Rotation Rotation Rotation

If I'm in charge, Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis would round the rotation with Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, and Max Scherzer; and it would be a very easy decision. Robertson and Willis have out performed Bonderman this spring for one. But more importantly, this rotation needs left handed arms.

Within the division, the Tigers will compete with the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians, two of the best left handed hitting lineups in baseball. Other American League contenders have strong left handed lineups as well. Comerica Park is also a ballpark that favors left handed pitching. In 2006, the Tigers rode three left handed starters to the playoffs. Now, more than one is too many? I don't think so.

Dave Dombrowski seems to favor Bonderman's chances for success over the two lefthanders. He surprisingly made the 4th starter spot Bonderman's to lose before spring training began, even though Bonderman has the most physically to come back from in trying to revive his career. Bonderman hasn't spiked himself this spring with his performance. His velocity is better. He had one really bad outing that hurt his numbers. But no doubt Willis and Robertson have shown more this spring. And the rotation is crying out for left handed slants.

The Tigers will already have one right handed starter in Scherzer who struggles to get left handed hitters out. Bonderman will be a second. And the Tigers have depth in right handed pitching options with Zach Miner, Armando Galarraga, Eddie Bonine, and Alfredo Figaro. They have no such depth in left handed options ready to run out there right now.

I'm not in favor of trading one of the starting pitching reclamation projects at this juncture. The injury to Miner makes things easy. Bonderman can go to the pen as the long guy, and you can run Willis and Robertson out there for the first month and evaluate. I see no reason whatsoever to just trade Nate Robertson and pay him to play for someone else for the sole purpose of making the decision easier on Jim Leyland. They are not going to get anything of significance back in trade for any one of these reclamation projects right now.

My rotation: Verlander, Scherzer, Robertson, Porcello, and Willis. My pen: Bonderman, Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry, Brad Thomas, Fu Te Ni, Phil Coke, and Jose Valverde.