Try Again

We all know what has happened over the past five months.  Pandemic.  The Covid-19 virus has changed our lives forever.  There is no two ways about it.  One of the main constants in my life is sports, in particular baseball.  The season was just about to get underway when the country went into lock down and it is finally resuming.  I know that on a personal level I would get along just fine without watching any sports for a year, but it is nice to have.  It's a bit of an escape for me.  Some people have video games or working out or personal groups.  I have sports, in particular baseball.  I just always have.  And for the first three weeks when it was suppose to be being played, it felt like something was missing.  As it became more and more clear that the pandemic was never really going away and sport seasons were getting postponed or canceled, all I could really think about was watching baseball in 2021.  That would have been okay.  By the time whispers and murmurs were starting that the season might well indeed take place, I just thought 'cool.  weird but cool.'  The day are finally here!  Tomorrow the 2020 season will begin!


With the season going from 162 games down to 60, I need to re-imagine my fun hot takes for the season.  For a quick recap of what I thought back in May, follow this link.  This season is going to be more fun than the typical year but also more stressful.  Not for us Tigers fans though, they'll still end the season way outside the playoffs.  Or will they? 

• C.J. Cron will lead the A.L. in home runs with 15.
• Austin Romine will throw out 25% of potential base stealers 
• Casey Mize will make three starts with the MLB team.
• Riley Greene will make his MLB debut this season.
• Spencer Turnbll will be traded.
• No Tiger will steal more than 5 bases.
• Michael Fulmer and Daniel Norris will become the Opener/Mid option at the back end of the rotation.
• Ron Gardenhire will be ejected 3 times
•  The Tigers will not have a top five draft pick in 2021.
• I think the Pirates, Marlins, Royals, Orioels, and Mariners will all have worse seasons
•  After the season, Cron and Matthew Boyd will both receive contract extensions

So Your Team Is Terrible. Now What?

As a way to cope with the fact that the Detroit Tigers are going to be terrible for the next few years, I have been looking for reasons to be excited about the team.  This is something that the fan base hasn't had to deal with in over a decade, and I'm sure that other fans have dealt with this.  When we lived in Kansas, Royals fans were desperate for something resembling a winning team.  That didn't happen until we moved, but I remember some co-workers being excited about the minor leaguers that they had in the farm system.  Those minor leaguers are the ones that led the team to the World Series.  So that was cool.  

• Find a different team to watch for a couple of years.  Here in Minnesota, the Twins are starting to become relevant.  At least within the division and in the Wild Card.  They won't go much further than that, but at the very least they'll be playing meaningful games throughout most of the season.  It is difficult to deal with the fact this team is within the same division as the Tigers, but they're going to be on my television.  

• Dive into the farm system.  The farm system is the future.  There is still a ways to go for the fans to be excited about the players in the system, but it's the future.

• Relive the glory days.  This is a dangerous practice because when you actually see the record that the Tigers are going to have this year, it'll cause brain hemorrhages.  If you want to live in a nice little bubble, go nuts.  Only for those who are not ready for the fact that your favorite team is going to be struggling through the year.  

• Just suck it up and deal with it.  Embrace the pain and self hate you will deal with when watching a team struggle.  It'll make you bitter and angry, but you'd come out just fine.  It'll make the future, when they win more than seventy games, that much brighter.  

• Go watch a game in person.  Whether it is at the major league level, AAA, or some random independent league go to the ballpark.  Embrace the experience.  Get outside and enjoy the weather.  The sounds of the game, the smell of the ballpark, the warmth of the sun on your face can make you forget about how your favorite team is sitting in the basement of the division.  

We Need A Villain

While the Tigers season was practically done by the middle of July, the season did continue on.  I watched them get humiliated by the Twins in a four game sweep.  Which, good for the Twins, they have been bad for a long time and this year are in the hunt for a wild card race.  That is the nice about baseball.  There always seems to be a historically bad team that has a good year and most people rally around them hoping that they'll make a deep run in the playoffs.  The Chicago Cubs are the obvious example with their World Series win last year, but the Cleveland Indians (sad to say) also are starting to play very well.

When we lived in Wichita, I watched a lot of Royals games.  They weren't the back to back American League Champion Royals, they were the lose ninety games Royals.  When they did win, with the exception of when they played Detroit, you felt good for them.  If they had a seventy five win season, that was a great year and something to build upon.  I think that no matter what team you root for if a bad team plays well doesn't a little bit of you feel good for them?  Except the White Sox.  Fuck that team.

But if everyone is happy for everyone else isn't there something missing?  It's almost like baseball, every sport for that matter, needs that one team every fan rallies against.  In football you have the New England Patriots.  Basketball has the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors.  Hockey has the Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Teams that are either historically good or currently winning a title every time you turn around.  And who does baseball have?  The New York Yankees of course.  And to a lesser degree the Boston Red Sox.  They won a few titles and aren't considered an underdog much anymore. 

Every sport needs that team to root against.  That team that always has the great players, that seems to get the call in their favor, that will sign your favorite player in the offseason.  For the past few years, the Yankees haven't been the same old Yankees everyone hates.  Sure, we hate them because of they're the Yankees, but they haven't been very relevant when it came to the playoffs the past few years.  Well they're back.  They are going to make the playoffs this season and seem to be peaking at the right time.  We all know that if you're team is hot going into the post season there is no telling what can happen. 

This is a good thing for baseball.  We might not like seeing the Yankees in the post season, but it gives us a villain.  It gives us a reason to watch if our team doesn't make it because we want to see the Yankees lose.  Am I right?  Depending on who they end up playing, I would rather see the Yankees lose than the other team win.  I want to see the dejected faces of the fans as their beloved Yanks get crushed.  It's one of those scenarios where it's 'anyone but New York' for those of us who have no team playing in October.  At least that's the way I'm approaching it. 

Indie Ball

Whenever you think about a sport like baseball, you automatically think of the major league.  Professionals that get paid millions of dollars to do the thing that they love and the thing that we love to watch them do.  You also think of overpriced tickets, overpriced souvenirs, and overpriced food and drink.  You might also think that the players get overpaid.  Personally, I think all of those things from time to time.  Yes, they have worked their entire lives to get to this point and their talents and efforts have paid off.  But what about the guys that never make it to the show?  What about the guys that haven't quite given up on the dream?  The guys that are playing just to play and maybe have an outside chance of signing with an MLB team?  Those are the guys that are playing just to play. 

When we bought our house I couldn't help but notice that we are about a ten minute drive from such a team.  The St. Paul Saints.  They built a new stadium in 2015 in the Lowertown historic neighborhood of St. Paul moving away from Midway (which is for the best).  I also noted how dangerous this could be because the tickets are normally pretty cheap unless it's a holiday weekend.  

