Uh Oh (And Five)

December 5, 2007 a blockbuster trade was made in Major League Baseball sending the Tigers Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in exchange for Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin among 4 other players. With this trade the Tigers were given what was thought to be an unstoppable lineup in which billions of runs would be score... or so we thought. Granted the Tigers have assembled what is on paper the best lineup that baseball has seen since the '90s Yankees and can even be compared to the Murders Row lineup decades back. Aside from the fact that Cabrera and Willis have been proven performers, although Willis has struggled in recent seasons, they are both in their early to mid twenties and have at least ten more years in each of them, barring injury. Also with the arrival of Willis came a solid addition to a staff that was weak at times last season. All things considered nothing could stop the Tigers this year... except wait who is in relief? In December that question was answered by who cares we'll outscore everybody this year who needs relief. Well in today's baseball where a good outing from a starter is 6 to 7 innings, relief is pretty important. It is rare to turn on the game in the 8th inning and see a starting pitcher still in, and if he is still in he's running on fumes. So in today's game relief is pretty important. So who is in relief? Well, tending to be the first choice out of the bullpen has been Jason "Oh no now we're going to lose because he is pitching" Grilli. Grilli is someone who you want as a third, or preferably fourth choice in relief, definitely not your first. Also thrown into the mix the Tigers sport the ever popular Bobby Seay, wait what does he do, not a whole lot of good either. I don't even feel the need to touch on the rest of the middle and long relievers. In closing no game is ever safe when Todd Jones takes the hill, even with the 5 run lead Tigers fans think they can have every game. Now the season is only 5 games in, but if the Tigers don't win tonight it only gets worse from there having to travel to Boston and then back to Chicago before a quick home series against the Twins. Don't hit the panic button just yet, but do be worried that even though huge deals were made this off season nothing was done to improve the weakest part of the team, the bullpen.