Our Tigs are off and running in 2015. The boys are thumping teams and making a mess of everybody’s ERA. You’ve got most everything working right now – the new starters looking sharp, all the bats are hot, and a bullpen that hasn’t pitched in a stressful situation all year. Just keep pushing 8 runs across before the 7th and we won’t even need that shitty bullpen. Just fill it with more seats!

We’ve yet to see if this version of the Tigers has the same skeletons in the closet that we’re used to. But DAMN. These guys look like the ’27 Yankees on April 12 with their .364 team average. They are bludgeoning opposing pitchers so badly that we have a slight mental edge the next time we face the Twins and Indians. But this is April, against inferior talent. Come September, if this team cannot make outs after the 7th inning, they will look like the ’14 Tigers again: an also-ran with a bloated payroll.

Far too early to tell if this is a viable core of relief pitchers, but make no mistake: we will only go as far as Soria, Alburquerque, and Nathan can take us. Save for a big trade, we have some potential in Bruce Rondon and even Buck Farmer. But with all the roster shuffling over the past 3 years here, it is hard to imagine why we haven’t focused more on improving our single most identifiable downfall: this bleeping bullpen. It is still a glaring weakness. We can yuck it up when we’re steamrolling the Twins, but winning close games absolutely hinges on relief pitchers. The set-up man doesn’t get the ink that the starter gets, but who has the game on his shoulders in a one-run game after the starter gets pulled?

We can learn a lot about this team when we’re in close games after the starter gets knocked out. If we are able to manage a positive runs scored over runs allowed after the 6th inning, this team will likely go to the World Series. The offense is scary and the starters, even with a banged-up Verlander, are all poised to have excellent years. I think Sanchez could win the Cy Young this year if he stays healthy. Price is Price. Greene is a star, albeit unproven. Simon is nasty-good at times, but let’s keep an eye on his second half. He is known to drop off significantly after the All Star break. Verlander, get well soon. Even post-Scherzer, this rotation can allow JV to ease his way back into form, as our $180M man does not need to carry this team. So in a long, long season, don’t expect us to keep scoring 4 times more than our opponents. Do take some time to check out those relievers. They will key our run if this team decides to take a step forward in the postseason, when games are shortened and our starters are matched by other great starters. Hope Springs Eternal. Tigers baseball is back.