Verlander wonders about free agency

Will Justin Verlander be a Tiger for life?

The reigning AL Cy Young Award Winner and AL MVP spoke with Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via MLBTradeRumors.com) where he (Verlander) discussed his newfound celebrity status and his future with the team. Verlander expressed his love for Detroit but admitted that he wondered what it would be like playing in a bigger market and what it would take for him to remain a Tiger.

Verlander acknowledged that, sure, he’s thought about what it would be like to play in a bigger market.


“It would be fun, but hopefully I help turn Detroit into a major market,” he said. “Other teams are major markets not just because of their fan base but because of the national fan base. That comes from winning. They’re always on the news because they win.


“We may not have the biggest city in the world, but if we go out there every year and we’re in the playoffs and win some World Series titles, then our national fan base grows. My goal is to help make Detroit and their fan base a major market. I want to be a key piece in that.”


The key is owner Mike Illitch. Illitch desperately wants to add a World Series trophy to his collection of Stanley Cups. Illitch is willing to make the committment to win na dthat means spending money. He proved it by signing Prince Fielder to a megadeal this offseason.


“That’s one of the conversations I had with the Tigers right before I signed,” Verlander said, in reference to the five-year, $80 million extension to which he agreed before the 2010 season. “We talked about money and all that stuff. I wanted reassurances that I’m going to be part of a winning team. They said, ‘We’re going to do what it takes.’ That’s all I needed to hear. I want to win a World Series. And some of the other things I want to do in this game involve being on winning teams.”


I’m pretty sure that Verlander will be a lifetime Tiger, but nothing is certain in the world of sports. Just ask Peyton Manning about that.

Victor Martinez’s Lavish Ride

Professional athletes usually don’t tool around in “luxury” cars that the average man drives around in. Consider the case of one of the newest Detroit Tigers, Victor Martinez. I’ve heard about Justin Verlander’s Ferrari, but to me Martinez’s Rolls Royce Ghost takes it.

The car is retailed at $250,000 before customization. I’d have to work a lifetime to get one tire off of it. It is a nice car, but Martinez won’t be in the major leagues forever bagging $12 mill a season. Be smart with that money.

Tigers pitcher Robbie Weinhardt had an interesting take on the car.

“Awesome,” said pitcher Robbie Weinhardt, “My signing bonus ($15,000) probably pays for nothing on that car. Maybe the air freshener.”

I guess you can buy those kind of items when you get big money deals like the one Martinez signed this past offseason.

Verlander Needs To Get Off To A Quick Start

One of the keys to the Detroit Tigers’ season is the success of Justin Verlander. That’s fairly obvious to anyone who watches the game of baseball. What Verlander needs to do in particular, is get off to a good start. That’s something this team is going to need from their number one starter. If that happens the Tigers can surprise early.

In the past Verlander has struggled early. Not where he can’t get the ball over the plate, but he ges knocked around a bit early in the season. I don’t have the stats sitting here in front of me, but I’m pretty sure I’m right. He gets some early wins but not enough for others to doubt his status as the staff ace. His record usually hovers around .500 for his first six to eight starts before he hits a midseason run where he looks unbeatable before looking kinda ordinary toward the end of the year. He has Cy Young stuff and ability, he just needs more consistency from end to end.

Verlander is clearly the key to the rotation. If he can battle hard enough the offense will get him enough run support. I don’t doubt his ability to be a top of the line starter, sometimes he makes me wonder though. I still feels like he has his moments where he wants to dial it up and try to blow everyone away. He’s been around long enough to know that’s not the way to pitch. If he wants to be in the Cy Young conversation, he has to get rid of that mentality. I’m not saying abandon the bread and butter fastball. Just don’t rely on it to get you out of a jam. You gotta let the players behind you make plays sometimes. I know, for the Tigers that might be a stretch since some of the players in the field are better suited to a beer league. But you just can’t  keep pumping fastballs over the plate. Verlander is good. The rest of the staff is good. But they can be a whole lot better and having Verlander off to a quick start may be the key early on.