NOTHING’S EASY
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.