If the post season race to the MLB odds playoffs was settled on paper and not on the field the Detroit Tigers would win the AL Central year in and year out. The only problem is that these matters are indeed settled on the field and despite an embarrassment of talent on the team’s roster the Tigers have been unable to translate that into a World Series title.

But spring is the season of hope and if hope really does spring eternal than Detroit fans can’t wait to cheer their team on in the baseball betting this year. Headlining the team’s roster of talent is the immensely talented Miguel Cabrera who not only led the team in BA, HRs and RBIs but is a perennial MLB odds MVP candidate.

But he capped his stupendous season (.324 BA, 32 HRs, 103 RBIs) with a stupendous lapse in error when he drank himself out the playoff game to reach the season and the Tigers literally gave away the pennant any playoff hopes. After leading the division for most of the season the wheels fell of the bus in the final weeks of the season and after it looked like the team might coast into the post season it finished with a baseball betting record of 86-77 and was eclipsed on quite literally the last day of the MLB odds season.

Tigers fans are hoping things will be different this season and with good reason. The teams pitching unit returns in tact with ace Justin Verlander and 20-year old phenom Rick Porcello who recently named the opening day starter after a 14 win rookie campaign. Fernando Rodney’s 37 saves last season also make him one of the better closers in the AL and major part of the pitching staff. On paper this is a playoff team but it remains to be seen whether or not the team can hold it together on the field.