So, thoughts at the midpoint

[ajaX82]

the rookies were unreal. Boesch and Jackson look like a potent tandem in the OF. So excited for their potential.

Miggy is the best around hitter in baseball right now. all He is special and he has a legit chance at the triple crown

Maggs is back. Guillen looks brittle and decent. Laird horrific. Everett worse. Inge like usual. The hitting, aside from the rooks, is altogether what i expected.

Verlander was his usual self. Scherzer has looked much better after the AAA stint. Poecello was obviously rough. Bondo has been up and down, Galaragga the same. Bullpen has been excellent, Valverde worth the money.

We're in first with a ton of talent and young prospects currently performing. Not a great year yet, but definitely above expectations

[kellmellus50]

Bondo or Poecello needs to be traded for a better pitcher in order for thr tigers to remain in first place.Also throw in a catcher in that deal to get abetter hitting catcher.

[Snakebites]

Obviously very happy to be sitting in first place, and to have two rookie of the year favorites helping us out all the way.

Cabrera's season is really looking like it could be one for the ages (a triple crown isn't an absurd notion at this point).

I still think our pitching needs to get better for this to be in any way sustainable, especially if the goal is to succeed in the playoffs, not just reach them.

[RustInPeace]

I'm pleasantly surprised that we're in 1st place. Coming into the season I thought there was no way our pitching could match up to last year. I was right at that. Verlander was going to regress, Porcello was going to have a soph slump, etc.

I never thought our hitting would be this good. Seriously, Inge had a fluke year last year, We lost Granderson and replaced him with a poor man's version of him, Maggs was going to regress even more and we lost Polanco while having a scrub minor leaguer to replace him. I guess it shows how beastly Cabrera and Boesch have been this season. Seriously the man is a blessing.

I hope we get an Oswalt or a Haren instead of a Washburn and Huff this trade deadline. We have a good shot at making the playoffs but those types of pitchers are the difference between making and having success in the playoffs.

I feel really optimistic. Sure we did blow a huge lead last year but I'll enjoy it while I can dammit.

[RustInPeace]

Well, White sox now have the central division lead. Why does one team decide to troll us every year? 2007 it was the Indians, 2008 it was everybody, 2009 it was Twins and now... *sigh*

[chrbal]

I like that we are finally building with youth, other then the whole Polanco/Sizemore thing. Didn't really see Polanco as being a liability or Scott as ready. Would like a good 3rd starter, don't really want to see the TIgers do a "homerun" type move unless they can get that guy under contract.

[RustInPeace]

Maybe we could trade for Shaun Marcum? he isn't that young for a guy in a rebuilding team (he's like 27-28) and he has a good k/bb rate with a low ERA. His health could be a concern though

[Bartender]

Really hope we get either a 2nd baseman, 3rd baseman, or a shortstop at the trade deadline. Avila has shown some potential at the plate this year, so I'd like to see what he can do.

[Liqourish]

I'm hoping Avila gets the majority of PT the rest of the year. I know he struggled at the plate the first half, but he's the better catcher. He's improved defensively and if he can get his average up around .270-.280 ish I think he'd be just fine.

We really need to fix our rotation and upgrade our SS. Avila and Inge have picked things up the past few weeks. Guillen has been okay. I'd like too see us upgrade the bench too and get rid of Raburn. Laird has seen reduced minutes, Everrett was released, Sizemore was demoted and yet Raburn is still playing despite being just as horrible.

CF: Austin Jackson
DH: Johnny Damon
RF: Magglio Ordonez
1B: Miguel Cabrera
LF: Brennan Boesch
2B: Carlos Guillen
3B: Brandon Inge
SS: ????????????????
C: Alex Avila

Bench:
1B/3B: Jeff Larish?
2B/SS: Ramon Santiago
OF: Don Kelly

[ajaX82]

^ I havent minded Worth at SS, FWIW

Though i do agree an upgrade is needed. A real 2b would be nice too. And yeah we need another starter, unless Porcello gets his act together

[Bartender]

And we need to put Boesch at the number 2 spot in the order and put Damon behind Cabs. Boesch has way too many RBI's and not enough runs scored for him to be totally efficient. He needs to bat behind AJax and have Magglio or Miguel hit him in.

[ajaX82]

And we need to put Boesch at the number 2 spot in the order and put Damon behind Cabs. Boesch has way too many RBI's and not enough runs scored for him to be totally efficient. He needs to bat behind AJax and have Magglio or Miguel hit him in.

I think Damon is perfect at the 2 spot actually, but i would consider switching Boesch and Maggs around

Jackson
Damon
Boesch
Cabrera
Ordonez
Guillen
Inge
Avila
Santiago/Worth

[RustInPeace]

NO at Boesch at the 2 spot. Please God no. Boesch should be ahead of Cabrera at all times.

The problem with our lineup is whoever Jim puts in the 1st 3 whenever he gives someone a day off. Kelly at leadoff is an absolute joke. Raburn at 3... LOL. When Maggs is out, don't put that hack Raburn in, just move everyone up. When Jackson/Damon is out, just put either one of them at leadoff and put Santiago at 2. IT'S SO SIMPLE! Yet Leyland cannot get that through his thick skull of his. Leyland is one of the worst managers when it comes to assembling lineups. I mean... shouldn't it be common sense not to put someone with a .250 OBP at the spot where your job is to get on base?

I really wish that they'd give Laird a lot less playing time. Avila's got him beat at offense AND defense. He actually draws walks unlike 80% of our lineup. He's gonna be a solid player, he's just struggling. Yet he's still so much superior to that scrub Laird.

We're also lucky we have one of the best bullpens in the league right now. If Minor isn't injured right now we'd have blown a LOT more games. I have no idea why he keeps bringing him in. He must give good head or something.

And please please please please please please NEVER put Raburn at CF again. That scrub makes routine plays look difficult. It's like he tries to make highlight reel plays in the simplest of catches, but really that's how terrible his range is.

[kellmellus50]

Thoughts at midpoint tigers need more offence bottom line or they are going no where.So i see some trades coming.

[TSE]

Well if you guys remember I already wrote them off for the year before the season started due to being categorically unqualified in terms of their roster design and their financial unsoundness, and now i'm getting to the point that I'm already worried about not being set up for next year either. We are losing way too much time and too much player-asset depreciation keeps accruing. We NEED to make trades like 3 years ago that we are still overdue and paying high interest on our blown opportunity costs. It's just a complete mess and serious reorganization today could be worth many tens of millions of dollars if they do it correctly.

[Piston Pete]

I've considered doing this to the top of the lineup:

Jackson
Damon
Miggy
Boesch
Maggs
Guillen
Inge
Avila
Santiago

Righty...lefty....righty....lefty....and so on

[TSE]

Well the problem with that is Miggy is our best and most dangerous hitter and moving a guy from 4 to 3 doesn't get him very much of a percentage increase in getting an extra at bat per game, and in that first inning you need a guy like Miggy to have a nice setup shot to get to the plate with runners on in that first inning. If he's batting 3rd, then we have to get extremely lucky with getting both of our first batters on base to have any chance of multiple runners on for him, or we have to outperform at a .500 OBP just to get one single runner on. And that's not making efficient use of Miggy's bat, there just is no logical spot for him in the order other than the 4 spot. He has to bat there.