Now that the batting order question has been all-but settled with the addition of Johnny Damon to the lineup, Tigers skipper Jim Leyland can now turn his full attention to the pitching rotation.

Going into Spring Training Leyland figured he had Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello and the newly-acquired Max Scherzer etched in stone.  This leaves the #4 and 5 slots up for grabs amongst the Tigers extensive list of injury-plagued and formerly-ineffective starter candidates.

Ten games into the Spring Training season, the Tigers are 5-5 with the second-worst team ERA at 7.18.

The Good News:
Justin Verlander and Rick Porcello picked up where they left off in 2009.  Verlander brings a sub-4.00 ERA into his next game with 7 IP and 3  K’s.  Porcello is untouched through 5 innings of work and has yet to walk a batter.

The Bad News:
Each one of the Tigers’ glut of starter candidates to round out the rotation has struggled so far this spring.  Here’s how they stack up:

Surprisingly enough, Nate Robertson appears to be the closest thing to a rotation shoo-in at this point.  The real disappointment is Jeremy Bonderman, who was bounced out of the first inning last Sunday after giving up 6 runs and 2 home runs.

The Big Surprises:
Many of you may have noticed the absence of Dontrelle Willis’ stats from the table above.  This was not meant to assume that his contention for a rotation spot is laughable, on the contrary.  Dontrelle Willis, along with #3 heir-apparent Max Scherzer are the two biggest pitching surprises so far this spring.

Most Tigers fans would swear these were transposed, and having watched D-Train labor through the past two seasons, and you’d be right to question.  Nevertheless, Dontrelle has made an impressive showing in the Grapefruit League so far and if he keeps it up, could be a serious contender for a rotation spot in April. His walks are still high, but by all accounts, he’s throwing strikes on a consistent basis for the first time since being in a Florida Marlins uniform.

Tigers fans would do right not to hold their collective breath, as this would not be the first time Dontrelle has shown signs of improvement, only to be crushed under the weight of his unpredictable “anxiety disorder.”

As for Max, well, it’s too early to tell.  He’s clearly not happy with his performance so far in a Tigers uniform, and early samplings have not been pretty.

It’s never easy making the adjustment to a new team, much less a new league, especially when it’s expected that you’ll plug right into the middle of a rotation.  But despite his injury-prone delivery, Scherzer has a good track record and once he gets firm command of his 12-6 Curveball, we’ll start to see the dominant thrower we were sold.

It’s still too small a sampling from everyone to have a real firm idea what 2010 will look like.  But if Spring Training ended today, Jim Leyland would have some real tough choices to make.

It doesn’t take a baseball insider to tell you that a nebulous starting pitching rotation is perhaps the biggest barrier to Detroit being a solid favorite in the AL Central.

Unfortunately, so far this spring, that picture remains as cloudy as the skies in Lakeland.

You’ve had a two-year deal in front of you for the better part of a week now.  All accounts indicate that it is, by far, the most lucrative and longest term deal that you’ve been offered.

Your agent certainly gets an A for effort when it comes to frightening the White Sox, and anyone else with marginal interest in you, into keeping things interesting.  But most of that money will be deferred and you’ll likely DH part-time and play left field only occasionally.

The Detroit Tigers have given you a generous contract considering your relatively dry market, and they want you to play every day.  Yet you insist on dragging things out.  Spring Training has started, Johnny.  You’re late.

Now, what’s this I hear about you not wanting to play for the Tigers?  What was all of that Yzerman- loving “I could make the Tigers a winner” talk a few weeks back when everyone had written you off?

They’re saying that it’s up to your wife to decide where you’re going to play next season?  Aspersions about who wears the pants in your relationship aside, I think you need to be realistic here.

Us Detroit Tigers fans are pragmatists.  We know that, on the surface, our city doesn’t have much to offer in comparison to Chicago.  But I’m sure your wife would enjoy shopping at the Somerset Collection as much as she would the Magnificent Mile.  We have a rich and vibrant culture, a loyal fan base and a need for a player of your talents.  You could be a part of something great here in the city of Detroit, and you could make some good money while doing it.

