DETROIT TIGERS

Starting Lineup
CF Curtis Granderson: did a good job cutting down his strikeout numbers in 2008 (111 K's compared to 141 in '07 and 174 in '06) while also posting a career high with 71 BB's
2B Placido Polanco: career .306 batter made 8 errors in 2008, not a high amount unless compared with 2007 when he did not commit a single error all season
RF Magglio Ordonez: averaging 24 HR's and 115 RBI's over his past three seasons in Detroit
1B Miguel Cabrera: did not disappoint offensively in his first season in Detroit as he blasted 37 HR's and knocked in 127 runs while batting .292
LF Carlos Guillen: the 33 year-old former SS will move to the OF for the first time in his career after playing mostly 1B and 3B in 2008
DH Marcus Thames: averaging 23 HR's per season since 2006 as a part-time player but his career .302 OBP makes him a liability as an everyday player
C Gerald Laird : recently acquired from the Rangers, the 29 year-old enters the spring as the clear-cut #1 catcher
3B Brandon Inge: 32 year-old hit just .205 with 11 HR's in 2008 but the sure-handed defender does not appear to have much competition at the hot corner
SS Adam Everett: offers very little offensively but is considered one of the premier defensive shortstops in the game

Bench
C Matt Treanor: former Marlin will serve as a backup to Laird UPDATE 3/1 - more on the new backup catcher
IF Ramon Santiago: coming off of a very good 2008 season in which he hit .282 with 4 HR's in 124 AB's; could get some AB's at SS if the Tigers decide that Everett's defense is not worth his lack of offense
1B/3B Jeff Larish: team's #5 prospect, according to BA, gives the Tigers another option at 3B if Inge fails to produce at the plate again UPDATE 2/24 - Jim Leyland says Larish has a shot to win the last bench spot UPDATE 4/1 - appears to have moved ahead of Rayburn for the final roster spot
LF Josh Anderson: 25 year-old hit .294 with 10 SB's in 40 games in his Braves debut in 2008; will be battling it out with Blanco and Schafer in spring training UPDATE 3/7 - appears to be leading candidate for CF job UPDATE 3/30 - acquired from Atlanta; I'm assuming the Tigers plan on keeping him on the opening day roster since Anderson is out of options UPDATE 3/31 - With no obvious candidate tearing the cover off of the ball this spring, I'll project the newly acquired Anderson to play in the OF with Guillen moving to 1B and Cabrera to DH UPDATE 4/3 - looks like he won't start but is considered an important bench player

Starting Rotation
RHP Justin Verlander: all of his peripherals (201 IP, 195 H, 87 BB, 163 K) were relatively unchanged from his previous two seasons but his 11-17 record and 4.84 ERA are proof that he wasn't the same pitcher in 2008
RHP Armando Galarraga: 27 year-old turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Tigers in '08, posting a 13-7 record with a 3.73 ERA
RHP Edwin Jackson: starting to show why he was considered one of the top prospects in the game a few years back after a 14-win season for the AL Champion Rays but his BB/K ratio is still suspect (77 BB/108 K)
RHP Zach Miner: was 5-2 with a 4.30 ERA in 13 starts after being moved into the rotation after the all-star break; had a 4.23 ERA in 32 relief appearances in the 1st half UPDATE 3/21 - officially out of the #5 starter competition UPDATE 3/29 - officially back in the competition for a rotation spot UPDATE 3/31 - with Bonderman placed on the DL, Miner could start the season in the rotation UPDATE 4/1 - Porcello's inclusion on the opening day roster could mean Miner stays in the bullpen UPDATE 4/2 - has won a spot in the starting rotation
RHP Rick Porcello: UPDATE 3/13 - impressive 20 year-old has an outside chance to start the season in the rotation, especially if Bonderman is not ready UPDATE 4/1 - has made the opening day roster

