DETROIT – Here's what I wrote in April to preview the 2015 season:
First, the good news. The Tigers won't finish in last place in the American League Central.
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Now, the bad news. The Tigers will finish in fourth place and not make the playoffs.
Of course, some Tigers fans will dismiss this as an attempt to be negative and ruin the season before it even starts on Monday at 1:05pm against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park.
It's not. (This prediction is coming from the same columnist who picked the Kansas City Royals to make it to the World Series in 2014. Many pooh-poohed that prediction.)
The Tigers - who were swept in the playoffs in 2014 - simply have too many questions about their roster to win the division again and make it to the postseason for a fifth straight season.
This isn't the same team or the same division, in fact, that the Tigers have owned. The Tigers have won the last four division titles. That reign is over, though.
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Here we are 52 games into the season, almost exactly at the one-third mark of 54.
And yes, the Tigers are a mess -- in third-place in the division and free-falling.
It may be a shock to most, but not here. This team wasn't well constructed and has many flaws. Frustrated fans have finally seen them for themselves, especially the last month.
You can listen to all these radio talk-show hosts who keep saying, "they will be fine."
That statement isn't based on anything. It's the easy way out to calm the fears of fans who can't believe their eyes.
You can no longer ignore that this team has major issues, mostly hitting right now. But ultimately, it won't have enough pitching as well to get the job done come September.
The Tigers' 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night enabled the Angels to sweep the four-game series in Anaheim.
The Tigers (28-24) -- who finished the West Coast trip 2-5 -- have now lost seven of nine.
The team that started like gangbusters, winning 11 of their first 13 games to start the season is nowhere to be found.
That's because that was a mirage. That team isn't the Tigers, averaging eight runs a game with starters pitching eight innings at a time with ease.
This team, isn't as bad as it has played the last week or so. But, it isn't as good as most believed it was, either.
In May, the Tigers scored 106 runs in 29 games, fifth-worth in the league.
The Tigers had just five hits Sunday night, all but a double were singles.
"We've got to find a way to score runs," manager Brad Ausmus said. "That's it. We've got to find a way to score runs."
Indeed.
Including Sunday's game, in which only one of their two runs were earned, the Tigers have scored two runs or less in 24 of their 52 games.
Granted, the Tigers are missing Victor Martinez's big bat. Still, there's no way the Tigers should be mired in such a slump with Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez in the middle of the lineup.
On Sunday, Ausmus benched the struggling Nick Castellanos is batting .230. He has 51 strikeouts and just 13 walks. "He's hit some balls hard, but is scuffling with getting hits," Ausmus said to explain the third baseman's night off.
Many fans believe things will get righted as soon as Victor Martinez comes off the disabled list. There's no timetable for that yet. Some think it won't be until after the All-Star break. Even then, no one can be sure how much he will be able to contribute.
Then there's Justin Verlander. Fans also hope he will be able to come riding in on his white horse to save the day.
In his first rehab start, Verlander - who has been on the disabled list (triceps) all season - didn't look great pitching for Toledo. He struggled with his command, walking two and hitting a batter. He threw 79 pitches in 2 2/3 innings.
Tigers will be lucky if he returns to form. After all, Verlander was hit hard in the spring. That came on the heels of a lousy 2014 when his ERA was a chubby 4.54 and he averaged less than seven strikeouts a game.
Back in April, here was my 2015 forecast:
The Prediction: The Tigers will struggle and be just a .500 ballclub at 81-81.
Today, that prediction stands.