Detroit Tigers 2011 Central Division Champions

The 2011 edition of the Detroit Tigers has the entire state of Michigan excited for the first time in 5 years.  The Tigers will be playing in the American League playoff as the Central Division Champions which would be the first time since 1987 that they have actually won a Divisional title.   The Tigers got on a hot streak shortly before the end of July and would go onto win 33 out of 46 games to increase their lead in the Central Division to 13 games and clinch the pennant on September 16, 2011.  This would give manager Jim Leyland about 12 days to juggle his line-up and give certain players a day off here and there. 

Behind certain Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and midseason pick-up Doug Fister from the Seattle Mariners the Tigers have been almost unbeatable.   Verlander has run off 11 straight victories and Fister has only gone 6-1 since coming over from the Mariners.   The team has also gotten some good pitching from the number 3 -5 starters including Brad Penny, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello.   One of these pitchers will be out the rotation once the playoffs start on Friday September 30th in Detroit.   The ALDS will most likely pit the Central Division Champs (Tiger) against the wild card runner-up in the American League which will come from the Eastern Division with a tight race at this time between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. 

The ALDS will be the best of five games to advance to the American League Championship Series.  The 2006 Tigers were the wild card team and defeated the New York Yankees and then went on to defeat the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS to advance to the 2006 World Series against the eventual Champion the St. Louis Cardinals.   I predict good things this season for the Tigers because of all the moves that Manager Jim Leyland has made during the run for the pennant.   I feel that the Tigers will advance to the 2011 World Series and defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in 6 games with Justin Verlander being named the MVP of the World Series.