It’s one thing to go where the money is.  But the money is here, and so is a city that will welcome you with open arms.

But I have to say, on behalf of all Tigers fans, that if you’ve lied to us and decide to go to the White Sox for less money because your wife doesn’t care to get to know what Detroit has to offer, all the while stringing us along, falsely representing your interest and desire to play here in order to leverage a less lucrative contract from our division rivals, then you’d better watch it.  You’ve just pissed off the wrong city.

This has gone far enough. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, our city doesn’t like drama.  We just want to get back to work.

You’ll like playing for Detroit.  Now, sign the papers and put your uniform on.

You’re wanted in Lakeland and they already have a locker picked out for you.

Yes, the Tigers let Placido Polanco walk to Philadelphia.

Yes, they traded away Curtis Granderson for a hot prospect and some arms for the pen.

Yes, this offense (or the many question marks surrounding it) scares the hell out of even casual fans.

Yes, Johnny Damon, however old and defensively-challenged, meets a lot of the Tigers needs right now.

So, why are so many of you, who have no fiduciary responsibility to the Tigers organization so upset at the $14 million, 2 year deal that has been authorized by Little Caesar himself?

Good for the Tigers for realizing, however late, that they cannot entrust their 2010 offensive success to two rookies who have not played a game in the majors, two injury-riddled veterans coming off of disappointing years, a Magglio Ordonez that didn’t inspire confidence last year, two defensive mavericks not exactly renown for their hot bats and Miguel Cabrera.

There are just too many variables and too many reasons to blame Detroit for falling out of contention before the temps warm up to the 50s to let someone like Damon get away without a fight.

“But he throws like a girl,” you say?  You’d rather trust left field to Carlos Guillen or, even worse, Ryan Raburn?  Did you even watch Game 163?

The fact of the matter is, regardless of Scott Boras’ attempts to artificially culture a desire for his client, there is a demand for his services in Detroit.  He’s a smart base-running lefty top-of-the-order guy that has the potential to hit 20+ home runs and provide much-needed insurance against the several disasters that could befall our lineup.

It doesn’t matter how we got here, we’re here.  Whining about getting rid of Granderson and playing “I told you so,” doesn’t change the precarious situation this club could be in.

The fact of the matter is, we’re lucky Damon is still available and unless your name is Mike Ilitch, you shouldn’t care about how big a check is written for his services.

These aren’t public funds and if you’re so worried about it, buy some extra Hot ‘N Ready pizzas.

The bottom line is, as the great Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News puts it, the Tigers are better with Damon.  So, stop whining and get back on the bandwagon.

Too bad there aren’t any saber metrics for irony, becuase this would be a barn-burner.

Questions still abound regarding the Tigers plan for the back end of their bullpen, specifically the closer.  The departures of Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney leave no rock solid solution for Jim Leyland in the 9th inning.

Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry and the recently-acquired Daniel Schlereth have all been considered as possible in-house contenders.  But the fact that Detroit is pursuing free agent Jose Valverde leads fans to believe they’re not exactly confident in their abilities to shut down opposing bats.

While the Tigers are sweet on Valverde.  Kevin Gregg and Octavio Dotel have also been thrown around as possible closer candidates, should the Tigers decide to explore external options.

What’s ironic is that Jose Valverde and Kevin Gregg, both closers in the National League and both considered to be premier relief pitchers, each have blown saves against the Detroit Tigers in inter-league play in 2009.

On Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at Minute Maid Park with two outs in the top of the ninth, Jose Valverde gave up a home run to Brandon Inge with a runner on, allowing Detroit to take a 4-3 lead.

On Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 in front of 38,000 fans at Comerica Park, Kevin Gregg gave up a two run, walk-off home run to deep left-center off the bat of a pinch-hitting Ryan Raburn.

Considering how infrequently the Tigers face National League teams throughout the season, this is very ironic.

