Verdict: Tigers Are a Bad Team

It took 54 games but my verdict is in. The Detroit Tigers are not a good baseball team. They just aren't. I would say they are mediocre at best. I finally have come to grips with the harsh reality. I am not planning on watching fall ball in Detroit unless I decide to take in a beer league softball championship game. The Tigers are not good enough to play that long into the season.

This club has many flaws. Inconsistent hitting, poor defense, up and down pitching, and a shaky bullpen are the worst of them. Most of these do not seem fixable. If there are solutions they are not on the current roster nor are they on their very sub par farm system. Let's face it, they are a team with a few superstars surrounded by bench/minor league players who are forced to play everyday. That sort of team will not win consistently enough to win championships. Maybe not even enough to stay in a division race.

The fact that they are in a God-awful division (AL Central) and are 6 games out of first should tell you all you need to know. If they were halfway decent they would run away with the title or at least be in a dogfight with the Sox for the top spot.

Most fans, myself included, have been waiting for the big turnaround to happen. We have been waiting to see the "Real Tigers.". Unfortunately, I think we are seeing that now. I am facing reality and no longer anticipating said turnaround because I no longer truly believe it will happen. Especially with the injuries piling up. And if it does, the hole may be too deep to dig out of when it finally happens. The only things I am anticipating are the sure-to-be interesting off season for the Red Wings and football season. I can no longer waste my time worrying about when the Tigers will wake up and start playing well. It's unnecessary stress during the summer season.

I am now finally going to say what I have been afraid to say for 2 months. The Tigers are not a championship team. They are not a great team. They are not a good team. They may not even be a mediocre team. I am afraid they may be a bad team. If they prove me wrong I will gladly eat feasts of crow. However, I am afraid at the end of the summer I will be left with nothing but an empty stomach.