rwfan007

Everyone needs to remember that Avila is only 23 years old. Every player needs to start somewhere, and Avila is just learning how to play in the big leagues. We have a good enough lineup where Avila can learn how to hit at the bottom of the order as well as manage an entire pitching staff over a full big league season. Coke has really impressed me in his first two starts this season, lets hope he keeps it up. Don't have any judgment on Penny yet, he looked alright in his last start, but, like everyone else, he got shelled against the Yankees. Jury is still out on him.

well, the afternoon games affect both teams, so there is no advantage one way or the other. Both teams have to wake up early, both have to switch their routines around to get amped up to play at lunchtime. That being said, they have 2 whole days off before that, so fatigue should not be a problem for saturday's game

Booyah, what a great opening day. A. Tigers opener is like a second Christmas in Michigan. B. Tribute to Sparky was very well done. C. Retiring Sparky's #11. D. V-Mart earns his home stripes. and E. TIGERS WIN!

Looks like Jim is going with the real everyday lineup to start with. Here is your 2011 Detroit Tigers Opening Day lineup against the New York Yankees. CF Austin Jackson 2B Will Rhymes RF Magglio Ordoñez 1B Miguel Cabrera DH Victor Martinez LF Ryan Raburn SS Jhonny Peralta 3B Brandon Inge C Alex Avila P Justin Verlander

I think everyone just wants the spring to be done and get on with the regular season. Playing games that don't matter for an entire month is getting boring for everyone.

Alrighty, lets see here, 25-man roster for Opening Day is as follows: C - Avila 1B - Cabrera 2B - Rhymes 3B - Inge SS - Peralta LF - Raburn CF - Jackson RF - Ordonez DH - Martinez Bench IF - Santiago OF - Boesch OF - Wells OF - Kelly SP1 - Verlander SP2 - Scherzer SP3 - Porcello SP4 - Penny SP5 - Coke RP - Gonzalez RP - Schlereth RP - Perry RP - Villarreal RP - Thomas SU - Benoit CP - Valverde and my guess as to the opening day lineup based on what I have read and seen on TV is: 1. Jackson CF 2. Raburn LF 3. Ordonez DH 4. Cabrera 1B 5. Martinez C 6. Peralta SS 7. Wells/Boesch RF 8. Inge 3B 9. Rhymes 2B SP Verlander I heard that Avila may not start Opening Day against Sabathia due to CC being a lefty, so Martinez will catch, and Maggs will likely take over DH or either Wells/Boesch will DH or take Maggs spot in RF. In any case, its a pretty good lineup with a Cy Young battle on the mound, should be a fantastic opening day in the Bronx.

Sizemore did get a shot last season and didn't really do anything with it. He is probably a good player, but I just didn't see it last season. I really like Rhymes though, he is scrappy and can pepper the ball all over for hits.

The Tigers have 10 days to trade, release, or send him to the minors. Galarraga has to clear waivers to be outrighted to the minors. Basically that means that he will no longer be with the Tigers.

Well folks, the time is near as pitchers and catchers are due to report to training camp in 4 days!! Screw the groundhog, this means spring is here! Still waiting to finish the final roster, so I will save that to a later date. It should be an interesting season to say the least with prominent stars changing logos this year. So here it is, baseball season is upon us!

We didn't lose Perry. He is still here. I feel good about this season though, as long as we stay healthy **knock on wood**

Dunn is definitely not happening. He would have been DH since he plays defense about as well as Michigan football. Crawford or Werth would be the two OF options we have for big bats.

well consider that teams have 8 home games a year in which to make money. compare that to MLB (81 home games) and NHL/NBA which gave 41 home games each, the NFL teams need to make money somehow, and if they black out the game in the local area, it will force people to either go to the game, or not watch it at all. This is not me talking, but that is the rationale that the NFL works with to make sure that teams get people to go to the games, and hence spend money. It is a stupid rule, but it may be necessary for teams to get people to the game.

hey, we have a winning STREAK! lol 2 wins in 2 games against the 'Skins! A streak is a streak! lol I will take anything at this point.