The Saints play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball league.  A bit of a mouthful.  Basically it's independent league baseball and encompasses teams from Texas to Canada in the central part of the continent.  There is a lot that goes on because these games aren't to be taken too seriously.  They do a lot of little fun games in between innings with the fans.  Lots of interacting keeps things fun and loose. 

I'm sure that I've written about this before, but my all time favorite memory revolving around baseball happened at a Saints game several years ago.  It was a Friday night game so they had fireworks like plenty of teams do.  It wasn't anything crazy extravagant and didn't go into the wee hours of the night, maybe twenty to thirty minutes.  In the process of the fireworks going off players from both teams, still in their uniforms, after playing a full game, came out of their locker rooms to watch the fireworks.  Just a bunch of guys coming out to watch the fireworks.  It was like that scene in the Sandlot when they were playing baseball on the 4th of July and Benny hits a home run and all the players look to the sky to watch the ball then stop to watch the fireworks instead.  And Ray Charles' version of 'America the Beautiful' plays.  It was magical. 

Here's a shot of the new stadium.  It's very open.  It still has the new stadium smell. 

A post shared by Michael Litzner (@melitzner) on Jul 1, 2017 at 5:13pm PDT

I even bought a hat to support the team!  It's my first non-Tigers organizational hat.  This is a big step for me.  I figure as long as it isn't a team the Tigers play against I'm not breaking my self imposed rule of not buying non-Tigers gear. 

A post shared by Michael Litzner (@melitzner) on Jul 1, 2017 at 8:36pm PDT

New Rules

In the middle of May, I was watching a random baseball game (like I do) because there wasn't much on during a day off I had.  I believe it was Tampa Bay and Kansas City.  Not exactly a marquee match up, hence the afternoon baseball game televised on MLB Network.  During the game a batter hit a hard and fast line drive foul and the ball boy made a great jumping catch preventing the ball from going into the stands and possibly hurt someone.  It got me to thinking, what are some fun (most most likely not going to happen) new rules for the sport of baseball.  Here's a list of fun things that can enhance the game we all love.

1.) If a ballboy/boygirl makes a leaping or diving catch before the ball hits the ground, the batter is out. 
2.) If a ball is hit into the opposing bullpen, the ball can be thrown back into play.
3.) No more dome stadiums.  Retractable roofs are acceptable.
4.) Teams are limited to seven (7) shifts per game.
5.) 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.' is the only song to be played during the seventh inning stretch.
6.) Bat flips are mandatory for no doubt home runs.  No bat flip, runs don't count.
7.) All teams are required to attempt three (3) stolen bases each game.  If requirement is not met, the game is forfeit.
8.) Pitchers are restricted to four (4) throw overs to first base per runner.
9.) If first base is unoccupied a batter can attempt to take the base, regardless of pitch count, on a wild pitch or passed ball.

I tweeted these all out after the play in the Tampa/Kansas City game just for fun.  Then I got to thinking about some of these actually becoming part of the game.  One thing that a lot of people who don't like baseball say is that the pace of play is too slow.  They say it takes too long to complete the game.  Personally, unless the game is creeping into the five hour territory, I don't think the games are too slow.  Not all games are exciting to watch, I will admit, especially if it's two teams that are struggling.  If you make a rule like limiting shifts per game or limiting throws over to first base you keep the pitcher on task of throwing to the batter so the game keeps moving.  If you require a team to attempt stolen bases you force the game to move forward.  It creates excitement.  Stolen bases are fun.  You also create an opportunity for an out thus making an inning that much shorter. 

Exciting Plays

My wife commented a while back that I tend to write a lot about sports.  Baseball in particular.  She was also nice enough to point out that maybe not everyone wants to read about sports every single post I write.  Because I'm a stubborn and petty person, I present to you a post about some baseball plays.

It is true that baseball isn't the most exciting sport out there.  While the game is constantly moving, there are plenty of lulls in the action.  When something does happen, the entire ballpark erupts.  Unless it is the opposing team that has the exciting play.  No matter if it is the team I am cheering for or their opponents, if a few certain plays occur during a game I find them exciting and entertaining. 

The stolen base.  While stolen bases are fairly common, it is still exciting and energizing to watch.  The most exciting part of the play is the throw from the catcher to the base.  Anything can happen once it leaves the throwing arm.  Yes, more often than not the fielder catches it, but if it's a bad throw it's that much more entertaining.  And shall we talk about a straight steal of home?  Does it even happen anymore?  That can bring everyone to their feet.  

The double play.  The double play is poetry in motion.  Especially the 4-6-3 (second base-shortstop-first base) double play.  The shortstop coming to the bag and continuing his motion and then with the throw to first.  It can all be so fluid.  And while the 6-4-3 double play is just as wonderful, it is just a little more choppy because the second baseman has to turn and throw and interrupts the fluidity of the play.  It's still sexy though. 

A triple.  The triple to me is the most exciting play in all of baseball.  More exciting than a home run.  More exciting than a walk off hit.  It is the most exciting because several things have to fall into place for it to happen.  You need a batter with speed, so that is exciting to watch because he is going to be flying around the bases.  You need a well struck ball to the outfield and the ball needs to find a gap.  Or the outfielder needs to make a bad play on the ball.  The ball has to be thrown back into play and more often than not, there is a close play at third base.  The batter will be sliding into the base and a tag will be applied.  The play can go either way.  

Honorable mention:  the home run.  The ball gets hit hard and far.  And it travels very fast off the bat to the bleachers.  It gets the team and fans pumped up.  The only downside is that it ends about as quickly as it begins.  Many batters trot around the bases and that can take away from the moment. 

My Own Holiday

Everyone has their favorite things.  Whether it is food or movies or sports.  For me it is baseball.  As I've gotten older, my love for it has just grown.  It sure has been nice the past decade being a Tigers fan.  It hasn't always been that way.  We all remember how bad they were in the late 90s and early 2000s.  We all don't want to remember it, but we do.  They are transitioning to a younger team and in the process of rebuilding/retooling.  They are outside shots at getting into the playoffs let alone the World Series.  That is okay though. 


The past few years, I have taken Opening Day off of work to watch baseball.  Living in Minnesota, I don't always get to see the Tigers, but I do have the MLB Network and they do live look ins throughout the day.  The Twins play later in the day today and I'll watch them take on the Royals.  While I'm not a full on supporter of the Twins, I have been following them as long as we have lived in this state.  Plus, if they can beat the Royals that is for the best.  I take the day off because I look at it as a bit of a holiday.  Every year there are tons of people that clamor for the day after the super bowl to be some sort of holiday so they don't have to go to work.  I don't care that much for football, so I have never been one of those people.  I am, however, one of those people when it comes to baseball.  This is the national past time.  This is a day of wonder, joy, and excitement.  

