"Put me in coach; I'm ready to play, today..."

Another baseball season is here and 2013 is another year of high expectations for the Detroit Tigers.

As I write this, they are fresh off an Opening Day victory over the Minnesota Twins, in which I saw some of the same things that irritated me so often in past years: stranded runners, a too-short outing from our staff ace, a cringe-inducing bullpen...but why quibble. A win is a win.

Today, Anibal Sanchez will be on the mound and he is one of the keys to the Tigers' season. He is one of the top prospects for team whipping boy this year. The contract he signed during the off-season was much too lucrative for a guy who has only had one winning season.

I will not claim to be a very well-educated baseball statistician, but here are my thoughts on the upcoming season:

Reasons for concern:

1. The bullpen. Lack of a defined closer is a major issue, no matter what the Tigers' brass is saying about it right now. Manager Jim Leyland said as much early on in spring training when he referred to his preference for a regular 9th inning guy.

2. Sanchez. While his career ERA is a solid 3.75, Sanchez has never topped 13 wins in a single season and has a sub .500 record for his career. Granted, on a team led by Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Doug Fister, he doesn't have to carry a huge load, but with Scherzer's relative inconsistency and Fister's injury troubles last year, he'll be an important—and expensive—cog in the pitching rotation.

3. The bench. Not very deep or talented.

Reasons for optimism:

1. Starting rotation. Yes, there are question marks, but if everyone performs up to their potential and there are no major injuries, the rotation is as good as or better than the starting five on most other clubs. If things go really well, look for Rick Porcello or Drew Smyly to be used to gain some additional pieces later this year—perhaps a closer or more well-rounded shortstop.

2. Fewer questions. Last year, we didn't know who our starting second baseman was until Omar Infante joined us late in the season. We have a regular DH now, in Victor Martinez, who will help protect Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, and a solid number-two hitter in Tori Hunter. Martinez will probably not be able to duplicate his pre-injury numbers, but he doesn't have to be that good. He just has to be better than the collection of guys stuck into his spot last year.

3. Better outfield defense. Hunter is one of my favorite players and by far the Tigers' best signing of the off-season. His addition and Andy Dirks' status as the regular left fielder will no doubt be an improvement over Brennan Boesch and Delmon 'Baby Steps' Young.

Prediction:

I'll put them in first by a game or two. It will not be the runaway that many have suggested. I think The Royals will hang around for a long time, as will the White Sox. The Royals are always hungry and scrappy, continually playing above their talent level. I think the Tigers will take the division, in the end, and I just hope it won't be as irritating to watch as it was last year.

Play ball!