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View Full Version : What does 5 years mean?


RedRamage
10-18-2006, 02:27 PM
Just for the fun of it, I looked up the 2001 Tigers team on baseball-reference.com. It's amazing to see just how radically the team has changed since then.

Starting with our pitching, the six pitchers with the most starts: Sparks (33), Weaver (33), Holt (22), Lima (18), Mlicki (15), and Cornejo (10). Some other names that brought back memories: Nitkowski - remember that Garner wanted to make him a starter? Pettyjohn - I thought he was going to be the next big name for the Tigers. Borkowski - I always liked him.

First base: Tony Clark was the primary guy there, but Randell Simon saw a lot of time there. Fick and Munson also had some games at first.

Second base: Easley played 153 games at 2nd base... and impressive number. Jose Macias spelled him for just 9 games.

Short Stop: Cruz was the primary, with over 100 games. Shane Halter backed him up for 60 games. I was a Halter fan back in the day... not when he got grumpy about being demoted from starting SS, but I liked that he could be plugged in ANYWHERE on the field and do the job respectably.

Third base: Macias started 83 games here, but Halter had 60 starts here as well.

Outfield: Left field belong to Higgy -- the fan favorite at the turn of the century. He started 142 games in left. Center was patroled by Cedeno with Juan E in Right. I believe halfway through the season they switched that with Juan E in center and Cedeno in Right. Wendall Magee was the 4th outfielder.

That leaves only catcher left. And here is the one spot we see a Tiger who's still with the club*. While Fick had more starts (69), Inge played catcher in 2001 and started 60 games there.

* In fairness, we should mention Jones, who was with the club in 2001. But he was traded before it was over with and was gone from the Detroit squad until this year.

So there you have it, a blast from the not-to-distant past.

monkeynuts
10-18-2006, 02:41 PM
Ha, it is interesting to see how much of an imprint DD has put on the roster. It literally is a whole new team from 2001. Ugh...I hate even reading "Shane Halter". I hated that man with a passion.

snoogit
10-18-2006, 02:42 PM
Truth be told, that could have been a .500 NL team today.

Edman85
10-18-2006, 02:46 PM
Shane Halter had a good year for us in 2001. Let that be a warning to anybody wanting to sign Mark DeRosa to a big deal.

irishmick79
10-18-2006, 02:57 PM
It would be interesting to meet up with St. Louis in the WS, especially with Weaver pitching out of his mind right now and Juan E playing a pretty big role in the Cardinal lineup right now. Not only would you have the tradition of previous Tigers-Cardinals match ups, you'd have guys who were fixtures in Detroit during those lean years competing against the Tigers as well.

One Man's Fool
10-18-2006, 03:16 PM
Where are the people who were saying (inaccurately, but nonetheless): "Dombrowski promised a contender in five years! He's gonna be in trouble!"

StarCityTiger
10-18-2006, 03:42 PM
I was a Halter fan back in the day...

I loved Shane Halter for the same reasons, he could, and would, play anywhere. I was hoping he would play all 10 AL positions in that one game, but alas, it wasn't to be.

Seems like much longer than 5 years ago...

Casimir
10-18-2006, 08:17 PM
Where are the people who were saying (inaccurately, but nonetheless): "Dombrowski promised a contender in five years! He's gonna be in trouble!"

They spelled that differently, too. Good question, though.

Yoda
10-18-2006, 08:23 PM
Where are the people who were saying (inaccurately, but nonetheless): "Dombrowski promised a contender in five years! He's gonna be in trouble!"

Released.

Domino
10-18-2006, 08:25 PM
To answer your question 5 years is 1825 days. ;)

TwistedTigers
10-18-2006, 08:31 PM
thats actually not a bad team offensively. Pitching was horrid though. 2000 was one hell of a year tho, because we were like 4 back in Sepetember of the Wild card spot. does anyone remember when jonesy saved that game where they needed only 1 more game to reach .500 and he put one finger up after he had saved it? The crowd went nuts !! that was exciting. DEF the best year since 1996

whitecapwendy
10-18-2006, 09:18 PM
Where are the people who were saying (inaccurately, but nonetheless): "Dombrowski promised a contender in five years! He's gonna be in trouble!"
I remember hearing very similar words during this last off season :classic:

djhutch
10-19-2006, 06:44 AM
It is truly amazing how far we've come in 5 years. That pitching staff was horrendous. & CJ Nitkowski was the best that bullpen had. I always kinda liked him.

NATE
10-19-2006, 07:56 AM
As good as this team is now, it will also be vastly different in five years.

Here's my guesses:

Pudge No
Wilson No

Inge No
Guillen Maybe
Polanco Maybe
Santiago No
Infante No
Casey No
Shelton No

Maggs No
Granderson Yes but not in CF
Monroe No
Thames No
Gomez No

Rogers NO
Verlander Yes
Robertson No
Maroth No
Bonderman Maybe
Miner No
Colon No
Grilli No
Zumaya Yes
Jones No
Walker No
Rodney Maybe

RedRamage
10-19-2006, 07:59 AM
Good point NATE. Change happens. I think a few more of your NOs could be changed to MAYBEs, but not too many.

tiger337
10-19-2006, 08:20 AM
My guesses would be:

Ordonez - His last option year is 2011 so he'll be here and he'll become one of the most disliked Tigers of all time. This is not a complaint about his contract. It's just something that will probably happen.

Curtis Granderson
Justin Verlander
Jeremy Bonderman
Joel Zumaya

It's probably wishful think that all of those pitchers will stay healthy for 5 years though.

NATE
10-19-2006, 08:24 AM
My guesses would be:

Ordonez - His last option year is 2011 so he'll be here and he'll become one of the most disliked Tigers of all time. This is not a complaint about his contract. It's just something that will probably happen.

Curtis Granderson
Justin Verlander
Jeremy Bonderman
Joel Zumaya

It's probably wishful think that all of those pitchers will stay healthy for 5 years though.

Maggs isn't my favorite player but even if he declines ala Bobby Higginson, he will not be thought of negatively by Tiger fans. They will at least remember Saturday's homer fondly.

If you look up "disliked Tiger" in the dictionary, you will see a picture of Juan Gonzalez, OF.