Detroit Tigers: From strength to strength
What can be said about the Detroit Tigers that has not been said before? The team had a tremendous 2011 season and is looking very strong for the upcoming 2012 regular season. The key factor for most of the fans and critics is the obvious acquisition of
star slugger Prince Fielder.
Fielder’s presence alone, is usually enough to uplift a team’s performance on the field. His powerful hitting will definitely give a tremendous boost to the Tigers’ offence. Detroit was already in a position of strength at the end of the 2011 season. They
managed to make it into the 2011 post-season with their usual style and grace that most other teams in Major League Baseball envy.
The Tigers are loaded with talented players that consistently give top level performances during the regular and post-season sessions. Players like Jose Valverde, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, Alex Avila and Jhonny Peralta are tremendous athletes capable
of some very exciting and dominating game play. With such a strong line-up, the addition of slugger Prince Fielder takes the team over the top. During the offseason, the Tigers remained busy, building upon their current strength to fill any gaps that the team
needed to fill. Bringing on Fielder is like the ‘icing on the cake’ for the team. The team are sending out very positive signals to the rest of the League that they are looking to dominate the upcoming 2012 regular season.
During the 2011 regular season, the Tigers had a tremendous record of 95 wins and 67 losses. This effectively put them at the top of the American League Central Division. The Tigers dominated their division as they ended the regular season 15 games ahead
of the Cleveland Indians. In the 2011 post-season, the Tigers managed to bump the New York Yankees out of the playoffs with a tremendous 3-2 series victory in the 2011 American League Division Series (ALDS).
The team was looking unstoppable as they were all set to face the Texas Rangers in the 2011 American League Championship Series (ALCS). This was basically one step away of reaching the World Series. Unfortunately, the Rangers defeated the Tigers 4-2 in a
hard fought series. As the Rangers went forward into the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Tigers were left to ponder their weaknesses and inability to defeat the surging Texas Rangers.
The loss to the Rangers in the ALCS gave the Tigers an opportunity to look inwards and work hard during the offseason to acquire what they needed to succeed in the upcoming 2012 regular season. The addition of Prince Fielder will undoubtedly help the Tigers
dominate their division and potentially cruise into the post-season without any issues. Players like Fielder are made for the playoffs, as their talent and competitive spirit truly shine with the added responsibility of taking the team all the way to the
coveted World Series.
Don’t get me wrong, teams like the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels will undoubtedly have a say in how far the Tigers go next season. These teams are also looking very strong and can easily upstage the Tigers in the post-season. Detroit
will be keeping a keen eye on the Yankees, as they will be looking to avenge their ALDS loss.
As the long arduous 2012 MLB regular season is getting close, the Tigers are in a position of strength and the irony is that they are getting even stronger. It will be interesting to see what impact Fielder will have on the Tigers and their hopes of winning
the World Series.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: