MLB Team by Team: 2008 Detroit Tigers

2006 saw the Detroit Tigers appear in the World Series for the first time since 1984, and completing the turnaround from one of the all-time worst seasons in baseball history (43-119 in 2003). In 2007, the Tigers fell short of taking home another division crown, being upended by the Cleveland Indians, falling eight games off the pace.

The front office decided that was enough to make some changes, and rocked the American League by trading a handful of prospects to the Florida Marlins for superstars Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, to add to an already talented and deep team. Are they, once again, the team to beat in one of the toughest divisions in baseball?

OFFENSE: A

If it wasn't for the Boston Red Sox, this team would be the top offensive unit in the American League. For example, Curtis Granderson is a dynamic players, an almost automatic 20-homer, 20-stolen base guy, a guy most teams would have at the top of their lineup in the blink of an eye. There's an outside chance the man could hit ninth in this lineup. American League batting champion Magglio Ordonez was no slap hitter (28 homers, 139 RBI), Placido Polanco turned in a .341 campaign, Carlos Guillen hit 21 homers, Gary Sheffield 25, and that's before you add newcomers Cabrera (.320, 34 homers, 119 RBI in a lineup with no protection to offer in Florida) and shortstop Edgar Renteria (.332 last season for Atlanta). These Tigers are loaded for bear.

STARTING PITCHING: B-