Tigers' pitching depth makes them Series favorites

	Jeremy Bonderman gets the Opening Day nod for what should be the best starting rotation in the major leagues. AP
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The Tigers don't have Kenny Rogers for now, but they still have plenty of pitching. Which is more than a lot of other folks can say.

The Tigers do have the best blend of real hard throwers and real soft tossers. Joel Zumaya, Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander and Fernando Rodney throw gas. Rogers (once he returns) and Todd Jones aim to fool hitters, not blow them away.

They have power pitchers toward the back end of the bullpen. And they have more power than anyone else at the bottom of their lineup, too. Craig Monroe and Brandon Inge make the Tigers a threat throughout; the duo combined for 55 home runs last season.

They have singles hitters (Placido Polanco, for instance), doubles hitters (Sean Casey), pure hitters (Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordonez and Ivan Rodriguez), and now they have the guy who can just plain scare folks (Gary Sheffield). That last one may have been the missing ingredient.

I see the Tigers winning the World Series in 2007. And manager Jim Leyland didn't try to dissuade me.

"We've got a good team,'' Leyland says in his succinct assessment.

They have a lot going for them, including Leyland, who made them believe last year. This season, his task is a little bit different -- it's to make sure they don't lose their edge in a year after they surprised so many.

"That won't have anything to do with it,'' Leyland says, cutting off the questioner.

What could hurt, though, is the three-month loss of Rogers, whose absence leaves the Tigers as one of many who begin this season at less than full strength.

"You've got to have a plan B,'' Leyland says. "You'd like to be a little deeper than we are. But most clubs are like that.''

"There's no perfect team,'' Leyland declares.

Maybe so, but from here the Tigers are closer than the rest.

Teams that could surprise

1. Diamondbacks. Winning combo: solid starting staff and great young position players.
2. Rockies. Garret Atkins and Matt Holliday are unknown stars, with more on the way.
3. Reds. Their pitching is iffy. But "they're very athletic,'' one scout says.
4. Orioles. Finally developing some young players to brag about (Erik Bedard, Nick Markakis).
5. Mariners. "Better than you think,'' a scout says. Still a long shot, but maybe all that great D pays off one day.

Teams that could flop

1. Phillies. Rotation is as solid as anyone's, but that bullpen is downright worrisome.
2. Dodgers. Lots to like, but the power's dependent on the aged (Jeff Kent, Nomar Garciaparra and Luis Gonzalez).
3. Yankees. Carl Pavano, Opening Day. 'Nuff said.
4. Cardinals. You'd think this fine nucleus would avoid a hangover. Yet it's quite a tough hurdle.
5. White Sox. "Not as athletic as you'd think,'' one GM points out.