It's almost time for play ball…and Tony Paul and Chris McCoskey have you covered on Today's Tigers.
This edition of the Detroit News podcast previews the Tigers' 2024 season, which opens Thursday against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago (4:10 p.m., BSD/97.1) .
Chris predicts the Tigers will reach the .500 level (81-81) and Toney predicts they will win 87 games, but with perhaps the worst team and the best five starting pitchers. Both predict that Detroit will compete in the Central Division because of the current situation. Division of the American League.
Tigers starting pitcher
▶ Tariq Skubal27 years old, 6'3″, 240 (7 wins, 3 losses, ERA 2.80 last year)
▶ jack flaherty28 years old, 6'4″, 225 (8 wins, 9 losses, ERA 4.99 last year)
▶ Kenta Maeda35 years old, 6'1, 185 (6 wins, 8 losses, ERA 4.23 last year)
▶ Casey Mize26 years old, 6'3″, 215 (0 wins, 1 loss last year, ERA 5.40)
▶ Reese Olson24 years old, 6'1″, 160 (5 wins, 7 losses, ERA 3.99 last year)
“They (Tigers) don't win a lot of games when they're 9-8,” McCoskey said on the podcast. “They're not built for that. That's why (Scott) Harris (baseball operations chairman) emphasizes more pitching. He has to keep the games close until the hitting matures and gets better. I know what I have to do.”
At the end of the podcast, Chris and Tony discussed whether a reunion with J.D. Martinez would have benefited the Tigers, an issue raised in Wojo's column. Martinez signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the New York Mets, and the Tigers will play a three-game series in New York next week.
Other highlights from today's Detroit News/Detroit Tigers podcast include:
▶ :30: Chris returns from Florida and heads to Chicago for the season opener.
▶ 1:30: Beau Briske chooses to transfer to Toledo
▶ 4:30: A team with a variety of players
▶ 7:20: AJ Hinch talks about building a positive winning culture
▶ 9:45: Forecast for Chubu region
▶ 11:30: Tariq Skubal “Cy Young Candidate”
▶ 13:00: Jack Flaherty regains 2019 Cy Young form
▶ 15:40: Casey Mize “Mystery Card”
▶ 17:50: Parker Meadows is 'growing rapidly'
▶ 21:10: JD Martinez Discussion Group
▶ 24:00: Jackson Jobe video goes viral
Finally, here is the Tigers' schedule, starting with Thursday's season opener at Chicago and including next week's first weekend series at Comerica Park:
▶ Thursday: Tigers vs. White Sox, 4:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Saturday: Tigers vs. White Sox, 2:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Sunday: Tigers vs. White Sox, 2:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Monday: Tigers vs. New York Mets, 7:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Tuesday: Tigers vs. New York Mets, 7:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Wednesday: Tigers vs. New York Mets, 7:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Friday: Oakland Athletics vs. Tigers, 1:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Saturday: Oakland Athletics vs. Tigers, 1:10 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
▶ Sunday: Oakland Athletics vs. Tigers, 1:40 p.m. (BSD/97.1)
on deck
Next week, Tony and Chris will look back at the first six games of the season and preview the home opener against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, March 5th (1:10 p.m., BSD/97.1). Tony and Detroit News film critic Adam Graham will also be hosting a special Tigers Today podcast next week to talk about their favorite baseball movies.