I have yet to make it to an Opening Day at the ballpark.  I have been to opening weekend a few years ago when the Tigers were here in Minnesota.  It was game two of the season.  That is as close as I have come.  True, it would be best to get to Detroit for Opening Day, but that has not come to pass.  I would take what I could get though.  If someone handed me a ticket to the Twins/Royals game today, I would take it.  IT'S OPENING DAY! 

I threw on my Alan Trammell jersey, my Tigers hat, and planted myself on the couch.  Nerdy?  Yes.  Does it make me smile?  Absolutely. 

A post shared by Michael Litzner (@melitzner) on Apr 3, 2017 at 9:24am PDT

I grew up watching baseball.  I remember skipping college classes on Opening Day to watch the terrible Tigers of 2001-2004.  I have taken the day off of work the past few years, and I will continue to do so as long as I can.  If you have a love of a sport why wouldn't you want to, in some way shape or form, partake in it's Opening Day? 

What Is Fair?

Remember how when the Winter Meetings started in December that there were rumblings of the Detroit Tigers burning everything to the ground?  There was talk about the possibility of moving just about every player on the roster to restock the farm system and prepare to be better in the future.  Remember those sleepless nights when you thought about Justin Verlander or Miguel Cabrera in another uniform?  I remember.  And Pepperidge Farm remembers too.  Obviously they did no such thing.  They were insufferably quiet during the Winter Meetings.  How would you feel if your team decided to do this?  Moreover, how would you feel if you were a player that was traded?

After the White Sox traded away Adam Eaton and Chris Sale, I started to think about this.  They've gone full rebuild.  They traded away excellent players to restock their farm system and build for the future.  It works out for both parties.  Eaton and Sale got traded away to teams that will be in contention for the next few years.  It's good for them and good for the Tigers for the next few years.  Eaton and Sale are perennial thorns in the side.  The prospects that got sent to Chicago are seen as the future of the organization, they can play along side each other in the minors and come up and, ideally, play at a top level for years to come.  That is how you rebuild a team.  Get four or five top prospects and fill in the rest with serviceable players.

But is this fair to the other players on the roster of the White Sox?  I know that you have to be somewhat competitive while you wait for the prospects to develop, but is it fair to the other MLB players?  It's like 'you guys aren't good enough to trade, so you're stuck with us for the time being.  Have fun losing ninety games a year for the next two to three years!  If these players are younger and at the start of their career, while it might be painful for them to endure, they'll be fine.  They'll be the leadership of the team when they become competitive again.  What if you're at the peak or just past it though?  Would you take some offense to that?  I know it's part of baseball and these types of things happen, but that would be tough to deal with.

Missed Opportunity

At the beginning of this month, Major League Baseball had their annual Winter Meetings.  It's a time of year when you see some trades and free agent signings and is the first big splash event of the upcoming season.  A little strange to be thinking about baseball when there's a foot of snow on the ground, but for those of us who absolutely love this sport above all others, it can be a fun time.  There was plenty of speculation that the Detroit Tigers would be moving a few of their big name players in order to get 'leaner' as their GM Al Avila said.  However, they did nothing.  And they missed an opportunity.

In all the speculation of the Tigers being active players in the Winter Meetings, there were plenty of fans that were anxious as the weekend started.  They weren't going to move players like Verlander or Cabrera (or were they?) but there were thoughts that some of their younger players would be on the move.  Guys like JD Martinez and Ian Kinsler were talked about.  And even Justin Wilson and Jose Iglesias names popped up.  And then, just like that, the weekend was over.  And nothing happened.  For the Tigers anyway.

With them not doing anything, they missed an opportunity to get worse, but in the long run get better.  I know that most everyone agrees that if the Tigers were able to win a handful of games against Cleveland this past season they would have made the playoffs, but to what end?  What is the point of making the playoffs if you can't make a legitimate run at the World Series?  With Cleveland making it to game seven of the World Series, I got to thinking.  The Tigers need to let them have their fun in the sun in the division.  Let Cleveland have a few divisional titles while you rebuild and restock the farm system that Dave Dombrowski gutted (I know it wasn't that great of a system to begin with).  Kansas City is still up there and in the mix too.  Let those two battle it out while you sit back and develop a team for the future.

With the talent they have on their current MLB team, it makes it very difficult to just throw the towel in and come to grips with reality.  It seems like every year at the trade deadline the Tigers are either on the cusp of making the playoffs or clearly going to.  With that kind of situation, upper management doesn't want to sell off the pieces for the future.  Normally they want to buy at the trade deadline and make a push into the post season.  Think of two years ago when the Tigers made those trades at the deadline.  I know everyone came to the realization that the Tigers weren't going anywhere that year, but wasn't it exciting to get new young players?  And look, one of them ended up being Rookie of the Year last year!  Add to that that there are some people that think Fulmer isn't even the best of the young pitchers.  There are many that make the argument that Daniel Norris has better stuff and over time could be the better pitcher.  Isn't that exciting?!

With all of this in mind, the Tigers can still do something this season about getting younger and leaner.  At the trade deadline in July, there are always teams that are looking for just one extra player to take them over the top.  The Tigers have such players, and at the trade deadline the sellers hold the trump cards.  The Tigers also need to be smart about what they ask for.  They probably can't make the big splash with just one player, they need to piecemeal a team together.  Get two on the verge of making it minor leaguers for one big leaguer. 

Diversified Baseball

After the Kansas City Royals were eliminated from playoff contention in late September, it was guaranteed that the sport would have it's fifteen different champion in as many years. To me, that is a great thing.  Whether or not the team you routinely cheer for has made it into the post season, if you're a fan of the sport, you should enjoy this fact.  It's good for the sport because it brings in fans from cities and states that might not always be watching baseball in October.  Or watching it at all. 

With all that said, that does not mean that all the teams that are in the post season this year aren't there all the time, or on a consistent basis.  What it means is that you don't see repeat winners.  The closest the sport has had to back to back champions are the Royals who won it all last year and lost to San Fransisco the year before.  It's great to see teams like the Cubs and Indians make it to the playoffs because for some of the players, it's their first trip.  They get really excited about it.  Even if it is just for one series, even if they don't get to the World Series.  It gives them that experience they dreamt about as kids.  Anyone that played baseball as a kid had that dream about hitting a game winning home run in the playoffs or World Series.  This diversity that we see with all kinds of different teams making it to the playoffs let them relive that dream.  Kind of. 

