It's time...

It's that time again, the pollen count is higher then days left in the school year and the basketball season is over. Even if the Pistons were good you wouldn't be that concerned until late May early June and I am really not holding my breath on the Hawks either.

Then there is Spring football which is a like Indian Summers. Yeah its nice but, seriously does it really mean anything towards the real season. Yeah get out and enjoy it, but its a tease. Yet, southerns love it like sweet tea and fried chicken. I guess their love for spring games is like northerners explaining their love for hockey in early June ( Go wings!).

Now back to the real time of year, the baseball season. It's the only sport that is played everyday of the week and all day of its season. You can catch a game at 1:00E, then a 4:00W, followed by a 7:00E and finally a 10:00W. Basically, you can catch that first game at the pool, hear that second game at the grill, wind down the day and enter the night with that third game in the garage and fall asleep to that last game.

Although, at this time last year, I was actually more excited about the green/white game then the baseball season. The Tigers were as good as the Nationals and the Braves season was up in arms. This year the Tigers are tied for first, yes its a three way tie but that could very easily change soon and the likeliness of that is actually pretty good too. Not like last were I was saying let's see where they are at the All-Star game.

The Tigers are 7-5, tied for first in the Central with KC and Chicago. But the Tigers are +18 in run difference, which is highest in the central. Why is that good? Toronto is +29, first in the East at 10-4 and Seattle is +10 at 8-5, first in the West. The Tigers won the series against the Mariners and lowered that difference a big bit and the Tigers really didn't contribute to the difference to the Jays as much as other teams did. Last the at this time the run difference was -39 for the Tigers, compare that this year to the Nationals who are at -21 and Baltiomore is at -29. That makes sign that things are little better on both sides of the plate for the Tigers.

Last year the Tigers opened the season against the Royal and were swept. The Tigers are 4-1 at home, losing 1 of those game to the White Sox. The White Sox's owned us of late, so to split that series early is great for our confidence, especially after losing the first game in the series.

Something even more intriguing this time of year is that Inge isn't leading all our hitting stats. Actually, it's the man who is paid to do so, Miguel Cabrera. Miguel is leading the team with HR's (4), BA (.489), RBI's (12), and OBP (.538). Last year at this time he was cold as, well the weather in the north right now. Miguel is putting MVP numbers up, because the hits have been useful and helpful. The home run on opening day to me was a big bail out ( had to put some stupid bail out reference in a Detroit related "article").

Even though the hitting is doing well, the pitching isn't looking to bad either. I said prior to the season that Verlander was the scariest part of the rotation. When Team USA doesn't even want you to play for them, there has to be some sign of WTF? The up side is, he's striking out guys, 20 to be exact. But a ERA of 7.88 and 0-2 record isn't going to carry us. What could carry us and I use the word could strongly, is Galarraga's 2-0 record and 0.68 ERA (technically he's our ace since Jim set it up for him to be our home opener starter) and the Bobby and Rodney show. Combined Bobby and Rodney's ERA is 0.00 in a combined 11 appearances. Rodney has 3 saves already, I don't know if he had saved 1 by now.

Now, the Tigers take on a hurting Angles team. If they can take the series there, they'd head into an actual meaningful early season series with the Royals. Don't tell me early season series can't be meaningful. Look at how this division has played out in recent years. Hell, we lost the Division Championship in the last series of the year in 06. Before playing us the Royals face Cleveland who could of turned it around in NY and White Sox's face Baltimore and red hot Blue Jays.

So if the Tigers can play at .500 or better in the next couple road series before coming home for a few series they'd be on the right track. The Division is up in the air and the Eastern and Western leaders right now aren't the teams predicted to win it. My hopes aren't high right now, but at least they are crushed now like they were last year at this time!