Let’s hope that Valverde or Gregg, if put into a Tigers uniform, can do a better job for us than they did against us.

Former White Sox reliever Octavio Dotel, who isn’t even a closer per-say, has better splits against the Tigers than Valverde and Gregg.

Granted, he has more experience against them, but it doesn’t stop me from musing about it.

2009 Splits: Pitcher vs. Detroit Tigers

• Jose Valverde: 1 game (0-1) 18.00 ERA, 1K, 2ER, 1IP
• Kevin Gregg: 1 game (0-1) 54.00 ERA, 0K, 2ER, 1IP
• Octavio Dotel: 5 games (0-0) 1.50 ERA, 7K, 1ER, 6IP

If you’re looking at the Tigers’ current roster and scratching your head, you’re not alone.

In what could certainly be described as an active off-season, the departures of Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco leave the Tigers with some lineup shuffling to do.

With Spring Training set to start in just a few weeks, Detroit has yet to name their replacements in Center field or Second base.  The heirs apparent are the recently-acquired Austin Jackson and Detroit’s own Scott Sizemore, respectively.  However, they are far from certain.

On the offensive side of the game, Granderson and Polanco represented Detroits 1-2 hitters, and in a lineup not exactly world-renown for its speed, are not easily replaced.

Jim Leyland has acknowledged the quandry and all but shut the door completely on Scott Sizemore batting lead-off in this power-laden lineup.  This leaves few internal options, considering the question marks in the Tigers outfield.

Austin Jackson could fit the bill.  So could Ryan Raburn, who batted lead off in Leyland’s lineup against hard-throwing lefties in 2009.  But neither one of them have an everyday guarantee.  Casper Wells is also in the mix, as are Clete Thomas and Wilkin Ramirez.

So, with a shortage of proven, prototypical top-of-the-order hitters on the Tigers’ 40 Man Roster, it’s no wonder they’ve been rumored to be interested in Scott Podsednik.

After trawling through the list of available free agents (as it seems that the Tigers would be unlikely to trade for an outfielder at this point), Podsednik appears to be the only person that would be a fit.  But as of this afternoon, he’s all-but a Kansas City Royal.

So that brings me to Randy Winn.

Could the former All-Star and recent San Francisco Giants outfielder be a good fit for the Tigers?

He has a lifetime .344 OBP and is good for almost 20 steals a season.  But most importantly, he’s in the market after an off 2009 season where he hit .262 with 51 RBIs and 1 HR.

Are these the declining stats of an aging Center fielder, or could the Tigers sign him to a short-term deal and bank on a bounce-back season?

He’s still a sharp defender (one of the best in the NL) and could possibly be moved to Left to sure up the perpetual platoon that has existed there.

As is the case with the closer situation, instead Detroit could stand pat and hope that a palatable option emerges during Spring Training.  But if they’re so confident there, why are they making offers to marquee closers after an off-season of payroll shedding?

If the Tigers are interested in signing an external lead-off hitter, Winn may be their only option.  They’d better hurry too, as it looks like the Nationals are interested.

The Granderson-Jackson trade has been the major talk of the 2009 off-season, and rightfully so.

But while Dave Dombrowski has been dealing away the heart and soul of the team, there’s been quite a bit of action behind the plate.

The Tigers have defensive whiz Gerald Laird for one more season.  He was unparalleled in throwing runners out in 2009.  But his flaccid bat (even by catcher standards) limit his appeal.  Whether or not Laird sticks around Comerica Park past the 2010 Season depends on one or both of the following:

• Will Gerald stop acting like a slugger and develop into a decent, mid-to-upper .200s contact hitter?
• How well will Alex Avila develop this year?

Alex, son of Detroit Tigers Assistant GM Al Avila, was one of the few positive things to happen to Detroit after the All-Star Break last season.

He saw action in 29 games last August and September and really made an impression on Tigers fans with his bat, finishing with a .279 average, 5 HRs and 14 RBIs.