Watching a team repeat as champions is the worst for fans of the game that are fans of the team.  Whenever the team that I root for, regardless of the sport, doesn't make it to the playoffs, I like to find the team that shouldn't be there.  The team that has had a surprising season or a team that has struggled for so long that you feel great for them just for making it to the playoffs.  It's like when a low seeded basketball team makes a deep run in the college basketball tournament.  You find yourself wanting them to knock off the big time teams.  It's the same with baseball.  You don't like seeing teams year after year winning the World Series (unless you root for them).  I like to see diversified post seasons.  Granted, it would be nice to see the Tigers in it every year, but with them out it does make it less stressful to watch. 

If a team makes it to the post season year after year, that does not always guarantee that they'll have a successful run.  One year they could be eliminated in the wild card game only to come back the following year and win it all.  And yes, it's nice to see that.  But I like seeing different teams win it every year.  It makes it that much more exciting.  If you think back to the late 90s and early 2000s, the Yankees were winning seemingly every year.  And weren't we all rooting for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001?  Let's all be honest.  And it wasn't all because it was the Yankees (okay, maybe it was), but wasn't it because we all wanted to see a different team win?  If it had been the Pittsburgh Pirates that were winning year after year, wouldn't you want to see someone else win?

Post Season Pursuit

This season has been playing out a lot better for the Detroit Tigers than it did last year.  By this time last year, they were out of the playoff picture.  Hell, they were out of it by the All Star break.  The fans of the team came to the realization that they are going to be rebuilding over the next few years.  Especially after they traded away big names for prospects.  Much to my surprise, the Tigers find themselves in the hunt for the post season.  This is more exciting than the years that they were dominating the AL Central.  Was it nice when they were easily winning their division?  Yes, it was a guarantee they would be playing baseball into the end of September and October.  But the excitement and anxiety of each game just wasn't there.  Plus, the players know that every game counts.  They know that they have to go that extra mile and make that one extra play that could turn a lose into a win.  Now, every game matters as they battle back and forth with several teams for the playoffs. 

As I eluded to, after last season's disastrous end, I did not have many expectations for the Tigers.  I was hoping for a .500 record by seasons end as they worked the new prospects into the system.  They still have hold overs from their domination the past eight or nine seasons, but they also got younger.  With the emergence of some of the prospects throughout the season, the hopes of the fans grew.  This season is a great example of how baseball is a marathon and not a sprint.  In early May, the Tigers went on a horrendous run and lost eleven of thirteen games.  It was a dark time.  Many thought that they were going to dismiss Brad Ausmus as the manager.  If they had a more excitable or unsteady front office they might have.  They have also lost twelve of the thirteen games they have played against the divisional leader, Cleveland.  If you were to combine those two statistics, you would think that this team was dead in the water in June.  However, they are still within reach of the playoffs.  Most people think it will be through the wild card as opposed to the division.  They are five or six games back of Cleveland, which makes their struggles against that team that much more glaring.  Essentially, they have to win all the remaining games against Cleveland to have any shot at catching them.  Imagine if they had won just three more games against them!  They still have seven or eight games against Cleveland, and you know damn well that every broadcaster is going to bring up their struggles.  Let us hope that it doesn't get in the Tigers' head.  The wild card is now a two team play in game.  The Tigers are going back and forth with Baltimore for the second wild card spot, and they have a big series against them this weekend coming up.  That is where they could make their push for the playoffs.  If they sweep Baltimore, or get swept themselves, it could give a more clear playoff picture. 

The Tigers are not an excitable team.  You don't see them jumping out of the dugout after great plays.  They have that 'let's get this win and move on to the next one' approach.  That is a trait of their leadership.  Both the players and the management.  There are plenty of people out there that would like to see more emotion out of the team, but that's not their style.  Many like to point out that Brad Ausmus isn't a very excitable manager, and it's true.  Sure, it was amazing when he covered home plate with his hoodie earlier this year.  I saw that as his moment to show emotion and show the team that he's there for them, to have their backs.  It's like Jim Leyland's explosion all those years ago about the team just wanting to get on the plane after playing terribly against Cleveland (I believe it was).  All you fans know what I'm talking about. 

One thing I love about the Tigers is that they just have their expectations to drive them and their fan base.  They don't rely on a gimmick to drive the excitement.  They don't have a rally monkey or a rally mantis.  They have their solid play.  They have their experience to draw upon.  Even if the Tigers don't make it to the playoffs, it has been more entertaining this year to watch.  Yes, it's more stressful knowing that each lose puts them further back, but it also makes each win that much more important.  And just think, if they're playing this well now, how much better is the future once these rookies and prospects come into their own?

To Have Seen Them Play

The great thing about sports is that we can not only live in the present, but in the past.  Just a few weeks ago, the baseball Hall of Fame inducted Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza.  Two players that were playing when I was younger and I remember watching. However, I didn't truly appreciate their talents.  They're peaks were in the early to mid 1990s when I was just mainly focused on the Detroit Tigers.

The more I thought about it, the more my mind wandered until it came upon a question:  who would I want to see play? Watching baseball now in my mid 30s, I have a fuller appreciation for the sport.  Being someone who loves history, this sport is right up my alley.  And of course my first thought was to see some of the Tigers greats play.  Cobb.  Lolich.  Greenberg.  Kaline.  Storied names for the franchise.  Even the players from the early 80s when I was so young I don't really remember. Players like Kirk Gibson and Chet Lemon.  I thought it would be fun to think of some non-Tigers players.

Sandy Koufax.  It's a bit of a toss up between Koufax and Bob Gibson as far as pitchers I would like to see.  Although, I think for Gibson I would like to watch his entire 1968 season.  He was straight up masterful that year.  If I had to watch just one game, it would be Koufax.  From his style of pitching to his ability to dominate in games, it'd be hard to argue to want to see someone else.

Ted Williams.  By and large, it's safe to say to any baseball fan that this guy was the greatest hitter ever and you would have minimal arguments.  The last man who I think will ever hit .400 in a season, every time he would step to the plate you would expect some sort of base hit.  And what's not to like about that?  I think most people go to the ballpark to see guys hit.  So why not want to see the best there ever was?

We, as fans, like to think that baseball that was played in the 60s and 70s was a much better time because we have all these giants of the game to reflect upon.  I don't know if we ever really stop to think about the giants that will be that we get to see now.  Thirty or forty years from now, we'll be able to say we remember Mike Trout's rookie season or Bryce Harper's MVP season.  I will surely remember Miguel Cabrera's triple crown season as well as Justin Verlander's two no hitters.  I don't think we truly appreciate what, and who, we get to watch on a daily basis.

