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I think reason #2 and #3 are very valid. Reason #4 is, m'eh, OK (stuff does happen but also teams who make giant strides forward tend to have some plexiglass effect the following year as performance levels out). However, I just am not sold on reason #1. V-Mart being out doesn't necessarily mean that the Tigers didn't improve, Prince is still an offensive upgrade over Martinez.

V-Mart being out doesn't necessarily mean that the Tigers didn't improve, Prince is still an offensive upgrade over Martinez.

Right, I mentioned that. I just think that what Fielder adds to their lineup is overstated by some because they've lost a big-time producer from last year as well. Keep in mind that this column was aimed more at the "Twins are utterly doomed" crowd than the more reasonable "Twins are at a serious disadvantage" crowd. (Which is why I included reason No. 4 -- obvious as it might be, some folks just don't get it despite plenty of recent examples.)

I think for tomorrow, I might do a quick and dirty analysis of how much better Fielder can expect to be over VMart, especially given the defensive manipulations the Tigers are threatening.

 

And as for #4, I'll say this: the Tigers have essentially adopted a "stars & scrubs" approach, and if a couple of those stars go down DURING the season, their depth is pretty questionable. For instance, if Verlander isn't able to throw 250 innings this year, that rotation could get thin in a hurry.