He wasn’t exactly a defensive liability either, but his 27% Caught Stealing attempt wasn’t as dependable as Laird’s 42%.

Nevertheless, it was determined that Avila could certainly use some more time to develop.  But he certainly made a statement in his limited time towards the end of the season.

So much so, it would appear, that the Tigers traded Catcher Dusty Ryan to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later, or cash.

Dusty was the Alex of the 2008 Season where, in 15 games, he hit .318 with 2 HRs and 7 RBIs.   Dusty split time behind the plate with Brandon Inge and Dane Sardinha after Pudge was traded to the Yankees before the deadline.

However, in 2009, Ryan struggled with the major league team after backups Dane Sardinha and Matt Treanor went down with injuries, hitting an anemic .154 over 12 games.

With Dusty out of the mix, it looks like either Alex Avila or the newly-acquired Robinson Diaz will compete for the backup catcher spot on the roster.

If Avila earns his spot, then you can expect he will probably see a bit more action as the Tigers groom him for future use.

If he can pick up where he left off last season, Avila might be one of the few positive surprises in an offense where, after losing Granderson and Polanco, few people are excited about.

It’s all-but official.

The Tigers organization’s latest move definitively proves that it’s all business.

Dave Dombrowski likes to make a splash at the winter meetings, working quickly and getting what he wants.

In 2007 it was his acquisition of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

In 2008 he bagged Edwin Jackson, Gerald Laird and Adam Everett.

Now, in 2009, he traded Curtis Granderson to the New York Yankees and Edwin Jackson to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In a city renown for it’s rampant political corruption, dismally-performing schools, constant decay and rampant unemployment, Curtis Granderson is nothing short of an inspiration on and off the field.

It’s difficult to explain the irony of him going to a Yankees team renown for their opulence and comparative excess.  Granderson is a hometown hero and it feels like he’s gone to “the dark side.”

He was a company man, born and bred in the Detroit organization.  He was an aspirational figure, a positive presence and one hell of a ball player.

But the light of this feel-good story has been extinguished by the harsh realities of the Tigers roster and this move proves that nothing is indeed sacred.

Edwin Jackson was cool too.  I felt bad about his lack of run support.

The Deal

• Detroit gets SP Max Scherzer, RP Daniel Schlereth, RP Phil Coke and OF Austin Jackson
• Arizona gets SP Edwin Jackson and P Ian Kennedy
• New York gets OF Curtis Granderson

Get to Know Your New Tigers

Max Scherzer is a 25 year old right hander and highly touted pitching prospect from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He features a Fastball, Changeup and Slider, all above-average pitches.  He’s demonstrated an ability to challenge hitters well and likes to work the count in his favor.

He’s reported to have a somewhat deceptive motion, allowing him to hide the ball well.

Stats (Two Seasons with Arizona Diamondbacks):

• 9-15 Record
• 3.86 ERA
• 226.1 IP
• 240 Ks

Phil Coke is a left-handed reliever from the New York Yankees.   He sports a 3.74 ERA in 84 appearances over two seasons, including this year’s World Series.

He features a 92-94 MPH fastball and a sharp slider that beats up on lefties.

In 2009 he went 4-3 with 49 Ks and 2 Saves.

His addition will certainly help anchor the back end of the Tigers bullpen, especially now that Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney have declined their arbitration offers and will likely sign with other teams.

Daniel Schlereth is another left-handed relief pitcher coming in from Arizona.  He brings some youth to the Tigers bullpen and went 1-4 with a 5.89 ERA and 22Ks over 18.1 innings pitched.

Austin Jackson could very well be your starting Center fielder next season.

The 22 year old outfielder was widely regarded as one of the New York Yankees’ top prospects, and was rated among the Top 50 prospects in all of baseball in 2009.

Jackson hit .300 with 65 RBIs and 4 HR playing for the Yankees’ AAA affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2009.  He’s fast defensively and on the base paths.