Flipping Out

As of late, and it might be because there's no real news, the baseball world is concentrating a little too much on bat flips.  For those not familiar with bat flips:  when a batter has a big hit or a big home run in a crucial point of a game, they toss or flip the bat out of their hand instead of tossing it down to the ground.  It's a way of showing off basically.  This topic will split a room of baseball fans.  The question is:  why aren't batters suppose to do this?

The big argument against it is that it shows up the pitcher that they just got a big hit off of.  That it's disrespectful.  If that's the case, then why is it okay for a pitcher to show up the batter when he gets a strikeout?  Why is it okay for the pitcher to pound his glove or hop off the mound when he gets out of a bases loaded jam?  Doesn't that show up the batter?  There is no retaliation if a pitcher shows up a batter is there?  It's not like a batter can chuck his bat, helmet, or batting gloves at the pitcher.  But batter beware if you flip your bat after hitting a 435 foot home run to take the lead in a game.  The next pitch might find your rib cage.

It is not disrespectful to the pitcher.  These players are human, can't they show some emotion?  A little bat flip or bat toss isn't the end of the world.  If you think Jose Bautista or Bryce Harper doing a little bat flip is outrageous, search 'Korean baseball bat flip' on YouTube.  Let me tell you, these little bat flips will seem tame.  The big controversy last post season was Jose Bautista.  Everyone knows the bat flip.  But did they watch the game?  Did they see Texas take the lead in the top of the 7th?  Did they see the emotions start to amp up?  The reason for the bat flip was because the game was so tense and that home run gave the Blue Jays the lead again.  Emotion is allowed.  They are human.  But you had players coming out of the woodwork saying that Bautista was disrespectful and showed up the pitcher. He had been around for a long time and is a respected player in the game.  This was his first postseason series and you're telling me that Jose Bautista cannot show emotion at that point?  Now, if he does this every single time he hit a home run, you might have a bit of an argument.  But when he hits home runs, he puts his head down, runs the bases, and celebrates with his teammates.  There isn't jumping up and down in the batters box, there isn't any staring down the pitcher.  In my mind, He has earned the right to bat flip.  

In football, you see small celebrations all the time.  Probably twenty times a game you see a guy stand up and signal first down after a big play.  Is that showing up the defense?  Not really.  There are celebrations in the end zone after touchdowns.  The NFL has worked to curtail excessive celebrations with the entire team dancing for an extended period.  But it's fine if a player does a dance or spikes the ball.  In basketball you see players flex their muscles and let out screams after monster dunks.  You see them throw up three fingers when three pointer is scored?  Is that showing up the opponent?  Not if they flex their muscles and then turn around and go back to the game.  If they stand above them and stare them down, that's taunting and maybe a foul?  I'm not sure.  Everything seems to be a foul in basketball.  In hockey, there's small celebrations.  Nothing major unless the team wins a playoff series.  But you still see some celebratory jumping into the glass after a goal.  Or going down and touching the ice as they skate away.  That doesn't mean the player is going to get slashed or punched in the mouth the next time he is on the ice.  

It's funny to listen to older players talk about how there weren't any type of antics back in the day.  Oh really?  There's pictures and video of Mickey Mantle bat flipping after home runs.  Babe Ruth calling his shot isn't showing up the pitcher?  If that isn't showing up the pitcher, I don't know what is.  He was saying 'doesn't matter what you throw, it's leaving the park'.  Was there outrage when this happened?  Pete Rose ruined Roy Fosse's career in an All Star game by running him over to score a run.  Is that not disrespectful?  It was an exhibition game.  There is photographic evidence of Al Kaline doing bat flips.  Who cares?  We are all human, we are allowed to have emotions.  

I think that there is a fine line though.  If your team is down 8-1 in the 9th inning and you hit a solo home run and bat flip, that's neither the time nor the place.  If you stand in the batters box watching the ball sail over the fence for an extended period of time, that's showing up the other team.  Especially if it's a no doubter.  If it's close to the foul line, I understand that.  But more often than not, the players can tell if it's leaving the park.  There is a time and place for everything.  And knowing that is part of being a professional.  I think asking players to keep their emotions in check every single moment of every single game is asking a bit much.  

Dream Lineup

Is anyone else in dire need of baseball?  I'm starting to get itchy for balls and strikes and doubles rolling into the gap.  The Detroit Tigers have been busy this offseason cleaning up after last year's mess of a season, and it has gotten me thinking about how they are going to look this season.  The major new piece is Justin Upton, whom they signed to a six year, hundreds of millions of dollars contract.  Everyone seems to be happy about it, but I'm a little hesitant because he seems a bit streaky to me.  Don't get me wrong, I love his defense and was a solid option to put out in left field, but from what I can tell, he seems to be a streaky hitter that can carry a team or cause ulcers in the fans and managers.  The big question after his signing is where will he hit in the lineup.  There's lots of options because he has pop in his bat, has speed if needed, and can provide high on-base percentage at bats.  Below is what I think is a good idea of a lineup.  People who know more than I might yell and scream about it, but let me defend myself. 

1.  Ian Kinsler
2.  Jose Iglesias
3.  Miguel Cabrera
4.  J.D. Martinez
5.  Victor Martinez
6.  Justin Upton
7.  James McCann
8.  Nick Castellanos
9.  Anthony Gose/Cameron Maybin

Kinsler has history at the lead off spot in Texas and in Detroit, I like him there again this year.  He's a veteran bat that can reach the seats, but can also slap doubles down the line...when he's not popping up that is.  He is the leadoff man that you want on your team.  While his speed is slowly declining, he can still swipe bases, but with the lineup behind him, he doesn't necessarily need to make things happen. 

Iglesias might spark some questions, but hear me out.  Over the past two years, he has hit .300 and had an on base percentage of .348.  He dropped his strikeouts by twenty last year while doubling his walks.  Those are the four major stats that I look at with a batter like Iglesias.  He isn't going to hit twenty to twenty five home runs a year, he's the guy that is going to manufacture runs with average and speed.  If he can build off of last year's stats, he can be a good number two hitter.  What I look for in a number two hitter is, can he move the leadoff guy?  Can he set up the power hitters for a big start to the game?  I know he has hung out at the bottom of the order during his career, but I think he has the potential to be a top of the order guy.  He does need to work on the double plays he hits into, but I think he could fit near the top.

Cabrera....that's all I need to say.

J.D. Martinez is better protection for Cabrera than Victor Martinez (based on last year).  Victor struggled (and I mean STRUGGLED) last year.  J.D. Martinez is surging into the prime of his career.  Why wouldn't you want a guy like J.D. protecting your best hitter?  Now, I know Victor has more history than J.D., but he has not been healthy two of the last three years, and until he proves to me that he can be that hitter he was two years ago, I think J.D. is the better option.  The one major problem is that Victor is that he is so slow on the base path.  He makes molasses in February look fast.  Is it a possibility that the Super Martinez Brothers can be swapped out throughout the year?  Absolutely.

