The Front Row

Lineup to inconsitent......

Wild card is a potential, especially if Damon can give them something around .280 hitting wise and he brings some speed.
Pitching and defense have to carry the Tribe in large part, and getting anything out of Sizemore would be nice, but I doubt it.

They have played well against Kansas City, Seattle, Oakland and they beat KC again last night. I love the Tribe, but I am not optimistic. They have 3 AAA players in their every day lineup in Duncan, Brantley and Kotchman (nice glove but your bat is horrid). The pitching has been well below average. The Tigers have much more star power and depth. They have arguably the best pitcher in baseball as well. Maybe the Tribe can stay in this thing for a few months like last year, but they just aren't good enough.

I hope I eat crow.

Agree that the tigers will run away but do not agree with Brantley being a AAA player.

Injuries decimated the Tribe outfield and ate away at other positions last year. The club must keep the disabled list short if it is to have any chance of staying in the race. If the Indians can stay healthy, they should win more than half their games, whether they contend or not.

But 83 or 84 wins won’t be enough to capture the division title, and it’s difficult to construct a realistic scenario that would boost the total to 90, which probably is what it will take. With an additional wild-card entry is added to the postseason schedule this year, the Indians might have a chance to make the playoffs, but.....

20 games? Wow! While the Tigers are clearly the most talented team in this division, 20 games will not happen. They will win it however. I think the Tribe as a legit chance at one of the wild card spots IF the pitching can be consistent (Masterson and Jiminez) and Hafner and Choo can stay healthy. I may be in the minority, but I also like the addition of Damon from a veteran leadership standpoint of been there and knows what it takes to get there. If he has anything left, this team could be there at the end.

Angels won the division by 21 games in '08. They don't have to be the best team in baseball in a long time...who knows if they are even the best team this year. But the rest of the division is probably 15 games worse than the Tigers. The American League Central Division is weak. Playing the Royals and Twins 18-19 times can only help the Indians.

I think anyone can hang with the Tigers. And I am a huge Tigers fan.

The media will pitch this Tigers team as a potential WS squad. and maybe they are. But I don't think so. The Tigers failed to address their greatest need. The bullpen. Starting pitching IMO was the second greatest need. We've got Verlander who is the best in baseball and a couple other decent guys and thats it. and I HATE HATE HATE Valverde as the closer. I don't care how many saves he got last season. It was a fluke because every single one of those saves scared the crap out of me. Valverde is showing it this year.

I think the Tigers signed Prince for one reason, to put more butts in seats and more eyes on the TV. Dombrowski is trying to build a dynasty. The pitching will come later. Until then he'll make the playoffs and might get lucky. He'll do whatever he can to hold onto Verlander and maintain status quo while he slowly makes moves.

I'm not sure it will work long term but I think thats his plan. Regardless, I think any team has a chance against us. But you better come to play. Because we score runs. And if Verlander is pitching, it will be tough for you to do the same.

No way they stick with the Tigers all year. Fighting for the conjured up "everbody gets a trophy" second wild card spot would seem possible though.

As I see it the Tigers should run away with the title due to talented hitting and average pitching. But they also have a commited owner, a good GM with a good drafting/scouting and a rabid fan base. I call them MILD (mike illich, leyland and dumbowski). During the John Hart years, the Tribe had a committed owner, a great farm system and a great pool of hitting in the outfield and the corners. Not so much today. I call them SAAD (shaprio, acta, antonelli, dolan). The best that could happen would be for Dolan to sell out to Dan Gilbert. Should Tigers falter as they have in the past few years, Leyland must go. Just saying.