Much has been made of pitching in baseball over the past few seasons. The game has seen a shift from more dominant power-hitters to more shutdown pitchers since the “steroid era” “ended.”

While there are still many bona fide power hitters in the majors (Miguel Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, Robinson Cano, etc.), building a strong pitching rotation has become more of a prominent priority for successful teams. Just last season (2011), baseball had a pitcher, Justin Verlander, win both the MVP award and the CY Young award in the American League. Pitching has always been important to America’s pastime but now it’s more crucial than ever.

Here is my second installment, breaking down each team’s potential starting rotation for the 2013 season with the average Earned Run Average (we know averaging an average isn’t scientifically sound, but we’re doing it anyway…): This time, the spotlight is on the AL Central…

Detroit Tigers:

1. Justin Verlander (17-8, 2.64 ERA, 239 Strikeouts)
2. Doug Fister (10-10, 3.45 ERA, 137 Strikeouts)
3. Max Scherzer (16-7, 3.74 ERA, 231 Strikeouts)
4. Anibal Sanchez (9-13, 3.86 ERA, 167 Strikeouts)
5. Rick Porcello (10-12, 4.59 ERA, 107 Strikeouts)

Average Combined 2012 ERA: 3.65

Chicago White Sox:

1. Chris Sale (17-8, 3.05 ERA, 192 Strikeouts)
2. Wei-Yin Chen (11-12, 3.37 ERA, 194 Strikeouts)
3. John Danks (3-4, 5.70 ERA, 30 Strikeouts)
4. Gavin Floyd (12-11, 4.29 ERA, 144 Strikeouts)
5. Jose Quintana (6-6, 3.76 ERA, 81 Strikeouts)

Average Combined 2012 ERA: 4.03

Kansas City Royals:

1. James Shields (15-10, 3.52 ERA, 223 Strikeouts)
2. Jeremy Guthrie (8-12, 4.76 ERA, 101 Strikeouts)
3. Ervin Santana (9-13, 5.16 ERA, 133 Strikeouts)
4. Wade Davis (3-0, 2.43 ERA, 87 Strikeouts)
5. Bruce Chen (11-14, 5.07 ERA, 140 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 4.20

Cleveland Indians:

1. Justin Masterson (11-15, 4.93 ERA, 159 Strikeouts)
2. Ubaldo Jimenez (9-17, 5.40 ERA, 143 Strikeouts)
3. Zach McAllister (6-8, 4.24 ERA, 110 Strikeouts)
4. Brandon Morrow (10-15, 4.88 ERA, 134 Strikeouts)
5. Trevor Bauer (1-2, 6.06 ERA, 17 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 5.10

Minnesota Twins:

1. Vance Worley (6-9, 4.20 ERA, 107 Strikeouts)
2. Scott Diamond (12-9, 3.54 ERA, 90 Strikeouts)
3. Kevin Correia (12-11, 4.21 ERA, 89 Strikeouts)
4. Liam Hendriks (1-8, 5.59 ERA, 50 Strikeouts)
5. Brian Duensing (4-12, 5.12 ERA, 69 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 4.53

Justin Verlander, the best pitcher in baseball over the last few years, leads a Tigers rotation that is loaded. By leadfoot on Flickr [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The addition of James Shields and Ervin Santana will boost that starting rotation to one of the stronger rotations in the division. I think Santana will overcome his shortcomings over the few previous seasons with the Angels and will return to form. I also believe Shields will now embrace his role of being the number one starter, coming out of David Price’s shadows in Tampa Bay.

Both the Twins’ and Indians’ rotations will be amongst the worst in the majors. Thin rotations are a big reason why it doesn’t look like either team will be competing for the playoffs again this season. While the Royals are the team I believe will end up with the most improved rotation, I still think the division title belongs to the Tigers. The division will come down to the last few weeks as it did last season, with the Tigers winning it and earning the right to try and defend their title as American League champs.

Alex Avila culminated the event when in the 7th inning of an Angel/Tiger matchup a mid-90s Jered Weaver (14-5, 1.94 ERA) fastball whirled inches from his brow. What followed was the hot tempered Weaver being ejected and a Tigers bewildering 3-2 win.

How on earth did things get there?

A 3rd inning two run homerun by Magglio Ordonez began the affair.

After smashing a breaking ball 400 hundred feet to left field, the veteran 3rd baseman paused in the batter’s box in Barry Bonds fashion before charismatically tottering around the bases.

Weaver didn’t agree with the showboating.

“There’s a level of respect in this game,” Weaver said. “I’ve never shown anybody up or ever done anything like that. When you’re standing up at the plate and do what he did, I don’t agree with that.”

Lost in the fracas was a quiet no-hit effort mounting by Justin Verlander (14-5, 2.34 ERA). Just four outs shy of joining Nolan Ryan, Bob Fellar and Sandy Koufax as the only pitcher to throw 3 no-hitters since 1900, the power pitching ace lost his chance giving up a bunt hit to Erick Aybar.

Unfortunately, a walk and a base hit by Maicer Izturis scored 2 runs in the inning, but most unfortunate, was the forearm shiver Aybar landed Verlander at home. Both benches nearly cleared and the swelling personification of youth continued to evolve.

By that point Weaver had been tossed and rationality kicked to the curb—after sitting down 12 straight Tigers post-Ordonez with a dominating mix of fastballs, changeups and sliders, the 26-year-old charismatic competitor completely lost his way in a whim of angry indiscretion.

A full count solo shot to right by Tigers 2nd baseman Carlos Guillen is where things got silly. Standing in the batter’s box for the entire shot to right, Guillan tossed his bat and stared down Weaver. The two engaged with heated words and quickly the game took on a life of its own.

Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt warned both benches and attempted to maturely dim the grade school bib wearing shin dig. Sadly to no avail, as the Aybar incident proved the American athletes spoiled and provocative need for Hollywood attention comes first and always foremost.

For Weaver, the answer of retribution was simple.

“After what Guillen did, I thought that just kind of crossed the line. I’m not just going to go out there and take that. There’s a line that needs to be drawn. If they want to play the game that way, that’s the way it’s going to be.”

But for Tigers 3-time all-star, Guillen saw things differently.

“That’s the first time I’ve done that,” Guillen said. “But the way he reacted to Magglio … we’re a team. I apologize to his teammates. That’s not the way I play. But it’s part of the game.”

The point made is that we all see things in a different light, but most necessary is our understanding of our polar opposites that we might grow and reverberate with wisdom.

For 15th year veteran Torii Hunter the situation was a poor display of professionalism.

“All that is stupid,” Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. “Everybody was stupid. That was unprofessional on both sides.”

Suspensions will be sought out by league officials affecting two teams currently fighting for their playoff survival. And despite Weaver or Guillan feeling justified in their actions will be a perfect slap on the wrist to two young stars. 

For Alex Avila, the simplicity of life was a spared element in the lucky turn of a Bob Gibson curse.