Tigers to Sign Torii Hunter

[BroadwayBomber55]

I
do
not
think
they're
a
good
team.

Since Jimmy Leyland came to the Motor City, the Detroit Tigers made three AL appearances, won two of them. They have been knocking on the door and trying to win their first World Championship since 1984.

I don't care if they're scary good or whatever, the Tigers got it done over the Yankees.

Also, I didn't hear any beef about the 2000 Yankees winning the World Series despite winning 87 games.

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

So is snapple the authority on the Tigers just because he lives in Michigan?

And because he knows things he can allude to but doesn't want to talk about.

[snapple]

And because he knows things he can allude to but doesn't want to talk about.

No. It's not that. It's that I don't care what eagenmafia (or whatever his username is) thinks about me or my opinions and I am choosing to ignore his requests.

[Chacon]

This thread is making my balls hurt

[eaganmafia]

No. It's not that. It's that I don't care what eagenmafia (or whatever his username is) thinks about me or my opinions and I am choosing to ignore his requests.

You cared enough to bring it up.

[snapple]

Clearly most of you have not seen the Mark Teixeira thread...

[effdamets]

Yeah - I don't think the Tigers are a very good team either.
And I don't live in Michigan.
They're fortunate. That's it.

[Hitman23]

this conversation.

[sweet_lou_14]

Makes us sound pretty stupid to keep saying that the team that knocked the Yankees out each of the last two seasons isn't very good.

The 2006 team that found a way to beat the Yankees was clearly inferior on paper, but pulled it off. The 2011-2012 team, not so much.

If you want to say the Yankees are built better for the regular season, fine. But the Tigers are built as well as any team in baseball to win a short series.

[False1]

I don't think anyone's conceding anything to the Tigers, but they are a damn good team and the offseason isn't done yet. Snapple - I think you're letting possibly some bias bleed in here being a Yankee fan living in Detroit. Trust me - my wife and her family are all from Detroit. I must have gotten 10 phone calls from her side of the family during game 4.

So their bullpen is vulnerable. That's something they should be able to address between now and April. They really should look hard at Soriano. If they can shore up that bullpen, that's a sick team.

A rotation of Verlander, Scherzer, Fister and Smyly plus Sanchez or Porcello is really good.

A core lineup that includes Cabrera, Fielder, Martinez, Hunter, Jackson, Avila... plus if Dircks sustains and/or Garcia develops...

The Tigers are a dang good team.

[effdamets]

Makes us sound pretty stupid to keep saying that the team that knocked the Yankees out each of the last two seasons isn't very good.

The 2006 team that found a way to beat the Yankees was clearly inferior on paper, but pulled it off. The 2011-2012 team, not so much.

If you want to say the Yankees are built better for the regular season, fine. But the Tigers are built as well as any team in baseball to win a short series.

Is this concluded from logic that claims the better team wins every series?
Just because the Tigers beat the Yankees in the ALCS does not make them the better team.

[Blazer]

Well - the Tigers won 88 games. They played 54 games against 3 dreggs of the baseball world in KC, Minnesota and Cleveland.
They were 31-23 for a .574 percentage, .543 over all.

To me - the Tigers were VERY mediocre in 2012.

The Yanks were 47-46 v. AL teams not named the Red Sox, Indians, Jays, and Mariners.

[effdamets]

The Yanks were 47-46 v. AL teams not named the Red Sox, Indians, Jays, and Mariners.

I'm not sure of your point but only the Red Sox and Jays played in the AL east.

The Tigers took 35% of their wins from foes within their dvision. A division that includes the likes of Cleveland (68-94), Kansas City (72-90) and Minnesota (66-96).
A whopping 206-280 (.424)

The Tigers play in a REALLY BAD division. Probably the worst in baseball (2012) and only won 88 games.

[Blazer]

I'm not sure of your point but only the Red Sox and Jays played in the AL east.

The Tigers took 35% of their wins from foes within their dvision. A division that includes the likes of Cleveland (68-94), Kansas City (72-90) and Minnesota (66-96).
A whopping 206-280 (.424)

The Tigers play in a REALLY BAD division. Probably the worst in baseball (2012) and only won 88 games.

The Tigers were 36-32 v. AL teams with records >= .500
The Yanks were 39-40 v. AL teams with records >= .500

[ArodEra]

If the Yankees and Tigers switched rosters, I'd do cartwheels.

[rajah]

It is curious why fans root for team A rather than team B when they prefer the roster of Team B.

This is true even for some fans who do not live where team A plays.

Generally, it has nothing to do with liking the ownership or management or logo or uniforms of team A more.

Why is there such an attachment to the laundry then?

[wang+cano=future]

It is curious why fans root for team A rather than team B when they prefer the roster of Team B.

This is true even for some fans who do not live where team A plays.

Generally, it has nothing to do with liking the ownership or management or logo or uniforms of team A more.

Why is there such an attachment to the laundry then?

I am pretty sure you just described the ultimate fair-weather-fan. A fan sticks with their team through thick and thin, even if they don't like the roster make-up, management, arena, etc. Just because I like the pitching staff of the Giants better or the lineup of the Tigers/Rangers better doesnt mean I will root for them.

[ArodEra]

It is curious why fans root for team A rather than team B when they prefer the roster of Team B.

This is true even for some fans who do not live where team A plays.

Generally, it has nothing to do with liking the ownership or management or logo or uniforms of team A more.

