Detroit Tigers Sweep Against Dodgers Proves They Have Long Way To Go
The Detroit Tigers enter their off day with an 0-3 record.
Considering they were facing the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers to start the year, that mark should be taken with a grain of salt. But this isn't a Tigers team of the past.
This version is expected to compete and contend.
Following their improbable run to the playoffs where they eliminated the dynastic Houston Astros in the Wild Card round and were one win away from reaching the American League Championship Series, the thought process about Detroit completely shifted to the point where they were being predicted to win the AL Central by some pundits.
Because of that, it didn't seem farfetched that they could take a game off the Dodgers, especially with the reigning AL Cy Young and triple crown winner Tarik Skual on the mound for one of the contests.
However, this three-game set proved the Tigers still have a long way to go.
Los Angeles was poised during late innings when things were tied, tight or they trailed.
Detroit was not.
The Dodgers were able to come up with clutch hit after clutch hit when the team needed it most.
The Tigers weren't.
That's to be expected when considering one team is coming off winning a World Series with multiple MVPs littered throughout their batting order and established players surrounding them, while the other has players who hope to one day be as good as those in the other dugout.
It was a mismatch on paper, and that was evident on the field.
It's further proof Detroit still has a ways to go if they're truly going to be competing for a championship in the coming years.
While Los Angeles is a tough measuring stick since they are the cream of the crop right now in Major League Baseball, this early series also exposed some of the massive flaws the Tigers had coming into the season.
Lack of offense and inexperienced arms were on full display, and it cost them an opportunity to make a statement with a series win when they had chances to make that happen.
Detroit has time to improve during the 162-game campaign, but they have to start doing so in a manner that results in wins immediately or else they could find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to October this time around.
