The snow has all but melted, and students at Ferris are gearing up for the start of baseball season for the Detroit Tigers.
Comerica Park, the home of the Tigers for nearly two decades, is preparing to open its gates for opening day in just over a week.
Monday, April 3, marks the beginning of the regular season for the Tigers as they begin a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox, with the Tigers’ home opener set for Friday, April 7, against the Boston Red Sox.
“I plan on attending my first Tigers game this summer,” said Ferris criminal justice freshman Chris Abel. “I’m used to watching them on TV so I’m glad I actually get to go. I think with the way the team is built, we have a good chance at taking second place in the division. I’m guessing they’ll go 90-72.”
That prediction for the Tigers could be spot-on considering where they landed just a season ago. With an 86-75 record in 2016, the Tigers just missed out on a postseason berth. However, in my opinion, the Tigers are going to be suffering a string of losses in the first month of the regular season.
First baseman—and the strongest bat on the team—Miguel Cabrera is still not 100 percent after suffering a back injury, and his opening day status is still up in the air. To make matters worse, the Tigers will miss outfielder J.D. Martinez for a month following a foot surgery.
Although the Tigers have been hit with the injury bug early in spring training, third baseman Ian Kinsler and shortstop Jose Iglesias man an infield capable of carrying any extra workload. Kinsler is fresh off aiding the United States win in the World Baseball Classic.
“I can’t wait to see Kinsler back on the field,” said Ferris pharmacy freshman Meg Rodewald. “I follow all the Tigers’ social media accounts to stay up to date on news. I don’t know how the season is going to go for them, but if they go to the World Series, you better believe I’m buying game seven tickets.”
The Tigers are likely a few years away from competing in the World Series. Although they have a bullpen full of skilled arms including Justin Verlander, they lack someone to close games, which has brought them into a lot of trouble.