Why is there such an attachment to the laundry then?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but what does roster preference have to do with the team you root for, especially if they are your lifelong team? Recognizing that another team might have a superior roster doesn't mean that you want to switch allegiance. That's just crazy. Otherwise, teams like the Mets and Cubs would have no fans.

[snapple]

@False1I would never live in Detroit. Ask your wife if she knows where Traverse City is.

[effdamets]

It is curious why fans root for team A rather than team B when they prefer the roster of Team B.

This is true even for some fans who do not live where team A plays.

Generally, it has nothing to do with liking the ownership or management or logo or uniforms of team A more.

Why is there such an attachment to the laundry then?

People are disappointed with the way that the Yankees ended their season... And they look at the team that eliminated them in the 4 games and say, "I want that"... "Why can't the Yankees be like that?"
Hence, people willing to trade rosters.
I'll take 95 wins in the AL East vs 88 wins in the AL Central all day, everyday. And then take my chances in October from there.
And that's 95 wins with a half-a roster.....

[jcarey]

Tigers are an exceptional team right now, and a very scary playoff team.

That lineup is one of the best in baseball. The only "serious" rationale for it being not great was "lol Infante!" A-Jax seems like more than just a fluke. Hunter won't be as good as last year most likely, but he should get on base more than Young. Then Cabrera, Fielder, and V-Mart. It doesn't really matter who follows, really.

The rotation 1-3 is also one of the best in baseball. The 1-2 is arguably tops. Scherzer was injured and ineffective for much of last year, and Fister was injured as well. That partially explains the "mediocre" season record. When Verlander and Scherzer are on, they are top-tier pitchers, and excellent power arms for a postseason series. Any stiffs in the 4-5 spots should be enough to get them to the playoffs in that division with that offense.

The bullpen was a disaster last year, but Benoit was unlucky and maintained good peripherals. His HR rate should definitely come down. Al Alburqurque is basically D-Rob. Dotel should be effective. If they add another solid arm, they're set. And that should be really easy to do.

IF defense sucks, but when you've got the two AL K leaders whiffing people left and right, that gets mitigated somewhat.

I wanted no part of them this past postseason, and I want no part of them in the future. It's a well-constructed team.

[ArodEra]

People are disappointed with the way that the Yankees ended their season... And they look at the team that eliminated them in the 4 games and say, "I want that"... "Why can't the Yankees be like that?"
Hence, people willing to trade rosters.
I'll take 95 wins in the AL East vs 88 wins in the AL Central all day, everyday. And then take my chances in October from there.
And that's 95 wins with a half-a roster.....

That's pretty presumptuous speaking for all people, no? And far off base, I might add. How about, for some people, the 4 game sweep was irrelevant and they simply prefer the Tigers' roster, including the ages of their core players, to the Yankees?

[False1]

The rotation 1-3 is also one of the best in baseball. The 1-2 is arguably tops. Scherzer was injured and ineffective for much of last year, and Fister was injured as well. That partially explains the "mediocre" season record. When Verlander and Scherzer are on, they are top-tier pitchers, and excellent power arms for a postseason series. Any stiffs in the 4-5 spots should be enough to get them to the playoffs in that division with that offense.

I agree, and I'm thinking Smyly is going to have a very good year, avoiding the sophmore slump. If they re-sign Sanchez, that's a ridiculously good rotation.

[effdamets]

That's pretty presumptuous speaking for all people, no? And so far off base, I might add. How about, for some people, the 4 game sweep was irrelevant and they simply prefer the Tigers' roster, including the ages of their core players, to the Yankees?

I never said all people. Just people.
But for the love of all things good, I cannot understand why someone would want a roster that only won 88 games in the weakest division in the majors?

Could it possibly be that maybe the Yankees are better but had a bad series against the Tigers?
Because believe me, if people are frustrated with the Yankee roster and the way they play during the season, it's gotta be MORE frustrating to be a Tiger rooter. Simply because.... the Tigers roster loses more.

[rajah]

Well, ArodEra, or should I call you CabreEra wannabe, I think you did misunderstand me, or perhaps I misunderstood your original post.

I thought you meant that you would rather root for the Tiger lineup wearing Yankee pinstripes and an interlocking NY hat than the Yankee lineup wearing Yankee pinstripes and an interlocking NY hat. And I thought that highlighted the curious and irrational tendency of fans rooting for laundry rather than individual players or managers whom they find interesting or fun to watch. I think that rooting for particular players or managers is a lot more rational than rooting for a uniform and a logo, the way you and I root for the Yankees. I think it is much more rational, and not more or less commendable, to root for a team that is exciting or otherwise interesting at a particular time. There is nothing morally inferior, or superior, about being a "fair weather fan," in the words of another poster.

I actually do that in other sports, especially professional basketball, where my allegiances vary as players switch teams. I do not necessarily root for the best teams, but I tend not to root for the worst teams, and I do not think my lack of attention to uniforms and my inconstancy is any less, or more, worthy than my constancy and loyalty toward the Yankees, including through the late 60s and early 70s and late 80s and early 90s.

I really don't completely understand why I have been so loyal to the Yankees over the past half century. I do not even live in NY or the NY area. Maybe it is a connection to my childhood and my family. It is in any event irrational.

I will say that I do get attached to certain Yankee players whom I find interesting, however. And I would never go so far as to say I would trade them all for the roster of another team, even if I thought that other team was superior. However, that certainly does not make my orientation superior to someone, like apparently you, who would do so. I am just a different kind of fan, not a better kind.

I guess I posted above just to highlight the curiosity of being a fan generally.