AMERICAN LEAGUE PREVIEW

Tigers running out of time

The Detroit Tigers have reached the playoffs four times in Justin Verlander’s eight full seasons.

Every time, Verlander has helped pitch them into the American League Championship Series.

Yet in all those years, the Tigers have won just one World Series game (2006). Verlander, 31, is signed through 2019 and can afford to take the long view. The lack of a title does not pain him.

“Not yet,” he said. “If I wait a few more years, next thing you know I’m 36 and came close to it a bunch of times and wasn’t quite able to get it, then I think it would start to feel like more of a void.”

Verlander will get the Opening Day start against Kansas City, the choice of Detroit’s new manager, Brad Ausmus, who bypassed Max Scherzer, the AL Cy Young Award winner last season. Scherzer turned down a contract extension from the Tigers this spring, and the sides will not negotiate during the season.

But if it seems like another all-in kind of season for Detroit, look closer. The Tigers traded reliable starter Doug Fister to Washington for a package led by Robbie Ray, a pitcher with just 11 games above Class A. They unloaded expensive first baseman Prince Fielder to Texas for second baseman Ian Kinsler, who has hit .242 away from the Rangers’ cozy ballpark.

Could the Tigers win the pennant again, as they did in 2012? Of course. They have three aces, including Anibal Sanchez, and the game’s best hitter in Miguel Cabrera, who just signed a contract through 2023. But they have lost shortstop Jose Iglesias and reliever Bruce Rondon to season-ending injuries, and two of their most important players, outfielder Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) and closer Joe Nathan, will be 39 by the end of the All-Star break.

The Tigers will have all they can handle in the AL Central from the Kansas City Royals, who went 86-76 last season, their best record since1994. The Royals should reach base more often, with Norichika Aoki and Omar Infante added at the top of the order, and the rookie Yordano Ventura - a former Northwest Arkansas Natural - could have a major effect on the rotation.

Last season the Royals averaged almost a full run less a game than the Tigers, and they lost a top starter in Ervin Santana, replacing him with Jason Vargas. But the Royals went 43-27 in the second half, essentially matching the Tigers (43-27) and the Cleveland Indians (41-26).

The Indians know they have it after capturing a wild card in their first season under Manager Terry Francona. Like the Royals, they have a hard-throwing phenom in Danny Salazar. But they also lost Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir, who combined for 61 starts, and did little to replace them.

WEST DIVISION

The Los Angeles Angels survived spring training in better shape than the reigning champions, the Oakland Athletics, who lost starter Jarrod Parker for the season after reconstructive elbow surgery.

The Texas Rangers have been ravaged by recent injuries, losing second baseman Jurickson Profar (shoulder) and catcher Geovany Soto (knee) for at least 10 weeks each. Starter Derek Holland needed knee surgery in January after his dog tripped him on the stairs and may miss half the season.

Even their ace, Yu Darvish, is out with a neck and back issue, leaving Tanner Scheppers to start the opener. Scheppers, a reliever the past two seasons, will be the second pitcher since 1945 to make the first start of his career on Opening Day. The other was Fernando Valenzuela for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981.

Those Dodgers went on to win the World Series, but that goal seems beyond the grasp of the tattered Rangers.

It is never wise to discount the resourceful, deep Athletics, either, but perhaps this season the Angels will get something meaningful from Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton.

Their contracts were dubious long-term investments, to be sure. But Pujols, 34, and Hamilton, 32, are at least capable of another strong season or two. If they happen at the same time, and if Garrett Richards, Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs are adequate at the back of the rotation, the Angels - who have the game’s best player in Mike Trout - could return to the playoffs for the first time in five years.

The Seattle Mariners added a marquee second baseman in Robinson Cano, but injuries have hampered their rotation, and most of the lineup still looks bleak. The Mariners should at least win more often than the Houston Astros, who are better than they were last season. But even a 10-game improvement for Houston would mean 101 losses.

EAST DIVISION

There are no such rebuilding projects in the East.

The Boston Red Sox will try to defend their World Series title with a patient, relentless offense, a sound rotation and plenty of prospects on the rise. But after so much bad luck in 2012 and so much good luck in 2013, the Red Sox’s fortunes should fall somewhere in between.

Boston handled the Tampa Bay Rays’ vaunted young arms last fall, but David Price, Matt Moore, Alex Cobb and Chris Archer will win a lot. The New York Yankees have an intriguing staff with Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda offering hope for vast improvement. The Toronto Blue Jays return mostly the same overrated cast that lost 88 last season.

The Orioles have five solid starters, led by Ubaldo Jimenez, but they also have two elite prospects - Dylan Bundy (recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery) and Kevin Gausman - who could contribute this season..

But, the Orioles are far from perfect. Third baseman Manny Machado, who led the league in doubles, will miss the start of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

Sports, Pages 35 on 03/30/2014

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