Are the Detroit Tigers for real?

DAN SHAUGHNESSY
Globe columnist
The Tigers have the best record in baseball, but few of us are willing to call them the best team in baseball. Certainly, hovering near 40 games above .500 is a great achievement in any baseball season and few of us saw this coming from the Bengals, but I feel they are in for an Indianapolis Colts kind of letdown when they get to the playoffs. They will get to the playoffs. With their pitching and the number of wins they already have, the Tigers can win 95 games just by showing up. But they can be beaten in the playoffs. After all, who can possibly be intimidated by Todd Jones?

NICK CAFARDO
Globe sports reporter
The Tigers are absolutely for real. What remains to be seen, however, is whether their young pitching staff can remain atop their game through the final seven weeks. Giving Justin Verlander a respite recently was an excellent idea for a kid who hasn't pitched this many stressful innings in his career. So we'll see whether the youngsters crash through any wall they might have or will endure and steam on through into the playoffs and World Series. But with Jim Leyland's leadership and baseball street smarts, I think they will.

GORDON EDES
Red Sox beat writer
Shame on you for asking. Of course, they're for real. They break even the rest of the way, and they'll win right around 100 games. They have the only sub-4 ERA in the AL, they have two 100-mile-an-hour blowers in Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya, and a staff leader in Kenny Rogers. They have a solid core of veterans in Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordonez, and a revitalized Pudge Rodriguez, a solid rookie in center field in Curtis Granderson, and a manager, Jim Leyland, who transformed the culture of losing in the Motor City. GM Dave Dombrowski has a track record of building winners, and he's done it again.

AMALIE BENJAMIN
Globe sports reporter
Sure, they're for real. It just doesn't mean they're guaranteed a World Series win. But the Tigers have demonstrated that they are unquestionably the most consistent winner in the American League. Their starting pitching -- Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman -- has been impressive, and with just two four-loss streaks, the team has been able to maintain its momentum, turning a hot start into a hot season. While their offense isn't exactly the '27 Yankees, any team that has allowed 50 fewer runs than any other team in the major leagues should certainly be considered ``for real."

JACK ATKINSON
Chelsea, Mich.
As a transplanted Roslindale guy (I refuse to write ``former") now living in southeast Michigan, I can tell you that the Tigers are the real deal. Their pitching is deep, and they're getting timely hits and solid defense. Sean Casey was an excellent acquisition (in spite of his current batting average). Most importantly, they've got Jim Leyland, who has turned them into a true team. Also, Carlos Guillen might be the most underrated shortstop in the AL. I was at the game against Cleveland when they won on a two-run, two-out homer by the other Pudge (who is better than the original, as I've seen both). These guys never quit.