Life's a pitch

Here is a look at some first-half numbers for the Tigers pitching staff. Detroit is pretty much average, overall, with a 4.31 ERA (4.44 AL average), 4.73 runs per game (4.74), 6.3 K per game (6.4), 3.4 BB per game (3.3), 1.0 HR per game (1.0), and 72% LOB (71%).

Prevailing wisdom says the Tigers’ pitching will improve in the second half, with Kenny Rogers healthy and back in the rotation, and injured Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya returning at some point to bolster the bullpen. I’ll buy that the rotation should be improved with Rogers, but I’m not sure about the bullpen. Neither Rodney nor Zumaya were pitching great prior to their injuries, so I don’t think it’s a given that they will come back and pitch at a top level – particularly Zumaya.

But even if the pitching remains only average, it might be enough if the offense continues to hit at its first-half pace. The offense, though, is bound to slump at some point and is only an injury away from being reduced in effectiveness. Most likely, the pitching improves a little, the offense drops a little, and the Tigers continue to win at around a .600 clip.