It's Magic
A few weeks ago I was reading about the magic number for the Chicago White Sox. It was something like 16. And my beloved Tigers were a few games behind without any more games against Chicago, so not even in control of their destiny. I wasn't hopeful, since Detroit couldn't seem to put it together.
Then, something great happened. Detroit played okay. That was enough, since the White Sox collapsed. And now the Tigers are in the playoffs. It helped that they're in the lousiest division in baseball. Anywhere else in the American League they'd be in fourth place.
And now that it's the post-season, anything can happen. For all their weakness during the regular season, any team with two great pitchers and two great hitters has enough to make it all the way.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:12 AM
2 Comments:
You are lucky to be a Detroit fan.
August 8 Pittsburgh Pirates after a brilliant 43-23 run through mid-summer were 63-47 overall & contending for the division and the wild card. Since then they have been 15-35, assured of 4th place in the NL Central what until Cincinnati's recent play had been the worst division in baseball. With their 82d loss on Sunday when their all star closer gave up 2 runs in the 9th, they are assured of their 20th losing season (no team 16 games over. 500 in August has ever finished under .500 until the 2012 Pirates).
Management (the president of the team is MLB's former chief lawyer- never a good sign) deciding that good summer runs (last year the Bucs were in first place on July 19at 51-44 and then sill managed to finish with 90 losses) and slightly improved mediocrity is great (despite the collapse, this Pirate team has the teams best record this century), announced that the manager and general manger and minor league director (who bizarrely recently put top round picks through training exercises with Navy SEALS) would be back.
Detroit's current manager, Jim Leyland, was the last Pirate manager to have a winning record which was during Bush Sr's presidency.
The Colorado Rockies, starting the season with all their stars healthy and good form during Spring Training (Helton, Carlos Gonzales, Tulowitsky), just blew their run for 100 last night by beating Arizona. Yes, that was the run for 100 losses. Now they will finish with 99 or 98 losses.
The team has been devastated by injuries, Helton, Tulo, and a few half-decent pitchers. But they brought up some rookies that have shown some real promise, so I will probably join in a season ticket purchase group again next year (glutton for punishment).
Management has announced a meeting with Manager Jim Tracy and GM O'Doud, but most people think they will be given yet another year to pull things together. Why not, Tracy came here from the Pirates, and the Pirates's Manager is our previous manager, Clint Hurdle - we're simpatico!
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