According to one scouting report, Jackson can “do everything pretty well,” and will likely develop more power as he matures.

Jackson is a good candidate to bat lead-off for Detroit and will bring some speed to a team that isn’t counted among baseballs most nimble.

The clock is ticking on Tigers free agent relievers Brandon Lyon and

Fernando Rodney to accept or reject the arbitration offers Detroit extended to them.

We should know by midnight tonight whether the late-relieving RHPs will be sitting down to discuss their respective futures in a Tigers uniform.

Both pitchers are looking for multi-year contracts and their value is the topic of much debate.

But it looks like Dave Dombrowski is not content to leave the future of his bullpen to chance this offseason, as Fox Sports is reporting that the Tigers are expressing interest in L.A. Dodgers reliever George Sherrill.

Sherrill is a former Baltimore Orioles closer who notched 52 saves in 2008 and 2009.  The left-hander would be under team control for the next two seasons and his approximate arbitration value of $4 million appears to rich for the blood of Los Angeles.

Sherrill comes into the conversation with a 3.02 ERA in the past two seasons with 119 strikeouts in 122 IP.

He has the stuff to anchor the bullpen and would be an attractive alternative to Rodney or Lyon if they decide to pursue contracts elsewhere.

In exchange, the Dodgers are reportedly looking for a starter.

Considering the fact that “good” or “productive” wasn’t used to describe said starter, it appears as though the Tigers have a bumper crop of talent they could offer in exchange.

I’ve dried my tears in the wake of Placido Polanco signing as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The three-year, $18 million contract will move Polanco to third and out of the heart’s of Detroit fans.  Afterall, according to the remarks he made during his unveiling this week, he “never wanted to leave,” the Phillies.

Wow.

Not only was that like seeing your ex-wife on TV after an emotional divorce, but that remark makes you think she never loved you.

Regardless, the NL Champions are getting a hell of a second third baseman and I wish them all the best.

The Tigers, on the other hand, are getting payroll room and that’s about it.  Since they passed on offering Polly arbitration, Detroit won’t get any compensatory draft picks from the Phillies.

Polly’s giant head was here, and now it’s gone; leaving in its wake a giant hole on the right side of the infield and after Granderson in the batting order, purportedly to be filled by the wounded Scott Sizemore.

But it looks like the Phillies might not be done picking the bones of Detroit.  Rumor has it the NL East juggernauts are now targeting Type B Free Agent reliever Brandon Lyon.

Detroit offered Lyon and (surprisingly and statistically impressive) closer Fernando Rodney arbitration, but no word yet.

But if Billy Wagner’s $7 million deal with the Atlanta Braves is any indication of the market, chances are they’ll be priced right out of Detroit’s all-of-a-sudden stingy payroll targets for 2010.

Anyone remember 2007?

What’s it gunna’ take to put a Curtis Granderson or Edwin Jackson in your lineup, today?

No?  How about a 2010 Brandon Inge, with All-New knees?

Dave Dombrowski was very adamant about this not being a “Fire Sale.”

He may be right, but that certainly doesn’t waylay the concerns of Tigers fans that their whole team (save Justin Verlander or Rick Porcello) are priced to move under the right circumstances.

You would likely have a riot in Detroit if Curtis Granderson were traded to the evil empire (Yankees), regardless of what sweet package we would likely get in return.

Same thing goes for Brandon Inge.  Despite his combined .226 average over the past three seasons, there is a vocal group of Inge supporters that would sooner renounce their Tigers fandom than see Brandon traded away.

You could get Evan Longoria or Alex Rodriguez to play for Detroit for a dollar and they would still be upset and whine about it.

The Tigers certainly like to make a splash at the winter meetings, and it appears as though 2010 is no exception.

Despite an undefined payroll from Tigers Owner and King of the $5 Large Pizza Mike Ilitch, it would appear as though no one is sacred in Motown.

Are the Tigers serious about dealing?  Or are they testing the seemingly lucrative trade waters in a year of declining payrolls?