Evaluating The Detroit Tigers Starting Rotation In 2015
I believe the Detroit Tigers will miss the playoffs in 2015. The loss of Max Scherzer was significant. Let's examine the Tigers 2015 rotation.
5. Shane Greene
The 6-4 210 lb Shane Greene made his MLB debut in 2014. In 14 starts as the Yankees #5 pitcher he went 5-4 with 5 no decisions. The 25-year-old had a 3.78 ERA in 78.1 innings pitched.
Greene had 81 strike outs. For years, the Yankees have been buying players in Free Agency. I love the fact that players are leaving the Yankees to sign with other teams like the Pirates and Tigers. What comes around goes around New York.
4. Alfredo Simon
I know the Reds have Johnny Cueto. At the same time it feels like they took Alfredo Simon for granted.
Simon's ERA increased each year after joining the Reds in 2012. At the same time, his ERA was never over 4 in Cincinnati. Simon was the one other pitcher besides Cueto that stepped up in the starting rotation.
Simon was the #3 pitcher in the Reds rotation, but he played like a #2 pitcher with his 3.44 ERA. His ERA never went above 3.50 in Cincinnati. At the same time, Simon turns 34-years-old in 2015. It will be interesting to see what Simon does as the #4 pitcher in the Tigers rotation in 2015.
3. Anibal Sanchez
Anibal Sanchez entered last season as the #3 pitcher in the rotation. Trading for David Price forced him to move out of the top 3 in this rotation. Sanchez saw some time as a long reliever in the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles.
I like that Sanchez is the #3 pitcher in this rotation. That will give him the confidence he had before Price arrived in Detroit. There's a chance Sanchez becomes the #2 pitcher in this rotation before the season ends.
2. Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander was the ace of this rotation for so many years. By midseason he got demoted to the #2 pitcher in this rotation.
Verlander regressed. I'm not sure if it was the loss of Jim Leyland at manager or the fact that he was dating Kate Upton in the rotation. Max Scherzer surpassed this guy as the top pitcher in the rotation.
When the 2014 ALDS occurred Verlander got pulled early against the Baltimore Orioles. Heading into 2015, David Price not Verlander is the #1 pitcher in the rotation. If Verlander does not get it together he will be demoted to the #3 pitcher in this rotation.
1. David Price
David Price was the top pick in the 2007 MLB Draft coming out of Vanderbilt. Once he arrived on the Rays he quickly worked his way up to the top spot in the rotation.
The Tampa Bay Rays were so bad in 2014, that David Price got dealt to the contending Detroit Tigers by midseason. Price was the only pitcher that played well in the 2014 ALDS. Price will get another opportunity to be the #1 pitcher in a rotation after being the #3 pitcher for the Detroit Tigers behind Scherzer and Verlander in 2014.
Chris Ransom on 3/15/2015
