The 2011 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 111th season. The season began on March 31 at New York against the Yankees, and the home opener was on April 8 against the Kansas City Royals. The Tigers honored the late Sparky Anderson during the season. The Tigers sent five players to the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game: starting pitcher Justin Verlander, first baseman Miguel Cabrera, catcher Alex Avila, shortstop Jhonny Peralta, and closer José Valverde. The regular season concluded September 28 at home against the Cleveland Indians, with the Tigers holding a 95–67 record.
The season saw the team's first 11-game winning streak since 1968, and first nine-game winning streak since 1984 – both years in which the Tigers went on to win the World Series. The streak ended at 12 games on September 14. It consisted of four consecutive three-game sweeps over their AL Central Division rivals. It was the Tigers longest winning streak since the 1934 team won 14 straight.
On September 16, the Tigers clinched the AL Central Division title with a 3–1 win over the Oakland Athletics. It was their first American League Central Division title since they joined the division in 1998, and the team's first division title of any kind since winning the American League East in 1987. They became the first team of the season to qualify for the American League Division Series, and first team in either league to clinch their division. The Tigers clinched the division with 11 games left to play, tying the franchise record set by the 1984 team. Justin Verlander was named both American League Cy Young Award winner and AL Most Valuable Player for an outstanding season that saw him lead the league in wins (24), strikeouts (250) and ERA (2.40).
On October 6, the Tigers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the ALDS, winning the series 3–2, and advancing to the American League Championship Series, which they lost to the Texas Rangers 4–2.
2010-11 offseason activities
Signings
On October 21, the Tigers re-signed third baseman Brandon Inge for two more seasons with an option for a third. On November 8, the Tigers re-signed shortstop Jhonny Peralta for two more seasons with an option for a third. On November 19, the Tigers signed relief pitcher Joaquín Benoit to a three-year contract. On November 24, the Tigers signed catcher/designated hitter Víctor Martínez to a four-year contract. On December 16, the Tigers re-signed outfielder Magglio Ordóñez to a one-year contract. On January 12, the Tigers re-signed outfielder Ryan Raburn to a two-year deal, avoiding arbitration. On January 14, the Tigers re-signed relief pitcher Joel Zumaya to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. On January 18, the Tigers signed starting pitcher Brad Penny to a one-year deal. On February 7, the Tigers re-signed starting pitcher Phil Coke. On March 2, the Tigers re-signed relief pitcher Ryan Perry, catcher Alex Avila, utility man Don Kelly, and outfielders Brennan Boesch and Austin Jackson.
Releases
On December 14, the Tigers released relief pitcher Alfredo Fígaro. On February 1, the Tigers released pitcher Jeremy Bonderman. Other losses include outfielder Johnny Damon and catcher Gerald Laird, both to free agency.
Trades
On January 24, the Tigers traded starting pitcher Armando Galarraga to Arizona for pitchers Kevin Eichhorn and Ryan Robowski.
In-season transactions On May 27, the Tigers traded infielder Scott Sizemore to Oakland for relief pitcher David Purcey. On July 20, the Tigers traded pitcher Antonio Cruz and catcher Julio Rodriguez to Kansas City for third baseman Wilson Betemit. On July 30, the Tigers traded pitchers Charlie Furbush and Chance Ruffin, outfielder Casper Wells, and third baseman Francisco Martinez to Seattle for pitchers Doug Fister and David Pauley. On August 15, the Tigers traded pitchers Cole Nelson and Lester Oliveros to Minnesota for outfielder Delmon Young.
Personnel changes On July 3, after Tigers pitchers had given up 51 runs in the previous five games (including three games in which 14 or more runs were allowed), pitching coach Rick Knapp was fired. Then-bullpen coach Jeff Jones was named the new pitching coach and Mike Rojas was made the new bullpen coach.
Roster 2011 Detroit Tigers Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders Manager
Coaches (infield) (first base) (pitching) (third base) (hitting) (bullpen catcher) (bullpen)
Tributes to Sparky Anderson On November 4, 2010, Sparky Anderson, Tigers manager from 1979 to 1995, died at age 76. In his honor, the Tigers wore a memorial patch on their sleeves (seen at right), and a flag was raised in his honor on Opening Day. Additionally, Anderson's No. 11 jersey was officially retired by the Tigers on June 26, 2011. His name and number were also placed on the left-field wall at Comerica Park, joining other past Tiger greats. Anderson is the second non-player (after broadcaster Ernie Harwell) to have his name on this wall.
Notable games
Below is a chronology of highlights during the 2011 Detroit Tigers regular season.From game summaries at cbssports.com.
