's what usually happens in cases like these. C'est la vie.



1.) Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
.361 batting average, 31 home runs, 97 RBIs, .414 OBP

The only reason why I still think Hamilton deserves the MVP over Konerko is because his overall numbers are better. While he trails Konerko in home runs by five and in RBIs by seven, he is still outhitting him by 39 points, and has a higher OBP by 15 points. I also believe that defense should come into play when comparing the two, and while Konerko is very underrated as a defender at first base, Hamilton plays a much more demanding position in the outfield. He still excels defensively, while putting on a great performance at the plate, too. I don't want to compare the two team's positions in the standings, because that would be unfair to both Konerko and Hamilton. In a case like this, you just look at each individual player and what they bring to their team, and in this case, Hamilton edges Konerko, both offensively and defensively.

Check back soon for the NL MVP candidates!

Ugh...is this really how it's going to end?

It was another series loss for the Sox this weekend, and this time, it was at the hands of the lowly Kansas City Royals. After three lengthy extra inning games at Kauffman Stadium, it really stings when you lose two out of three to a team you are supposed to beat. It stings even more when you lose those games in the thick of a pennant race. As Ozzie Guillen told the Chicago Tribune after Sunday's loss, "it was a very horseshit roadtrip."

This weekend's series also represented the fifth consecutive series loss for the Sox dating back to early August. Their last series victory came way back on August 3-5, when they took three of four from the Tigers in Detroit. Since then, they have lost three out of four to Baltimore, four out of six against Minnesota (in two combined series), two out of three against Detroit and two out of three last weekend against Kansas City. They're 3-7 in their last ten games, while Minnesota is 7-3. Now with the Sox being 4.5 games behind the Twins entering tonight, one has to wonder how much the Sox have left in them.

It would be one thing if the Sox were losing series against teams like the Yankees, Rays and Rangers. However, in the five series they have lost, the Twins were the only team they faced that had a winning record. Since the Twins are the team they are battling against for the AL Central title, you think it would be beneficial to at least split the six games they played against them, right? Wrong. The Sox lost both series.

Let's face it, if you are unable to beat the Twins head-to-head, you better be able to beat up on the dregs of the American League to make up that ground you lost. Unfortunately, the Sox have not been able to do this. Every loss stings during the heat of a pennant race, especially when there is very little time left, but it stings even more when they are dropping games in bunches against horrible teams. Since the Sox begin a three game set tonight at home against Baltimore, let's hope that this series will mark the beginning of a turnaround. If the Sox cannot take two of three against Baltimore, this season might be over.

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 18- Detroit Tigers

Hello everybody! I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas Eve, and I hope that you all have completed your Christmas shopping! Anyway, let's get to work. Here is today's report card on the Motor City Nine, the Detroit Tigers.

Detroit Tigers:
Record: 86-77 (Second place in the AL Central, one game behind Minnesota).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Miguel Cabrera (.324)
Home Runs: Miguel Cabrera (34)
RBIs: Miguel Cabrera (103)
On-base Percentage: Miguel Cabrera (.396)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Justin Verlander (19)
ERA: Justin Verlander (3.45). Bullpen- Brandon Lyon (2.86).
Strikeouts: Justin Verlander (269)
Innings Pitched: Justin Verlander (240.0)
WHIP: Justin Verlander (1.18)
Saves: Fernando Rodney (38)

Highlight of the Season: Taking control of first place on May 16, after a 9-1 victory over Oakland. They would not fall out of first place until the very end of the season.

Lowlight of the Season: Losing to the Minnesota Twins in heartbreaking fashion in the one-game playoff, 6-5, on October 6. This was the culmination of a disastrous final month for Detroit, in which they blew a seven game lead as late as September 6.

The Lowdown:
Even though they won the Wild Card in 2006, Detroit was seeking to accomplish something that they have not done since 1987, and that was to finish in first place. It looked as if the Tigers would get it done though, as they took first place on May 16, and did not look back. The closest Detroit came to falling out of first (before September arrived) was on July 23, when they were tied with the White Sox after Buehrle's perfect game against Tampa. However, Detroit would face the Sox in a four-game series beginning on the very next day, and made their statement, as they took three out of four from Chicago. Once September rolled around, it seemed as if the Tigers could not be stopped, as they took a commanding seven game lead in the division on September 6.

If there is one thing that I have learned as a White Sox fan in the last decade, is to never, ever, ever count out the Twins until they are mathematically eliminated. The Twins put together a furious push in the final month, going 19-7, while the Tigers went a miserable 11-15 in that same time span, to force the one-game playoff in Minnesota. Even though Detroit put up a valiant fight in the one-game playoff, it was not enough to hold off a white-hot Minnesota team, as the Twins won 6-5 in 12 innings, to advance to the playoffs. A season that once seemed so promising, only ended in heartbreak for the Tigers.

Offense:
The Tigers featured a solid offensive attack in 2009, which was led by the hard-hitting trio of Miguel Cabrera, Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge. Cabrera put together another typical "Miguel Cabrera" kind of season, which is outstanding more often than not. He hit well over .300 again (.324), and pounded 34 home runs to go along with 103 RBIs and a robust .396 on-base percentage. He has clearly shown that his numbers were not just a National League fluke, and that he is indeed one of the best hitters in baseball.

