Things continue to get better for the Tigers.

Um...wow, this is not what we expected from the Tigers. Then again, their lineup is about as old as the Giants', except for Granderson and Cabrera, and their pitching staff is pretty similar to the Giants', except older, so maybe we should have expected something less than total dominance.

The mind reels. 11-0. 2-10. Incredible.

The Tigers can't be this bad...hell, even the 2003 Tigers didn't give up 78 runs in the first 12 games. (They gave up 66, if you must know.) But bad they are: bad chemistry, bad luck, bad injuries, bad play, bad, bad, bad. Rogers is done, and Willis may never be a good pitcher again. And we all know about the bullpen.

Unless the Tigers start scoring seven runs a game, they're cooked.

Yeah its getting to the point where it might not be much better all season. I thought Detroit was a little overrated, but I also thought they would contend throughout the year as well.

I don't think any of the trades they made doomed the team either this season either.

This seems like the perfect time to say it: FERNANDO TATIS!

DANTE BICHETTE!

Personally, I think the Tigers are a 95 win team. The White Sox are just a 110 win team.

SALOME BAROJAS!

The archetypal play for the Tigers this season was when Jim Thome hit a popup to third, and Miguel Cabrera managed to crash into the umpire in foul territory as he went for the ball, even though the ball plopped down in fair territory. Thome got a generous single, Joe Crede hit a grand slam, and the game was over.

The archetypal play for the Tigers this season was when Jim Thome hit a popup to third, and Miguel Cabrera managed to crash into the umpire in foul territory as he went for the ball, even though the ball plopped down in fair territory. Thome got a generous single, Joe Crede hit a grand slam, and the game was over.

The ball didn't even bounce. Just *thud*.

It was like that punt in the rain-soaked Dolphins-Steelers game.

Personally, I think the Tigers are a 95 win team. The White Sox are just a 110 win team.

This is obviously hyperbole, but I think it's worth raising the question: how good are the White Sox? If Danks and Floyd pitch up to their potential as prospects, that's a pretty nice starting rotation (even if Contreras is done) and they're similar to their '05 version in that, while they're not really great at any position offensively, they don't seem to have any obvious holes (maybe 2nd base?) - at least as long as Jerry Owens stays on the bench. Is there any chance this team can contend all season? I'd guess not, but there's something about them that really feels a lot like the '05 edition of this team.

Worst April W/L records by a team that ended up .500 or better (not including 1995, where the month lasted 4-5 games):

1973 STL (3-15) (81-81)
1969 HOU (4-20) (81-81)
1958 CWS (3-9) (82-72)
1996 BOX (7-19) (85-77)
1972 CHC (4-10) (85-70)
1958 BOX (4-10) (79-75)

That's not good news for Detroit.

Let's say it takes at least 89 games to go to the post-season. Worst Aprils for those teams:

1982 PHI (6-13) (89-73) that's why I made the cut-off at 89, not 90
2001 OAK (8-17) (102-60)
1985 NYY (6-12) (97-64)
1967 MIN (5-10) (91-71)
1982 BAL (6-12) (94-68)

Here's a fun fact: the Tigers over the last four years have been the worst team in baseball at playing better as the year goes on. They've fallen off the pace badly. Doesn't mean they'll do it again this year, but since 7/24 last year they are 31-45.

This seems like the perfect time to say it: FERNANDO TATIS!

ROBERT STOCK!

re Doc Nabbit,s second table: for the 85 Yankees, 67 Twins and 82 Orioles, the bad start kept them out of the postseason (they all missed it by this much). All lost out to weaker teams too, after playing catch-up all year. Not good precedents at all for the Tigers, even if they can right the ship.

re Doc Nabbit's second table: for the 85 Yankees, 67 Twins and 82 Orioles, the bad start kept them out of the postseason (they all missed it by this much). All lost out to weaker teams too, after playing catch-up all year. Not good precedents at all for the Tigers, even if they can right the ship.

In a one- or two-division setup like the teams above played in, the Tigers likely would be doomed. But with four AL teams making the playoffs -- including one that doesn't have to win its division -- Detroit has a chance if it turns things around. Especially since I don't believe you can write both the Yanks and Bosox in as postseason automatics.

I thought this was an interesting comparison:

Year 1: team surprisingly makes it to World Series, largely on the strength of its pitching (leading the AL in team ERA)

Year 2: pitching falls off (injuries? fatigue from playoffs and World Series?), but hitting gets much better; team fails to make playoffs despite 90 or more wins

Year 3: pitching still is bad, and hitting sucks -- hitters really seem to be showing their age

Doesn't this sound like the 2005-2007 White Sox AND the 2006-2008(thus far) Tigers?

Tigers are looking toasty. 3 reliable starters, no reliable relievers, and no help on the farm is just not getting it done in the AL.

Is there any chance this team can contend all season? I'd guess not

Well, I'm a White Sox fan, so I'll always err on the side of being an optimist. I think it depends in large part on what the White Sox get out of the 3-5 spots in the rotation. If 2 of those 3 can be league average or a little above, I think the offense -- which really is pretty nice, 2B excepted -- can do some damage.

Well, I'm a White Sox fan, so I'll always err on the side of being an optimist. I think it depends in large part on what the White Sox get out of the 3-5 spots in the rotation. If 2 of those 3 can be league average or a little above, I think the offense -- which really is pretty nice, 2B excepted -- can do some damage.

I feel the same way about them. The defense is potentially troublesome, too. If they get half way through May in first place, will KW just keep Crede and try to trade Fields for pitching help? KW strikes me as a go-for-it gm.

If 2 of those 3 can be league average or a little above, I think the offense -- which really is pretty nice, 2B excepted -- can do some damage.

A lot depends on Thome and Konerko. Crede, Dye, and Pierzynski aren't going to carry the offense all season. Thome has looked pretty terrible since Opening Day. I'm not impressed with Orlando Cabrera, either.

The White Sox have had the good fortune of catching the Tigers when everything is going wrong with them. So far, they're 5-1 against the Tigers, 2-3 against everyone else. We'll see.

A lot depends on Thome and Konerko. Crede, Dye, and Pierzynski aren't going to carry the offense all season. Thome has looked pretty terrible since Opening Day. I'm not impressed with Orlando Cabrera, either.

The White Sox have had the good fortune of catching the Tigers when everything is going wrong with them. So far, they're 5-1 against the Tigers, 2-3 against everyone else. We'll see.

Or we'll just interpret everything in the manner most unfavorable to the White Sox. If players do well (Crede, Dye, AJ), they probably won't keep it up. If players do poorly (Thome, Cabrera), it's probably because they suck and always will. If the White Sox beat up on another team, it's probably because that team is horrible -- it has nothing to do with how well the White Sox actually play.

Or we'll just interpret everything in the manner most unfavorable to the White Sox.

Hey-Yo!

What I meant to say is that the Sox need Thome and Konerko to be good, if they really intend on competing.

I had this team pegged at 75-78 wins before the season started - it'll take more than a half-dozen games against the Tigers to change my mind on that.

I have nothing against Detroit, but I do hope that they keep sliding for a while longer. Just because they're a team that could sign and use Barry Bonds if it came to that.