FanNation - The Republic of Sport

The Detroit Tigers are sending 3 well deserved players to the All-Star Game this year. Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, and Curtis Granderson have all had exceptional first halves of the season.

Verlander is on a torrid strikeout pace with 130 K's and two more scheduled starts before the All-Star Break (on pace for around 260 K's) . He's the best season of his young career, which is good to see after how things turned out for him last year.  Justin is finally turning the corner from being more of a thrower to now being more of a pitcher. With a complete repetoire and gameplan for attacking each hitter. Chipper Jones (one of the best hitters and probably the best switch-hitter in baseball) said about him, "My God, that guy's throwing 100 miles an hour in the sixth inning, you're not going to mount much against him. It's really tough for the best hitters in baseball to put that in play consistently."  And at the tender age of 26 the guy is only going to get better.

Edwin Jackson is by far the best pick up by any team in the Majors from last off-season. We gave up Matt Joyce who is currently on the inactive list for Tampa Bay. Meanwhile Jackson has a 2.59 ERA and is on pace to win around 15 games for us, consisently going into the 7^th and 8^th innings continuosly saving our bullpen from constant stress it went through last season.  The Tigers have a bright future with Verlander, Jackson, and Porcello at the top of our rotation for years to come. (Imagine if Dontrelle Willis was anywhere close to the pitcher he used to be when he played for Florida.) Our Staff would be unreal.

Curtis Granderson is having another great season where he is currently on pace 36 HR's and 30 SB's. The guy does it all, from great defense, to working counts, hitting homeruns. He's really a true #5 hitter, maybe a #3 hitter if he can bump up his average to around 290. But wiuth Detroits lack of speed Leyland has to stick him in the lead-off spot, which Granderson has yet to dissapoint. I know his 255. Batting average has people worried but he doesn't have the same kind of protection behind him like he had in the past. With Polanco a career 303. hitter only hitting 256. and Magglio Ordonez our regular #3 hitter just waiting to get released. So Granderson isnt all to blame.

All three of these Tigers are having excellent seasons, along with Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge (VOTE INGE).

Hopefully they can keep it up and take us into the playoffs. Where we belong unlike those **** Blue Jays.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments.