1) Kenny Rogers LHP
2) Jeremy Bonderman RHP
3) Mike Maroth LHP
4) Justin Verlander RHP
5) Nate Robertson LHP

Marcus Thames not a major league outfielder? If he would have gotten 550 AB he would have hit about 41 dingers with about 95 runs and RBIs. I’m not saying that he would do that, but the guys is right in his prime. With Ordonez, Sheffield, Casey, Pudge, Guillen and Polanco all having a decent chance of being injured you have to keep that kind of stick on your bench. He would be an upgrade on many teams rosters in the outfield (Twins, Indians, Rangers etc.) even though he doesnt have very good range or a great arm.

As far as Shelton goes he is what ? 26 for all you guys know he could very well be the next Ryan Howard, well lets not go too far but he could be very good. He is built like the bambino. I say the guy hit in college, hit in the minors and hit in the majors and then had everbody saying he was the rebirth of one of the greatest sluggers ever. Thats alot of added pressure to someone on top of starting your first pro year in the bigs. He impressed me much more in 2005 when he came up after the ASB and started smacking the ball the opposite way for doubles when he and Ordonez hit consecutively in the order.

I say give the kid a chance, hes got great plate recognition, and can spray the ball, hit for average and power. I just think he was really pressing like Arod was pressing against us last year in the playoffs. If he learns to “chill-out” I think hes got alot of talent and could be a good to great hitter. .300, 30HRs and 100 RBIS aren’t out of the question for him, also his fielding has been improving.

And by the way Carlos’ defense last season wasn’t great but I’d give the guy some slack his knee was just reconstructed and hes trying to play one of the most demanding positions in the game, most of those Errors came off of him double clutching with the ball, not fielding it.

Neifi needs to go, don’t care how. If we traded him back to the cubbies and all we got was a box of Cracker Jacks we’d be the winners. I now name him ” KING GIDP”, or “MR. ANTI-Rally Chew”, or “EMPEROR LEECH”

Finally, Infante is another player who fits the sheltonish category, he can def hit a fastball, we’ve seen that and hes another guy like Thames that we’d be foolish to try and trade. He’s not a great fielder but has better range than Placido and has a quick swing that could make him one of the better second -basemen in the league if he ever started for an entire season. Also don’t forget small ball is important and he is one of the fastest Tigers on the bench.

Hopefully Inge will win his Gold Glove this year that he was cheated out of last year and everything will be right with the world.

Also Billfer you should have a running poll, what was the best comeback of ‘06 (excluding playoffs) that you attended.

My top three are as follows

1) Against Cincy
Grady hits a bomb in the ninth that just hooks around the foul pole in left with 2 outs and monroe wins it in the 10th (this was after zoom fed griffy like 5 or 6 straight fastballs and he hit one like 103 mph out right by where we were sitting)
~outside of opening day this was the craziest i’ve ever seen COPA

2) Against NY to salvage one game out of 4
Guillen hits the single off of ex-tiger farnsworth place went nuts

3) Pudge hits walkoff against Cleveland in early August against Fausto Carmona Bot of 9th 2 outs. again place went absolutely nuts

Can anyone say AL Central Champs? Heres to hopin’ and believing we can after ‘07, and to all the fun throughout another glorious baseball season!!!

Go Tigers

-David

Both Thames and Shelton need to be given a full shot at making the team. Either or both of them could regain their hitting form and force their way into the starting line-up.

I’m really rooting for Shelton. As Bilfer points out, his fielding alone could be a major upgrade over Casey. And if he can get his confidence back, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t hit .290 with 25 home runs over a full season.