AL Central Watch

[grandy]

Updated

Detroit remains 1 game back

 

[grandy]

Updated

The Tigers finally pull even again with the White Sox

8 games left

The Tigers now have another winning season, 2nd year in a row, 5 winning seasons in their last 7

 

[grandy]

Updated

Detroit is finally in 1st

Chicago stays home to face Tampa for the next 4

 

[grandy]

Updated

Detroit increases their lead to 2 games, with a magic number of 5

Which means if the Tigers finish 5-1 or better, they'll win the division

Even more encouraging...if the Tigers finish 3-3, Chicago has to go a perfect 6-0 to outright win the division

 

[cmlfactor]

Updated

Detroit increases their lead to 2 games, with a magic number of 5

Which means if the Tigers finish 5-1 or better, they'll win the division

Even more encouraging...if the Tigers finish 3-3, Chicago has to go a perfect 6-0 to outright win the division

Won't happen. They still have to face David Price. Tigers just have to take care of their own business.
Magic number is 5 games...4 to ensure at worst a one-game playoff which, if the current rotation continues, JV would start.
I'm feeling pretty good about this right now.

 

[grandy]

Updated

Chicago closes the gap to 1 game

 

[grandy]

Updated (since I don't care about KC-Cleveland)

Tigers increase their lead to 2 games, while lowering their magic number to 3

If the Tigers go 3-1 or better over their next 4, they're guaranteed to win the Central regardless of what Chicago does.

If Chicago finishes 4-0, Detroit needs to finish 2-2 to tie, 3-1 or better to win

If Detroit finishes 0-4, Chicago needs to finish 2-2 to tie, 3-1 or better to win

The Tigers are in a very good situation right now...however anything is possible

 

[grandy]

Updated

Detroit increases their lead to 3 games, lowering their magic number to 1

If Detroit wins any game OR Chicago loses any game from here on out, Detroit wins the Central

If Detroit gets swept by KC and Chicago sweeps Cleveland, a tie-break game will be played in Detroit

Detroit finishes the year with a 10-8 record vs Minnesota

 

[cmlfactor]

I really hope they win it in the next 3 games...otherwise they have to blow JV for the tie-breaker and don't have him to start game one of the ALDS.
Win it tomorrow!!!

And thank God for this cuz the Lions look like a bust...

 

[grandy]

Updated

Tigers win the central!

2nd year in a row

 

[Mitchrapp]

FK Yeah. Yeah. Woo hoo woo woo woo, fk'ing woo.

 

[grandy]

Updated

Just because

 

[grandy]

Final Update

The central finishes the year with three 90+ loss teams

Detroit wraps up their final game with KC, finishing 13-5 against them for the season


Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread in any way, I look forward to doing this again next season.

 

[grandy]

Here are my AL Central players of the year

My AL Central Top Hitter in 2012

Miguel Cabrera (Tigers) - 161 G, 697 PA, 44 HR, 139 RBI, .330 AVG, .393 OBP, .606 SLG, .999 OPS, .416 wOBA, 166 wRC+, 7.2 WAR

My AL Central Top Starter in 2012

Justin Verlander (Tigers) - 33 GS (17-8), 238.1 IP, 3.98 K/BB, 2.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .215 OppAVG, 3.31 xFIP, 6.8 WAR


My AL Central Worst Hitter in 2012

Jeff Francouer (Royals) - 148 G, 603 PA, 16 HR, 49 RBI, .235 AVG, .287 OBP, .378 SLG, .665 OPS, .280 wOBA, 73 wRC+, -1.3 WAR

My AL Central Worst Starter in 2012

Ubaldo Jiminez (Indians) - 31 GS (9-17), 176.2 IP, 1.51 K/BB, 5.40 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, .271 OppAVG, 4.98 xFIP, 0.2 WAR







2012 Fangraphs AL Central WAR team
C - Joe Mauer, Twins
1B - Prince Fielder, Tigers
2B - Jason Kipnis, Indians
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians
3B - Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
RF - Alex Rios, White Sox
CF - Austin Jackson, Tigers
LF - Alex Gordon, Royals
DH - Billy Butler, Royals

SP1 - Justin Verlander, Tigers
SP2 - Chris Sale, White Sox
SP3 - Max Scherzer, Tigers
SP4 - Jake Peavy, White Sox
SP5 - Doug Fister, Tigers

RL1 - Kelvin Herrera, Royals
RL2 - Octavio Dotel, Tigers
RL3 - Matt Thronton, White Sox
RL4 - Glen Perkins, Twins
RL5 - Nate Jones, White Sox

 

[Mitchrapp]

3 starers, yes. We owned the ALC in that award.

 

[Thumb]

Wow, I would have thought Boesch was worse than Francouer.

 

[spockmaster]

Wow, I would have thought Boesch was worse than Francouer.

boesch ended the year .1 up on francouer in WAR at -1.2, likely due to him sitting most of the last few weeks.

 

[grandy]

Wow, I would have thought Boesch was worse than Francouer.

It was close between them statistically, however Francouer had about 100 more PAs. More chances to "suck" I guess.

Poor Royals, both Hosmer and Francouer were bottom 5 in WAR. Though I guess the Tigers weren't much better, both Boesch and Young in the bottom 5 as well.