March 31: The season opened with a 6–3 loss in New York's Yankee Stadium. Justin Verlander gave up three runs in six innings, but former Tiger Curtis Granderson broke a 3–3 tie in the seventh inning with a two-run home run off reliever Phil Coke. April 2: Newly acquired C/DH Víctor Martínez hit his first home run in a Tiger uniform, but starter Brad Penny, another off-season acquisition, surrendered eight runs in innings as the Tigers fell to the Yankees again, 10–6. April 3: The Tigers earned their first victory of the season in a 10–7 slugfest over the Yankees that featured two home runs by Miguel Cabrera and another by Brennan Boesch. April 6: Justin Verlander picked up his first win of the season as the Tigers defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 7–3. Catcher Alex Avila hit a home run and drove in a career-high five runs. April 11: The Tigers fell to 3–7 on the season with a 2–0 loss to the Texas Rangers, who went to 9–1 with the win. Justin Verlander pitched a complete game, but was outdueled by the Rangers' Alexi Ogando. April 12: Detroit rebounded with a 5–4 win against Texas when Miguel Cabrera hit a walk-off bases-loaded single with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. April 13: Brandon Inge hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Tigers their second straight walk-off win, a 3–2 decision over the Rangers. April 16: Miguel Cabrera hit a game-tying solo home run in the top of the ninth, and the Tigers scored seven runs in the top of the tenth inning to win their first extra-inning game of the season, 8–4 over the Oakland Athletics. The victory was the 1,500th in manager Jim Leyland's major league career. The victory also put the Tigers (7–7) at the .500 mark for the first time this season. April 22: Ryan Raburn hit a home run and collected four RBIs in a 9–3 victory over the Chicago White Sox to help Justin Verlander even his record at 2–2, and get the Tigers back to .500 at 10–10. Verlander fanned A. J. Pierzynski for his 1,000th career strikeout. April 24: Max Scherzer threw eight shutout innings in a 3–0 victory over the White Sox, as the Tigers completed a three-game sweep over their AL Central rivals. May 1: The Tigers were swept by the division-leading Cleveland Indians, as reliever Joaquín Benoit surrendered three eighth-inning runs in a 5–4 loss. The blazing hot Indians won their 13th straight home game on the season and ran their record to 19–8. It was the sixth straight loss for the Tigers, leaving them at 12–16, 7.5 games back in the AL Central. May 2: The Tigers lost their seventh straight game, dropping a 5–3 decision at home to the Yankees. The game was played 72 years to the day that late Yankee slugger Lou Gehrig's 2,130 consecutive games played streak ended in Detroit. May 3: The Tigers snapped their seven-game losing streak as Scott Sizemore, just recalled from the minors, went 3-for-4 with an RBI to help the Tigers to a 4–2 win over the Yankees. May 5: The Tigers took 3 of 4 from the Yankees, with Brennan Boesch leading the way in a 4–2 Tigers win. Boesch homered and drove in 3 runs, while starter Rick Porcello went seven strong innings. May 7: Justin Verlander took a perfect game into the eighth inning in Toronto before surrendering a leadoff walk to Blue Jays catcher J. P. Arencibia. Arencibia would be erased on a double-play, and Verlander completed his second career no-hitter in a 9–0 victory while facing the minimum 27 batters. The Tiger ace fanned four on the day, and helped his cause with a fine defensive play in the fifth inning. Edwin Encarnación hit a line drive that glanced off Verlander's forearm. The Tiger hurler scrambled to retrieve the ball and threw in the dirt to first base, but Miguel Cabrera scooped up the throw to just beat the runner. May 9: The Tigers twice sent 10 batters to the plate in an inning (the fourth and seventh) in a 10–5 rout over the Blue Jays that saw Max Scherzer go to 6–0 on the season. Detroit also evened its record again at 18–18. May 11: A 64-minute delay due to golf ball sized hail in Minneapolis could not stop the Tigers from again scoring 10 runs and defeating the Minnesota Twins, 10–2. Victor Martinez got three hits and drove in four runs. Twins starter Francisco Liriano had thrown a no-hitter in his previous start, but the Tigers chased him after just three innings in this affair. May 12: Jhonny Peralta hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game against the Twins, and Tigers went on to win 9–7 after a Brandon Inge RBI triple in the ninth. May 13: Making a bid to become the second pitcher in major league history to throw back-to-back no-hitters, Justin Verlander blanked the Kansas City Royals on no hits through 5.2 innings, before surrendering a triple to Melky Cabrera. The Tigers would go on to win their sixth straight, 3–1. May 14: Struggling starter Brad Penny righted himself with eight shutout innings, as the Tigers won their seventh straight, 3–0 over the Royals. Closer José Valverde picked up his 10th save in 10 opportunities. May 21: The streaky Tigers followed up their seven-game winning streak by losing five straight, this time dropping a 6–2 decision to the Pittsburgh Pirates in an interleague game. May 22: The losing streak promptly ended as Rick Porcello tossed a one-hit gem over eight innings and the Tigers collected a 2–0 victory over the Pirates. May 23: Charlie Furbush, just brought up from the minors, pitched 3.2 shutout innings in relief of Phil Coke to earn his first big-league victory in a 6–3 decision over the Tampa Bay Rays. Outfielder Andy Dirks, brought up a week prior, hit his first major league home run. May 24: Despite Justin Verlander's worst outing of the season, the Tigers managed a 7–6 come-from-behind victory over the Rays. Alex Avila homered twice in the game, including the decisive two-run blow in the eighth inning. May 29: Justin Verlander blanked the Boston Red Sox over 7.2 innings, as the Tigers ended a modest three-game losing streak with a 3–0 win in the second game of a doubleheader. May 30: Detroit nipped Minnesota, 6–5, when a controversial fan interference call allowed Jhonny Peralta to score the deciding run in the eighth inning on an Alex Avila double. May 31: Tiger reliever Al Alburquerque won his second game in as many nights, as Detroit again won a 1-run decision over the Twins, 8–7. Joaquín Benoit, making a rare appearance as a closer because José Valverde had pitched in the three previous games, stranded two runners in the ninth for the save. The Tigers posted a 16–10 record in May to climb to 28–26 on the season, but still trailed the Indians by five games in the AL Central.