March 04, 2009
Team Offense, Detroit Tigers
The series on team offense continues with the Detroit Tigers. I plug the probable lineup from CBSSportsLine into the Lineup Analysis Tool, and fill in the numbers with Marcel the Monkey projections. The results:
- Best lineup: 5.16 runs per game
- Probable lineup: 5.08 runs per game
- Worst lineup: 4.78 runs per game
- Regressed lineup: 4.70 runs per game
The Tigers scored 5.07 runs per game in 2008.
Last season, the Tigers posted a lineup that looked like it could score close to six runs per game. They actually ended up ranked fifth in the majors in runs per game, but they didn't exactly blast people out of the park. This season, they still put up an impressive 1-6, but they've traded more power at the bottom of the order for more defense behind their pitchers. If that defense can bring down the Tigers runs allowed by 1/2 a run they should at least post a winning record.
This is a lineup, however, easily decimated by injuries. Ordonez, Sheffield and Guillen are all up in age, and Ordonez and Guillen are important cogs in this offense. I also wonder if Granderson comes near his projected numbers if he won't start batting lower in the order.
Other teams in this series:
Please donate to the Baseball Musings Pledge Drive.
Buy Tigers opening day tickets.
Sheffield is easily replaced if he's truly done. Guillen is not as easily replaced, but a platoon can probably provide an adequate replacement.
Regression by Ordonez or Granderson would be a killer, however, to say nothing of Cabrera.
I may have just missed it, but I don't see the Rangers in the link you provide for them above.
And the link goes to MIN probable lineup, not Detroit's.
