The Detroit Tigers are in the MLB playoffs
The surprising Detroit Tiger’s have done something this year that they haven’t been able to do in nearly 20 years; made the post season playoffs. They did this by beating the Kansas City Royals and running their major league leading record to 94-62. They lead the American League Central Division by 1 ½ games going into the last week of the season and even if they were to lose the Division title; they would still make it as the Wild Card. If they were to make it as the Wild Card team, they would do that for the first time in team history.
I have been a Detroit Tiger fan for all my life and I haven’t this excited in quite a while. I have been following the box scores and keeping track of the standings from the beginning of the season and with the exception of this slide the Tiger’s were on I have been very optimistic about our chances to make the playoffs. I give a lot of the credit to this turn around of the Tiger’s to hiring of manager Jim Leyland, he was out of baseball for 5 years and yet he got our players to play as a team and to believe in themselves.
The change has been nothing short of miraculous, if you consider where we were not to long ago, in 2003 we set a American record for losses with 119 (43-119) and in 2004 and 2005 we finished subpar ; 72-90 and 70-92, respectively. Now we actually have shot at winning 100 games this season and that to me would be phenomenal.
A big part of the Tigers success has to be the maturing of young pitchers like Justin Verlander, Joel Zumaya and Zach Miner, plus the off season addition of veteran Kenny Rogers. Any GM will tell you that you can have all the offense in the world, but unless you have a good to great pitching staff, you will not make it to the big show.
The next step in the process is for the Tigers to continue to build a good farm system so they can develop the talent and build a team capable of playing with the Yankee’s every year.
It’s very exciting for our Tigers to be in the playoffs. It’s been too long. And the great thing, you mention the farm system. They have some great talent in the wings as we saw at the “Futures game” this past summer. GO TIGERS!
Comment by Corey — September 26, 2006 @ 3:01 pm
Even though I am not a sports fanatic, I do like your blog and all the information you offer. Your site is really good. Have a great day.
Comment by onemargaret — September 30, 2006 @ 2:33 pm
hey, congrats. i’m rooting for the tigers this october. my reds were officially eliminated today. it was a good, surprising run, but depressing nonetheless.
Comment by Daedalus — September 30, 2006 @ 6:17 pm
Corey,
It really is very exciting that our Tiger’s finally made it back to the playoffs and have a chance to win the Central Division
Comment by Administrator — September 30, 2006 @ 8:54 pm
Onemargaret,
Thank you for the kind words and I hope you stop by again.
Comment by Administrator — September 30, 2006 @ 8:56 pm
Daedalus,
I can understand and if the Tiger’s would have been eliminated from the playoffs after having the best record in baseball for much of the season, I would have been pretty depressed myself
Comment by Administrator — September 30, 2006 @ 8:58 pm
It has to hurt a little to lose the Division Championship though.
Comment by S.J. — October 1, 2006 @ 8:05 pm
SJ,
Yes it is a bit bittersweet, but this is actually the first time in the Tiger history that they will be a wild card team. Besides, every Tiger fan knows that the Tigers usually fall apart at the end of the season. Fortunately, they had a big enough cushion that they were able to still win the wild card. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Comment by Administrator — October 1, 2006 @ 8:08 pm