Put Up or Shut Up

The next week will probably determine the Tigers' fate this season. After having the best record in baseball exactly one month ago, the team has gone into a tailspin, and are now out of the playoffs. They split a two-game series with the Indians, who lead them in the AL Central, and dropped three of four to the Yankees, who are now ahead of them in the Wild Card hunt (Seattle is currently the Wild Card leader). Detroit now plays the same two teams for the next seven days. If they don't at least win four of the games, they may be done.

One ray of optimism is that Joel Zumaya, their fireballing set-up man, comes back tonight. The pitching staff has been decimated by injuries this year, and Zumaya may have been the biggest loss. But over the last month it hasn't been the bullpen that's been at fault--mostly it's been the starting pitching. Kenny Rogers and Andrew Miller are both on the shelf, and a series of hurlers from Triple A have tried to fill in, to mostly bad results. At one point, over twenty games, a starter only won game. Jason Verlander has held it together, for the most part, but Jeremy Bonderman (pictured) and Nate Robertson have not.

The hitting has been there for the most part, with Magglio Ordonez providing most of the spark, but occasionally the lineup has let the team down, too. Craig Monroe was slumping so bad the Tigers designated him for assignment, meaning he will probably be gone. They're clearly interested in grooming an outfield spot for Cameron Maybin, who was rushed to the big leagues (and got his first hit--a home run--off Roger Clemens) but it would be too much to expect a 20-year-old kid to make a huge impact on a pennant race.

So, as usual, it's all about pitching, and it's all about beating the teams that are ahead of you, and the Tigers need to do that. By this time next week it will be time to shovel earth onto their 2007 grave or be ready for another pennant race.