The Tigers have a bullpen loaded with hard throwers from both sides of the mound. No finesse here. Here is how the bullpen for 2012 stands as of right now:

CLOSER: Jose Valverde: 33-year old righty Jose Valverde is a true lockdown closer as he converted in all 49 of his save opportunities during the regular season. He pitched in 75 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 2-4 with 49 saves, a 2.24 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He has now pitched in 135 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Tigers and he is 4-8 with 75 saves, a 2.59 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Valverde has now pitched in 514 games (0 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 23-27 with 242 saves, a 3.02 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He is one of the most underrated closers in all of baseball.

SET-UP MAN: Joaquin Benoit: 34-year old righty Joaquin Benoit started last season slowly for the Tigers, but he was dominating in the second half of the year. Benoit pitched in 66 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 4-3 with 2 saves, a 2.95 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. He has now pitched in 402 games (55 starts) in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 35-31 with 11 saves, a 4.34 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Benoit is a late bloomer as he has been downright nasty the last couple of seasons.

RIGHTIES: Octavio Dotel: 38-year old Octavio Dotel will be the 7th inning guy for the Tigers in 2012 and he’s a pretty darn good pitcher. Dotel pitched in 65 games (0 starts) for the Blue Jays & Cardinals last year and he was 5-4 with 3 saves, a 3.50 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. Dotel has now pitched in 695 games (34 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 54-47 with 108 saves, a 3.74 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. I don’t look for Dotel to slow down any time soon.

Al Alburquerque: 25-year old Al Alburquerque is going to miss at least half of this season as he recovers from elbow surgery. That is a shame for both Alburquerque and the Tigers as he was electric for them during the regular season. He pitched in 41 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 6-1 with a 1.87 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Not bad for a pitcher getting his first taste of the majors.

David Pauley: 28-year old David Pauley came to the Tigers in the same deal that Doug Fister did last year. He only pitched in 14 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 0-2 with a 5.95 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP. Pauley pitched in 53 games (0 starts) overall last year for the Mariners & Tigers and he was 5-6 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Pauley has now pitched in 81 games (20 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 9-18 with a 4.52 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. The Tigers hope that Pauley pitches like he did for the Mariners last year in 2012.

Collin Balester: 25-year old Collin Balester came to the Tigers in the Ryan Perry deal with the Nationals over the winter. Balester pitched in 23 games (0 starts) for the Nationals last year and he was 1-4 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He has now pitched in 62 games (22 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 5-16 with a 5.17 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Balester will try to win the long man role in the Tigers’ pen this spring.

Brayan Villarreal: 24-year old Brayan Villarreal has a big time right arm, but he’s wild. He pitched in 16 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP. Villarreal also pitched in 17 games (10 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. He will need to have a good spring to make the Tigers’ bullpen in 2012.

LEFTIES: Phil Coke: 29-year old Phil Coke will be a full-time reliever in 2012. He pitched in 48 games (14 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 3-9 with a 4.47 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. He has now pitched in 122 games (15 starts) in his first two years with the Tigers and he is 10-14 with 3 saves, a 4.21 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Coke has now pitched in 206 games (15 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 15-17 with 5 saves, a 4.06 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. I think he’s going to have a much better year for the Tigers in 2012.

Daniel Schlereth: 25-year old Daniel Schlereth has a power arm, but he’s wild. He pitched in 49 games (0 starts) for the Tigers last year and he was 2-2 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He has now pitched in 67 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Tigers and he is 4-2 with 1 save, a 3.33 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Schlereth has now pitched in 88 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 5-6 with 1 save, a 3.87 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. If he starts throwing more strikes, he could be a closer someday….as his stuff is that good.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2012: A