ROB SANFORD

Like many Tiger fans, I feel a combination of anger, disappointment, and hope. I’m angry obviously because of how the season turned out, of all the runners left in scoring position this year….of seeing the offense explode, only to see it go back into its hole. I’m disappointed because of how the season turned out…and lack of a killer instinct in September, especially that final week when they could have left the Twins in the dust. I’m hopeful because of players like Rick Porcello….who at age 20 was amazing. His start in game #163 was incredable…his poise, his calm, his stuff. At age 20….I spent a lot of week ends hunched over someone’s toilet bowl…or skipping Friday classes.

As for Miguel Cabrera…..it looks like a bit of too much, too soon. At age 26 with more money than even he could have imagined, after living in poverty. He has skills that could put him into the Hall of Fame someday…but this most recent incident shows he lacks maturity and quite possibly a problem with alcohol. The Tigers should forget for one minute that he is a player with enormous potential and do something for the boy/man who needs some help.

GREG BOWMAN

As a Tiger Fan for the past 45 years or so, as long as I can remember, I thought I had experienced enough disappointment and frustration to last a lifetime.  But the 2009 Tigers have to go down as the MOST disappointing, aggravating Tigers team I can ever remember.  Now, they have to live with the dubious distinction of being the first team to blow a three game lead with four games left to play.  And don’t forget, they had a seven game lead over the Twins in early September.   They have no one to blame but themselves, as they just plain blew it.   Did they choke under pressure?  Maybe? Were they just not that good?  Possibly. But the bottom line is they just didn’t want it as a badly as the Twins.   The tie breaker game was a perfect example of what went wrong the entire season.   Guys on first and third. Nobody out.  No runs scored.  Bases loaded in the 12th.  No runs scored. It was an exciting finish with a nail biter of a game.  But that hardly matters that they played the Twins tough. It should never have come down to this.  Good teams don’t lose six out of seven to the Kansas City Royals, and two out of three to the Chicago White Sox in the final weekend of the season.

I hate those annoying Twins and their stupid homer hanky waving fans.  And I wish I never had to see Michael Cudyer and Joe Mauer come up to bat against the Tigers again. Bitter?  You bet.   Jealous.  Yeah.  Now,  I’ll be pulling for the Yankees to sweep them three straight and hope to never see baseball played in that Metrodome again.

Enjoy the World Series, and see you in the Spring.  Just wait till next year!

GREG BOWMAN

So it all comes down to one game, number 163, as the Tigers and Twins meet in a play-in game Tuesday at the Metrodome to decide who will win the American League Central and face the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. Of course, it never should have come down to this. The Tigers have been in first place since May, and had plenty of chances to clinch it. Just one more win somewhere during the season would have given the Tigers the title. If only they could have beaten the Sox twice this weekend, or gotten at least one more win over those irritating Kansas City Royals. But they didn’t. And now their entire season rests on the pitching arm of young Rick Porcello, who is still not even old enough to buy a drink legally, although I imagine his teammates might be willing to give him a sip of champagne if he can beat the Twins. This is undoubtedly the biggest game of Porcello’s short career, but I think he’s up to it. He’s had an excellent rookie year, and except for Justin Verlander, he’s THE guy you want out there right now to give the Tigers their best shot. Now. let’s hope the bats can come alive..

What a performance by Justin Verlander on Sunday. He had to shut down the Sox, and he did, winning for the 19th time this year. He won’t get much time to rest before the Playoffs start on Wednesday or Thursday, and we’ll need him and Jackson and Porcello to be at their best to shut down that intimidating Yankee offense

No matter what happens Tuesday, you can’t say this season has been boring! Let’s hope all those days in first place won’t go for nothing.

ROB SANFORD

Tigers were out in front by 7 games on September 3rd….and it looked like they were about to runway with the division. And now its all come down to just one game….#163….a one and done playoff with the Twins. Just in case you’re wondering…..the stats from this game WILL be included in the regular season. At first blush, considering how hot the Twins have been, and how poorly the Tigers have played at them Metrodome..you have to think Detroit have little or no chance to move on. But we have seen first hand just how “safe” certain assumptions can be..so I wouldn’t write them off. In either case, the winner of this game will likely start the divisional series the next day (Wed) against the Yankees. So there will be no rest for the weary.

ROB SANFORD

Like all season long…..the Tigers failed to capitalize with runners on base, and the Twins spoiled the party Thursday afternoon. Jim Leyland has said all along the race will go all the way to Sunday, before it’s decided. Here’s hoping he’s wrong. The Twins now go home for 3 against the Royals..and to say good bye to the “Edsel” of the baseball world. I’m convinced Minnesota can do what they set their minds to do….so we can’t depend on the Royals. If ever the Tigers needed a sweep, this is it. The “X” factor is the weather. It will be cool and wet…so there is a chance of another doubleheader….I think that’s the last thing the Tigers would want. My heart tells me the Bengals will win the division….but my head says….it’s the White Sox they will be playing….not the Indians, and based on past history it will be a struggle.

GREG BOWMAN

Remember  the motto the Pistons adopted a few seasons back: “If it ain’t rough, it ain’t right,” given the team’s habit of getting far behind  and losing to inferior teams before they finally  turned things around and made it to the postseason.  That seems to be the philosophy the Tigers have this year, as they have made things tough on themselves by failing to take advantage of so many opportunities to win the American League Central Division and put the Twins away.   All those losses to the Kansas City Royals really loom large now, since the Tigers would have already won the title if they had at least split with the Royals, instead of losing six games.  I still think the Tigers will win it, because I refuse to believe they are going to lose all three games to the White Sox this weekend while the Twins win all their games against the Royals. ..Thursday’s game was another lost opportunity, as the Tigers seem to be inspired after back to back wins against the Twins and needed just one more victory against Minnesota to clinch it.   The Twins did everything they could to give the game to the Tigers, giving up an uncharacteristic six walks and committing four errors.  But the Tigers couldn’t get the key hit, and the bullpen couldn’t keep the Twins off the board.

So, that means the Tigers will have to get it done this weekend against the Sox.  They can win it with two wins over Chicago, without having to worry about Minnesota.  And let’s hope they do it Friday and Saturday so they don’t have to pitch Justin Verlander on Sunday.  That would leave him nice and rested to open the playoffs against the Yankees.

The Tigers haven’t won the World Series since 1984, and it was nice to see so many of the old players come back to be honored at Comerica Park this week on the 25th anniversary of that magical season. Where has the time gone!?  I talked to Dave Bergman from the 84 team, and I had to agree with his opinion that it seems like “yesterday”  when the Tigers took the baseball world by storm and opened the season 35 and 5…. I got the chance to emcee a question and answer session at Comerica Park with 24 of the players and coaches from the team.  I was like a kid in a candy store, getting a chance to meet the guys and host the event.  And a huge crowd jammed into the brushfire grill area to see Sparky Anderson, Jack Morris, Alan Trammel, Lance Parish, Guillermo Hernandez, Kirk Gibson and others, despite a heavy rain that wound up cancelling the game. Despite the lousy weather, fans loved every minute of it.  Maybe these 2009 Tigers can make some memories that fans will still be talking about in 2034?!  It’s a nice thought.