The next three guys can be juggled in the six through eight spots throughout the year.  From what I can gather from each of them, they all go in streaks.  Hot for a six game stretch, cold the next two weeks.  Hot for a month, cold for a week.  James McCann is a work in progress, he has not been around long enough to have a strong opinion on him.  I think he will be what we all thought Alex Avila was going to be after his 2011 season.  The kid looks like he was plucked out of a corn field in Iowa (yes, I know he is from Arkansas) and given a bat.  I like him to be the catcher for the foreseeable future.  DON'T FUCK THIS UP!  Justin Upton, as stated above, can go on those hot and cold streaks.  Over the past three seasons, he's batted .263, .271, and .251.  Each year he has played an entire season, he's struck out over 120 times.  So it is going to be frustrating at times.  But he can also excited the stadium with his power.  Looking at the average, he can hit 25 home runs in a season.  Nick Castellanos continues to slowly come into his own.  Some fans are frustrated with the progress.  It's coming along people, give it time.  I think if he can bat between .265-.280 with 15 to 20 home runs, 75-80 RBI, how is that a bad thing?  He may be cemented into the eight spot until he get hot and the other guys get cold, but that is fine.  He is still getting his footing at the top level, for him to struggle at times it is almost a necessity.  How else is he going to learn?   

Anthony Goes and Cameron Maybin will be in a time share in the outfield and at the bottom of the order.  If they can get on base, they both have speed to be disruptive.  Other than that, there's nothing to see here folks, move along.  

Just because you have a lineup one day doesn't mean it needs to stay the same the next day, the day after that, or after that.  Hopefully as he gets another year under his belt, Brad Ausmus will start to manage the game as it comes to him.  Not just put one guy in one spot because he always bats there.  If someone is going through a slump, even if he's a star or veteran, why not shake things up a bit?  

AL Central Rundown (Part Two): Cellar Dweller Edition

I took a look at the top of the AL Central earlier this month, now let's look at the rebuilding projects.  Very rarely do you have an entire division that will compete throughout the year.  There are some years when you will see four teams make the division really competitive and fun to watch.  Teams changing places and every series is even more important because of it.  Other years, well, there are just teams that will do nothing but create pain for your favorite team.  That team that is going to lose ninety games, but still find time to sweep your favorite team at a critical part of the season.  That's the fun part of baseball (but also the most aggravating).

The Cleveland Indians.  The 2014 Cy Young pitcher resides there.  They have that annoying drum that is kinda racist.  Speaking of racist, Chief Wahoo.  For some reason, baseball talking heads are expecting something out of this team this year.  Early in the season, they lost their primary catcher which hurt their batting lineup, but it also hurts their young pitching staff.  I think that defensive first catchers are underrated.  I would rather have a catcher bat .220 and be able to handle a pitching staff well enough that they pitch above their level.  Their catcher, Yan Gomes, both hit well and controlled the pitching staff.  They do have a few pieces, but not enough to get anywhere near Detroit, Kansas City, or even Chicago.  Just like Minnesota, Cleveland is in a spot where they are waiting for their farm system to develop.  It seems like a lifetime ago that this organization had players like Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia, and Victor Martinez.  How far they have fallen. 
Strengths:  Corey Kluber, young and talented players.  Weaknesses:  Just about everything else.    

The Minnesota Twins.  The nice guys of MLB.  A team that if they did not play in the same division as the Tigers, I would root for.  They have a lot of young players that will help turn the organization around.  There are a few problems though.  A lot of them have been rushed and have not had time to develop.  So, while they are heralded as future stars, they are taking their licks in the big league.  This is the problem when you don't have time for them to develop.  Then, while they are figuring the game out, the analysts wonder if they really were going to be stars or if they are duds.  Then the fanbase starts to think that.  Then maybe even the players themselves.  The Twins fans have to be patient while the players who have not been called up yet develop.  But how long are they going to wait?  Being a small market team, they cannot draw many big name players.  They have pieced together a starting rotation that was going to win them some games until Ervin Santana was suspended for half the season.  Now, they are back to having one decent pitcher and some that are not so good.  They will have to rely on their batting lineup to win them games because they cannot depend on the rotation.  And their batting lineup is not going to give opponents nightmares.  They'll fight with Cleveland for last place again this year as both teams wait for the future.    
Strengths:  farm system, veteran leadership.  Weaknesses:  Management, pitching staff, players not named Mauer. 

AL Central Rundown (part one)

Full disclosure:  I started this post before the baseball season started.  I will try to finish it while keeping the first couple of weeks out of my mind.  I'm going to break this up into two posts because I want to. 

We are about to embark on a grand journey that starts next month and will conclude in October.  The MLB season is upon us!  As always, let's take a look at the AL Central.  It wasn't that long ago that the division was a bit of a joke.  That was when the Twins and White Sox were running the show.  The rest of the teams (Detroit, Kansas City, and Cleveland) were kind of wandering around in circles trying to find their identities.  Those were dark times.  So very, very dark.  But now, the teams are stronger and one could make an argument that the AL Central is one of the strongest divisions in all of baseball.  Looking at the other divisions in baseball, the NL West looks to be stacked as well.

The Detroit Tigers.  Four time divisional champ.  They've been running the show in the division for the past six years or so.  The other teams have been making steps towards the top, but with the Tigers spending big money on free agents and locking up their top players for extended contracts, it'll be tough for any other team to topple Detroit.  The exit of Max Scherzer leaves a big hole to fill.  Also, the trade of Rick Porcello (in my mind a guy who is just coming into his prime) hurts the rotation.  The batting lineup improved and will depend on the health of Cabrera and Victor Martinez.  Everyone knows that.  Just like last year, the big question mark, and rage inducing part of the team, is the bullpen.  If a team wants to beat the Tigers this year, they have to get the starting pitcher out of the game.  I still think that they Tigers will win the division this year.  The Royals, much like last year, will make it interesting all the way to the end of the season.  And it's going to be glorious.  Also, please Dave Dombrowski, resign David Price.  I'll even throw in a couple bucks if it'll help.  Strengths:  batting lineup, starting pitching.  Weaknesses:  bullpen, base running, defense