Granderson had a fine year at the plate power-wise, drilling 30 home runs himself, along with driving in 71. He also had 20 steals to his credit, as well. However, his abilities as a lead-off hitter are questionable, as he hit only .249 and had a dismal on-base percentage of only .327. His speed is obviously the biggest reason why manager Jim Leyland places him in the lead-off spot; however, you would certainly like for him to get on base more to set the table for Cabrera.

Brandon Inge had a great season power-wise at the plate, too, as he played in nearly every game for the Tigers this season (he played in 161 out of their 163 games this season). He clubbed 27 home runs, which tied his career-high, and he also drove in a career-best 84 runs. The only downside to his season was his dismal .230 average and .314 on-base percentage, but he has never really been a player who hit for average.

Three other guys who hit for a decent average were Magglio Ordonez (.310), left fielder Ryan Raburn (.291) and Placido Polanco (.285). Ordonez's decent average was the only silver lining to a horrendous season for him power-wise though, as he hit only nine home runs and drove in just 50. This is coming from someone who is usually capable of hitting 25-30 home runs a season, while driving in around 100. This power outage from him is certainly something that has to be alarming many Tigers fans, as he is supposed to be the "right-hand man" to Cabrera.

Overall, the Tigers scored 743 runs as a team, which was good enough for 15th in MLB. Along with this, they finished ninth in home runs (183), 19th in on-base percentage (.331), and tied for 17th in batting average (.260). When you put it all together, they weren't the most fearsome lineup in the bigs in '09, but they were pretty damn good nonetheless.
Final Grade: B

Pitching:
The Tigers featured fantastic pitching from their youthful starting trio of Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson and 20-year-old rookie Rick Porcello in 2009. All three pitchers made over 30 starts, and all three were the biggest reason why Detroit stayed in the pennant chase for most of the season. Verlander led the way in the Tigers' rotation, as he rebounded from a miserable 2008 campaign in which he went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA. This year was a much different story for him, as he went 19-9, with a 3.45 ERA and a major-league best 269 strikeouts. His 1.18 WHIP was also among the major-league's best as well.

Right behind him was Edwin Jackson, who put together a solid campaign, going 13-9, with a 3.62 ERA and 161 strikeouts. The 26-year-old basically picked up right where he left off in 2008 with Tampa Bay, when he went 14-10 for the eventual American League Champions. This year, though, he saw his ERA go down significantly from 4.42 in '08 to 3.62 this year.

The biggest surprise in the rotation had to be the performance of rookie Rick Porcello. Many people were somewhat surprised that the Tigers were placing him in the starting rotation right out of spring training, considering that he was only 20 years old. Many people feared that they were rushing him up to the big leagues, and that he might suffer as a result. However, Porcello and the Tigers proved everybody wrong, as he put together a spectacular rookie campaign, going 14-9, with a 3.96 ERA in 170.2 innings. In fact, the season he put together was good enough for him to earn the trust of manager Leyland, who let him start in the one-game playoff against the Twins. Even though Detroit would end up losing the game, Porcello put together an admirable performance, giving up only two runs in 5.2 innings, to go along with an impressive eight strikeouts to just two walks. The bright lights clearly did not faze the young man from Morristown, New Jersey, and it is that aspect about him that gives the Tigers, and their fans, a lot of excitement about him in 2010.

Detroit's bullpen was solid in 2009, but there can certainly be some room for improvement in 2010. Fernando Rodney had a pretty good season as a closer, going 37 for 38 in save opportunities this year. However, he had a hefty ERA of 4.40 in the closer's role, and he also had a conspicuously-high walk total of 41 in 75.2 innings pitched. Although he got the job done closing out games this year, he would often give Tigers fans and Jim Leyland a considerable amount of heartburn while he was closing them out. Brandon Lyon also did a solid job in the 'pen in '09, putting together a 2.86 ERA in 78.2 innings. Other than that, the bullpen only received a fair performance from Ryan Perry (3.79 ERA in 61.2 innings), along with a couple of mediocre performances from Bobby Seay (4.25 ERA in 48.2 innings) and Zach Miner (4.29 ERA in 92.1 innings). However, in Miner's defense, some of those numbers were put up in the midst of the five starts he made during the course of the season.

Compared to other teams in MLB, the Tigers' pitching stacked up pretty well. They finished 13th in ERA (4.29), 18th in runs allowed (745), and tied for 15th in "batting average against" (.263). The only negative aspect about this staff was their high walk total of 594, which was the eighth-highest in baseball. However, since their top three starters were in such great form throughout the season, I'll let it pass.
Final Grade: B

Wild Card: Rick Porcello
With Armando Galarraga falling back to earth after an impressive '08 campaign, Dontrelle Willis forgetting how to pitch altogether, and with and with Jeremy Bonderman battling injuries, Porcello's emergence could not have come at a better time for Detroit. His poise on the mound is something that is usually only seen out of veterans instead of 20-year-old rookies. Perhaps the presence of Justin Verlander was of big help to Porcello, since he essentially went through the same thing in 2006, albeit at a slightly older age of 23 at the time. Make no mistake about it though: having him come through for the team like this is much, much bigger than what it seems to be on paper.
Final Grade: A-

Overall:
While this team is not on the level of the Yankees, Red Sox, or Angels, they are still a pretty good team. They are also very fortunate that they play in baseball's weakest division, the AL Central. The only problem that bit the Tigers in '09 was their inability to "finish."
Final Grade: B+

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Atlanta Braves!