this is my college's university lipdub challenge submission

We are definitely close, but we lack that winning culture that we need. We really don't know what winning is, so its hard to play like you need to in order to win. When we get into the mindset of not shooting ourselves in the foot with dumb-ass penalties (Avril Unsportsmanlike Conduct on an incomplete 3rd down which resulted in a TD a few plays later) and mental penalties (Peterman personal foul after the play, and Wesley hitting/blocking the dude on the punt while he was out of bounds.) Those kind of penalties are ones that are momentum killers, point giver-uppers, and totally avoidable if the player is composed and is realizing the situation that he would put the team in if he acts that way. Simple things that have occurred all season that could be the difference between 1-5 and 4-2 or 5-1.

lol yeah, its not a fluke that Backus was Millen's first pick... and hence the cancer that has been on this team from the start of Hell Decade.

in case you guys forgot... Stafford is 22 YEARS OLD! He has a cannon for an arm, and is still learning to play in the NFL. The only way to learn is to go out and do it, and this guy is being paid to do so. If he is healthy, he is gunna play, and if he is gunna get better, he needs to play. He is an unbelievable athlete who will be an exceptional NFL QB. Don't take him out behind the barn yet, he is just a kid learning his way.

this team is, and showed, that they are a lot closer to turning around than many people think. An NFL team is an NFL team, and if you can whip an NFL team like that, you definitely have a chance to do things to any NFL team. We are not far off from having a team that will compete in the playoffs. Hell, who knows what will happen the rest of this season if the Lions really figured something out this week against the Rams.

Friday, October 8 Minnesota at Carolina San Jose at Columbus Dallas at New Jersey Anaheim at DetroitX2 Buffalo at Ottawa Washington at Atlanta Saturday, October 9 Phoenix at Boston Columbus at San Jose NY Rangers at Buffalo Dallas at NY Islanders Montreal at Pittsburgh Ottawa at Toronto New Jersey at Washington Atlanta at Tampa Bay Philadelphia at St. Louis Anaheim at Nashville Detroit at Chicago Los Angeles at Vancouver Sunday, October 10 Boston at Phoenix Los Angeles at Calgary Florida at Edmonton

time of posession means s*** to UM, they got their ass kicked in that category last game 41:47 to 18:13... thing is, they are a true quick strike offense that can and will score in 10 plays or less when it wants to.

I dunno, I don't think State's offensive power is quite up to what Indiana had. No defense is going to stop Robinson, so I think that UM will be able to get a victory. Maize and Blue with the 38-24 victory.

well, that wraps up another Tigers season, finishing 81-81. Accodring to DD, Laird and Damon will not be back. Avila is going to be the #1, but may only be a 5 day a week guy, with someone else backing up for a spot start a couple days a week. They will not pick up Magg's option, but may re-sign him to a cheaper contract. Doesn't sound like Bondo is in their plans for next season. Rhymes, Seizemore, and Worth will battle out the 2B position, the Tigers want Peralta to be the SS. Raburn is slated to be more of a fixture in OF, and Inge will be offered a multi-year deal this winter. JV, Scherzer, Porcello are the 3 SP who have jobs, Coke is going to get a chance to start next year, and the 5th spot could be Galarraga's or some other option. Schlereth will have the opportunity to take over Coke's spot in the BP. That being said, we have the DH to fill, which could be Maggs, and that means we have an OF position to fill with a ton of money to spend this winter. Basically, DD can get whoever he wants **Crawford** to fill that spot. I like our shot at 2011. If not for the key injuries to the pen and the big boppers in the lineup, we would have been legitimate contenders for the poastseason this year. Next year will most definitely be a leap in the right direction now that the underperformers of Bondo, Robertson, Willis, Laird, and (I know Damon was good for the clubhouse), but he really didn't perform up to the $8 million we paid him.

closer than you thought it would be, wasn't it? lol

I am soooooo friggin glad this is Bonderman's last game in Detroit. He is making 12.5 million this season and did as well last year... this from a guy who has never won more than 14 games in a season. DD, what were you thinking?

thats before hitting was penalized by the NHL.