The Kansas City Royals.  Defending American League champions.  One well struck ball away from being World Series champions.  A young, athletic, talented team that scares the ever living daylights out of me.  All those years of being basement dwellers is paying off as the high draft picks are coming to their own.  It seems like just a few years ago, Alex Gordon was being sent back down to the minors because he was struggling at third base.  Now, he is the veteran leader and a gold glove defender in the outfield.  Speaking of the outfield, if a hitter doesn't put the ball over the fence, chances are the defense out there is going to run it down.  They combine speed on the bases with solid contact to produce runs, but can also hit the ball out of the park.  Watching them last year, they seem to be a streaky team.  When everyone is hitting well, the team can be unstoppable (look at their playoff run last year), but if they get into a funk, everyone seems to get in that funk at the same time (but then again, most teams are like that).  The departure of James Shields will put a hurt on the starting rotation, but what they lack in a big name they make up for in solid pitching.  Their bullpen is the complete opposite of the Tigers.  It's amazing to watch their relief pitchers come in, you know the game is all but over.  The big question will be, what happens if the starter doesn't make it to the sixth inning?  Do they have a middle relief, long inning guy that can bridge the gap?  Strengths:  defense, bullpen, base running.  Weaknesses:  back end of the rotation, streakiness. 

The Chicago White Sox.  Last AL Central team to win a World Series (gross).  They had about a three to four year run in the mid-2000s.  Ever since, they have fallen off.  They are a team that you kind of forget about, which makes them dangerous.  They are also dangerous because outside of Jose Abreu and Chris Sale, you can't name a player on that team.  Seriously, I had to look up the team roster.  Okay, I guess I forgot about Jeff Samardzija.  But I think he is one of the more overrated starting pitchers in the game right now.  Just hasn't ever impressed me.  Other than Sale and Samardzija, they don't have a rotation.  Jose Qunitana is another young talent that they have, but has not come into his own.  They have players that you can't name up and down the lineup.  Their players are young and talented.  The veterans on their team will help out their younger players.  A few years from now, once their farm team players make it to the bigs, they will be contenders.  Their fan base just has to be patient.  Much like the Kansas City Royals, outside of their fans, many people don't know them.  Yet.  Strengths:  Chris Sale, Dave Robertson, Jose Abreu.  Weaknesses:  rest of the team.  

The Future of Pitching in the 313

News broke this morning that Max Scherzer has signed a contract with the Washington Nationals.  The level headed Detroit Tigers fan had long since said goodbye to him after he did not accept the contract offer they offered him this past Spring Training and was not shocked that he is gone.  Best of luck to him.  I'm glad he is pitching in the National League.  The Tigers won't have to face him unless it is during interleague play or the World Series. 

With that said, I need to call all the over reacting Tigers fan back off the ledge as everything is going to be okay.  As long as the Tigers are busy this year or next with signing pitching.  If they don't do anything, then we can all panic together.  So where does the rotation sit right now?  They have three starting pitchers (Verlander, Sanchez, and Greene) under contract after this year, and two that can walk after this year (Price, Simon).  I'm not saying that the Tigers are in a rebuilding stage, more like reconfiguring.  When you hear the words 'rebuilding stage' you think of a team trading off all their big name players for younger talent and a team that won't contend for four or five years.  The Tigers still have a win now mentality.  What will get them through the upcoming year is depending on a mixture of veteran players and younger talent.  Much like how the Red Wings managed last season as their young players learned to play at the top level.  The problem is that the Wings' farm system is vastly superior to the Tigers'.   

They traded for both Price and Simon this past year.  One would assume that they did not give up players just to have these guys for one year (or more than one year as is the case with Price who came over from Tampa Bay during the season) and let them walk just a year later.  David Price is obviously a big name pitcher.  When they traded for him last season, I figured it was because they knew they would not be getting Scherzer back.  They trade for Price and offer him a contract to keep him around long term.  That is how I saw the trade.  This makes sense in my mind.  They signed him to a one year contract just recently to avoid arbitration and have him locked up for the upcoming season.  There has been rumors that he is not comfortable in Detroit (whatever that means) and could possibly want to test free agency next year.  There are some baseball minds out there that think the Tigers can use Price to lure James Shields (a free agent this year) to Detroit.  They are very close friends and if they could bring Shields into the fold, this could entice Price to stay long term.  However, Dave Dombrowski has been quoted as saying they are staying with the pitchers they have now.   

Alfredo Simon I don't know much about, honestly.  That's what happens when you pitch in the NL Central.  All I know is that they gave up some prospects to get him during the Winter Meetings and that he has had mixed results during his MLB career.  A lot of ups and downs, and they traded for him after one of his 'up' seasons.  All I do know is that a lot of Tigers fans were either confused or pissed about the trade.  Maybe he is only going to be a stopgap this season and they let him walk after the year.  Or they move him to the bullpen where he has pitched in the past.  Or, Dombrowski knows something that we fans do not (which happens from time to time) and likes the potential that he sees.  You know what I see?  A 33 year old pitcher with mixed results during his MLB career.  For a team that needs younger talent and younger arms, this is not the best candidate for a long term contract.  

Another option is to let both of the pitchers walk after the year is over and go after some free agent pitchers during the next off season.  Again, the Tigers only have three starters under contract after this year so maybe they are playing the long game and looking to make a splash next off season.  There is going to be a fair amount of good to great pitchers on the market next year.  Players like Doug Fister, Jordan Zimmerman, and Johnny Cueto are sure to be top targets along with David Price, but there are other pitchers out there that can (and will) draw attention.  It would make the Tigers fanbase rejoice if next year they sign Fister.  I know I would be happy.  Seeing as how that trade was just horribly lopsided.  Another free agent pitcher next year is Rick Porcello.  I was surprised when he was traded away, but how devilishly delightful would it be if the Tigers signed him next off season after he spends the upcoming year with the Red Sox?  I don't think that'll happen though.  He has Scott Boras as an agent and he will be going after big money.

Whatever the pitching future holds for the Tigers, the upcoming season will be interesting.  Personally, I would like to see them sign Price to a contract and go after another big name free agent next off season (coughcoughcoughDougFistercoughcough).  And that is what I think most Not only because this pitching staff is intriguing, but because the rest of the AL Central got better.  Even the Twins.  I see this year being one of the most fun, entertaining, frustrating, demoralizing, and satisfying for the division in a long time.  Because all the other teams got a little better this off season, it will make for a division where you could have three or four teams playing for the divisional title into the late days of August and beginning of September.  Of course it would be great to see the Tigers win another divisional crown, but it won't be as easy as it was two or three years ago. 

Pace of Play

I love baseball.  I could watch it all day.  I have watched it all day.  I have requested Opening Day off this year to enjoy the crack of the bat and excitement of the game.  That's how much I love baseball.  It has never bothered me how long games are.  With that said, there are plenty of opportunities to improve the pace of the game for the casual fan.  Not everyone wants to sit around for two and a half to three hours for a game.  And these are some of the same people that will sit through four hours for one football game.  That, if you ran the game clock with no stoppages, would be one hour.  I don't fully understand it either, but what are you gonna do?