Bullpen
RHP Fernando Rodney: entering his 7th season with Detroit, he's had a sub par career to this point (13-25, 4.25 ERA, 33 saves in 58 chances) UPDATE 4/1 - will close out games for the Tigers to start the season but Leyland is not saying if he is the full-time closer
RHP Brandon Lyon: free agent signed for less money in Detroit for the opportunity to close but he'll have to pitch better than he did in the 2nd half of 2008 (8.46 ERA, .381 BAA) if he wants to keep the job
LHP Bobby Seay: posted a 3.51 ERA in 118 relief appearances for the Tigers over the last two seasons
RHP Juan Rincon: was one of the dominant relievers in the AL with the Twins from 2004-06 (20-13, 2.66 ERA, 255 K's in 233.1 IP) but has posted a 5.00+ ERA in back-to-back seasons UPDATE 3/15 - has thrown six shutout inning this spring, allowing only 2 hits and a walk
RHP Ryan Perry: UPDATE 3/13 - last year's #1 pick is a long shot, according to Manager Jim Leyland, but he's done a good job this spring in limited action (3.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, BB, 4 K) UPDATE 3/22 - still in the mix for a bullpen spot with six shutout innings this spring UPDATE 3/29 - continues to make a strong case to make the opening day roster UPDATE 3/31 - very likely to make the opening day roster if Miner replaces Bonderman in the rotation UPDATE 4/1 - has made the team
LHP Nate Robertson: had his worst season as a Tiger, posting a 6.35 ERA and allowing 218 hits in 168.2 IP UPDATE 4/2 - will start the season in the bullpen
RHP Eddie Bonine: 27 year-old posted a 5.40 ERA in 5 starts for Detroit in 2008 UPDATE 3/15 - has allowed just 1 ER and 4 hits in 8 IP this spring UPDATE 3/29 - has posted a 0.64 ERA over 14 IP this spring UPDATE 4/2 - has made the opening day roster

Disabled List
RHP Joel Zumaya: if not for the injury concerns, he would already have been anointed the next closer for the Tigers; if he can regain his pre-injury form, he'll be the closer in no time UPDATE 3/15 - doubtful for opening day because of shoulder issues UPDATE 3/29 - placed on the DL with a sore shoulder
LHP Dontrelle Willis: former 22-game winner will be trying to rebound from a nightmare season in 2008 UPDATE 3/29 - placed on the DL with anxiety disorder
RHP Jeremy Bonderman: has a record of 53-47 since his rookie season but has a career ERA of 4.74 UPDATE 3/13 - Leyland says we'll know soon whether Bonderman's shoulder is healthy enough to start the season UPDATE 3/14 - no pain while throwing 30 pitches to minor leaguers this morning UPDATE 3/26 - still questionable for opening day UPDATE 3/28 - highly unlikely to make his first start of the season UPDATE 3/31 - will start the season on the DL

Released
DH Gary Sheffield: entering his 22nd ML season just one HR shy of 500, the 40 year-old veteran is no longer the feared hitter he once was UPDATE 3/31 - the Tigers have released Sheffield

Optioned to AAA
RHP Chris Lambert: went 12-8 with a 3.50 ERA in AAA-Toledo in 2008 but was hit hard in 20.2 IP with the Tigers (5.66 ERA, 31 hits) UPDATE 3/15 - has not allowed a run in 4 IP this spring
LHP Macay McBride: out of options but could also start the season on the DL if he is not completely ready after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April UPDATE 3/19 - count him out of the race for a bullpen spot
RHP Freddy Dolsi: posted a 3.97 ERA in 42 relief appearances during his rookie season UPDATE 3/22 - optioned to AAA
OF Clete Thomas: will compete with Raburn for the final roster spot; hit .284 with a .366 OBP in 116 AB's for the Tigers in '08 UPDATE 3/31 - optioned to AAA
OF Ryan Raburn: in addition to OF, the 27 year-old can also play 3B and 2B, which gives him a slight edge in the competition for the final roster spot UPDATE 4/1 - optioned to AAA
LHP Clay Rapada: posted a 4.22 ERA in 25 relief appearances with Detroit in '08 UPDATE 3/15 - has thrown 3 scoreless innings so far this spring UPDATE 4/3- optioned to AAA on 4/1

Optioned to AA
C Dusty Ryan: likely to start the season in AAA with Laird and Treanor on the roster but the team's #9 prospect, according to BA, could take over the starting duties at some point in '09

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
RHP Casey Fien: has a career 2.90 ERA in 164.2 IP in the minors, all as a reliever UPDATE 3/18 - making his case for a bullpen spot UPDATE 3/22 - out of the running for a bullpen spot despite allowing just 1 ER and 4 hits in 7.1 IP this spring
OF Timo Perez: 33 year-old hit .389 in 90 AB's for the Tigers in 2007 before spending the entire 2008 season in AAA, where he hit .302 with 13 HR's and 19 SB's UPDATE 3/31 - reassigned to the minors
OF Brent Clevlen: has spent time on the big league roster in each of the past three seasons but is only 6-for-34 since 2007; out of options UPDATE 4/3 - cleared waivers and outrighted to AAA
IF Mike Hessman: will be competing for a bench job after blasting 34 HR's in AAA; has hit 9 HR's in 78 big league AB's over the last two seasons; out of options UPDATE 4/1 - placed on outright waivers UPDATE 4/3 - cleared waivers and outrighted to AAA

Returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates (Rule V)
LHP Kyle Bloom: Tigers could try and hide this rule V pick in their bullpen but it will be tough as the 25 year-old has not pitched above AA UPDATE 3/29 - returned to the Pirates