tOfficial 2015 Detroit Tigers thread

[Guest]

Spring training is less than a month away.

1st up is the optimistic view of the season from Peter Gammons

http://www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-optimistic-tigers-have-sights-set-high-for-2015-season/

DETROIT—Their dinner for ticketholders, corporate partners and friends was held on a frigid Friday night, and drew the largest crowd the Tigers had ever attracted. Their Saturday Fan Fest had sold out in 20 minutes when tickets went on sale days earlier, and their four day caravan around Detroit and the state of Michigan drew record crowds, with more than 30 players visiting schools and hospitals and firehouses.

While this has arguably been the greatest nine year stretch in the 114 year history of one of the American League’s eight original franchises—four times drawing 3 million fans, another time 2.9M—in some ways it has been frustrating. The Tigers have won the Central Division four straight years, but they still are without a world championship since 1984, falling short in October once in the World Series, twice in the ALCS and in 2014 in the Division Series with three “aces” in their rotation against an Orioles team that did not have a starter who started 17 games or an ERA as low as 3.22.

Granted, fortune hasn’t smiled on them; the game’s best hitter, Miguel Cabrera, was hurt each of the last two post-seasons, Anibal Sanchez came into the ALDS pitching one inning in 50 games, and Justin Verlander had a weakened shoulder that clearly affected his season.

Yet their huge base remains true, like ice, like fire. Ian Kinsler, who knew only the Rangers culture, and David Price, who knew only TropWorld, each mentioned the iconic scripted D on their caps, and the tradition that runs from Cobb to Kaline to Cabrera. “When Brad Ausmus took me out of that game on the last day of the season, the standing ovation I got from the fans was one of the greatest experiences of my life,” says Price. “It was deafening, and I would have loved to just stand there and take in what it means to pitch for this city and the people who have lived for the Tigers.” Prince could not, because there were five outs to get, but he left with a 3-0 lead over the Twins that would be held and clinch first place, a game ahead of the Royals.

Much more at the link....