I was watching the MLB Network today and they were discussing the introduction of a pitch clock at the minor league levels.  Same idea as the shot clock in basketball, but for the pitcher.  Once they get the ball back in their hand, they have only a certain amount of time for the next pitch.  It would be beneficial to the speed of the game, I believe, but this is not where the major problem of the game slowing down comes.  It comes from the batters.  Pitchers would benefit from a quicker game as they seem to want to work quickly, some pitchers notwithstanding, and get into a groove.  Batters always want to seem to disrupt that groove.  And the easiest way to do so?  Stepping out of the batters box to readjust the batting gloves, tap your spikes, check with the third base coach as to what your next move should be.

Keeping the batters in the batter's box is more important for speed of the game than using a pitcher's clock.  I know, I know, it's a combination of the batter and the pitcher.  But I think that the batters benefit from slowing the game down because it doesn't really allow pitchers to get into that groove that they want.  The pitchers want the ball back as soon as it hits the catcher's mitt and they want to stay focused.  They don't want to stand around and wait for the batter to scratch his balls another time before stepping back in.

With all that said, I like the idea of having a pitch clock in the minors.  It teaches the pitchers to pick up the pace.  The minor leagues is where players develop.  This is where they learn to play at a professional level.  So, if the pitchers have the pitch clock, it has to be up to the umps to keep the batters in the batter's box.  You cannot have one side of the game learning a new way to play with a new rule set without having the other half learning as well.  

How to Cheer for Not Your Team

The MLB playoffs started last night.  And if that game is any indication for the rest of the postseason, we are in for quite a treat.  Kansas City beat Oakland in twelve innings.  Very exciting game.  There are lots of story lines to choose from.  Kansas City in the playoffs for the first time since 1985.  Oakland choking away three leads in the game.  How about Brandon Finnegan?  Age 21, pitched in the college World Series for TCU THIS YEAR and came in and pitched two and a third innings.  Cold.  Blooded.  Because Detroit wasn't playing in the game, I had a chance to cheer for a different team.  I cheered for Kansas City for a couple of reasons, and I think that it can be applied when watching a game that your favorite team is not currently playing.

Kansas City is in the AL Central, the same division as the Tigers.  This division is looked down upon as a weak division, yet have two teams in the playoffs this year.  It is no longer a one team division which is great for the sport, but not so much for their fans.  I like to see the division of the team I cheer for do well (no matter what sport) unless that team is from Chicago.  Fuck all of those teams.  The same can be applied to college sports.  Except Ohio State.  Fuck them.  I also watched a lot of Royals baseball living down in Wichita for six years.  So to see a team that struggled improve over the course of those years, it's cool.

I know not everyone likes to cheer for divisional opponents, even when they aren't playing your favorite team.  Some people are like that.  I am not.  I have teams that I never want to see win (see:  Chicago, Ohio State), but I always like to see the division my favorite team plays in do well.  Whether it is baseball, hockey, or football, as long as the team isn't from Ohio or the city of Chicago, and they are not playing a team from Michigan, you will see me pull for them.  I won't sit down and watch the entire game, but I will check in frequently and if they do well, I will give the team their due and think 'well, good for them'. 

56/120

What it's All About

It is the end of August.  The weather is on the verge of changing.  Fall is just around the corner and most people are excited about it.  Whether they are excited about the start of the football season, the cooler weather, or pumpkin spiced EVERYTHING, I think this is the time of year people are just flat out done with summer.  Done being hot and humid.  Done with using the air conditioner.  Just done.  I'm not the biggest fan of summer.  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy summer.  I enjoy wearing shorts and the long days.  I don't enjoy the humidity.  I'm not the biggest fan of high temperatures.  One great thing about summer is that there is one major sport going on...baseball. 

This is the time of year that most everyone forgets about baseball.  It's a long season.  It started back in April (for some of us, it started during the Winter Meetings).  By this time of year, the playoff teams are mostly in position.  It's just a matter of where they are going to be sitting at the end of the season.  A lot of games don't really matter other than pride amongst the teams that are close to, if they haven't already, been eliminated.  No one really cares if the Twins beat the Astros this time of year (or at any point of the year maybe?), but all eyes are on the Angels/Athletics series.  And why?  Because there are three games separating them in the standings.  The Angels have won the first two games so before the wins, there was just one game between them.  Both of these teams, barring a complete and absolute meltdown, are going to make the playoffs.  It's just a matter of which one will win the division and which one will be a wild card team.  And that's the fun of this time of year.

Another tight race is in the AL Central with the Tigers and Royals.  For the most part, the Tigers have had the division lead this year.  However, there have been times when they have struggled and the Royals have surged.  They happened to take place at the same time and currently the Royals are in first place in the division while the Tigers are going back and forth with Seattle for the second wild card spot.  For the first time in several years, the Tigers and their fans have something to worry about this late in the season.  As a fan of the sport, this is great.  A close divisional race (before the start of today's games, the Royals are up by half a game) makes it fun to scoreboard watch.  As a fan of one of the teams involved in this race, it is ulcer inducing.  I knew, as most people did, that the Royals were the only team ready to wrestle with the Tigers for the division.  And they are proving that they can hang with the Tigers.  There are six games left between the two teams, and while games in April and May are important, these six games are even more so.  If you ask players from both teams, they will say that they are just going to be focused on the opponent of the day, but you know deep down that they are all looking at these upcoming series.

And these tight races are what it's all about.  Do I want the Tigers to triumph and win the division again?  Of course I do.  But if they don't win it, they don't win it.  And you have to tip your cap to the Royals.  It seems that they have finally turned their 'this is the year they will challenge the Tigers' chip in and are ready to make it interesting.  The nice thing is that this is what the division has been missing for the past couple of years.  While Minnesota and Chicago have been rebuilding and Kansas City and Cleveland have had up and down years, it has been kind of a boring division race to watch.  Again, I love seeing the Tigers win and I love seeing them in the playoffs, but with an actual fight on their hands, they can't coast into the playoffs.  And that is where they seem to have faltered.  Build up a large lead and coast into the playoffs.  You can't turn it on like a light switch.  Winning builds momentum.  It makes you play confidently.  You're in the middle of an eight game winning streak and although you are down 5-1 in the 5th inning, you know you're playing well enough to come back and take away the win from that opponent.  It is that confidence that the Tigers have been missing in the playoffs.  It is that confidence that, if they can win this division, will carry into the playoffs.        

51/120