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Tigers Are Nothing Else If Not Dramatic
I don’t know if the Tigers are, honestly, that good, but they are certainly dramatic.
A 3-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie. A run in the 10th to win.
It doesn’t get much better than that. And it has been a season of such dramatic comebacks like the one the Tigers made Tuesday night against Toronto.
The Tigers have been resilient. Honestly, it was difficult to believe they weren’t collapsing when they lost five straight games to the Royals and Blue Jays - both dreadful clubs playing out the string. Well, here are two wins in a row. The Tigers lead in the American League Central is 5 1-2 games. Justin Morneau is out for the year for the Twins. Aubrey Huff is paying dividends for the Tigers.
Seems like the division title is in the bag, but you just know the Tigers aren’t going to make it easy. I mean the Royals are in town. They might be the worst team in baseball. Name a Tigers fan that isn’t thinking fearfully, though,"Oh boy, the Royals again." Bet there aren’t many.
Random Thoughts
- Looking at Oakland University’s basketball schedule for this ucoming season, my only question is where are the Lakers? Aren’t they the only power missing? The Golden Grizzlies have road trips to Kansas and Michigan State. They likely will be the top two teams in the nation when the preseason polls come out. Oakland also plays at Memphis, Syracuse and Oregon. This figures to be Oakland’s best team ever. And it, obviously, will be severely tested.
No Michigan this season. It looked like Michigan was going to back out of its contract with Oakland, but did a reversal, but it was too late for this season. Michigan has a contract to host Oakland in Ann Arbor and for a game at The Palace.
Expected to be on Oakland’s schedule next season: Kentucky.
- The Lions are honoring Ernie Harwell as an honorary captain Sunday. Don’t think I’ve ever seen Ernie at a football game, although I know he call a lot of them early in his career.
- Name one player on the Lions defense Sunday that even remotely stood out? I can’t think of one, either.
My column in Tuesday's Oakland Press about how Mid-American Conferrence football is wrongly overlooked: http://tinyurl.com/ry9akc
A 3-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie. A run in the 10th to win.
It doesn’t get much better than that. And it has been a season of such dramatic comebacks like the one the Tigers made Tuesday night against Toronto.
The Tigers have been resilient. Honestly, it was difficult to believe they weren’t collapsing when they lost five straight games to the Royals and Blue Jays - both dreadful clubs playing out the string. Well, here are two wins in a row. The Tigers lead in the American League Central is 5 1-2 games. Justin Morneau is out for the year for the Twins. Aubrey Huff is paying dividends for the Tigers.
Seems like the division title is in the bag, but you just know the Tigers aren’t going to make it easy. I mean the Royals are in town. They might be the worst team in baseball. Name a Tigers fan that isn’t thinking fearfully, though,"Oh boy, the Royals again." Bet there aren’t many.
Random Thoughts
- Looking at Oakland University’s basketball schedule for this ucoming season, my only question is where are the Lakers? Aren’t they the only power missing? The Golden Grizzlies have road trips to Kansas and Michigan State. They likely will be the top two teams in the nation when the preseason polls come out. Oakland also plays at Memphis, Syracuse and Oregon. This figures to be Oakland’s best team ever. And it, obviously, will be severely tested.
No Michigan this season. It looked like Michigan was going to back out of its contract with Oakland, but did a reversal, but it was too late for this season. Michigan has a contract to host Oakland in Ann Arbor and for a game at The Palace.
Expected to be on Oakland’s schedule next season: Kentucky.
- The Lions are honoring Ernie Harwell as an honorary captain Sunday. Don’t think I’ve ever seen Ernie at a football game, although I know he call a lot of them early in his career.
- Name one player on the Lions defense Sunday that even remotely stood out? I can’t think of one, either.
My column in Tuesday's Oakland Press about how Mid-American Conferrence football is wrongly overlooked: http://tinyurl.com/ry9akc
Labels: Aubrey Huff Ernie Harwell Detroit Tigers Oakland University Basketball Detroit Lions
posted by Pat Caputo at
11:55 AM
8 Comments:
Pat,
I stopped following the Lions about 5 years ago. I haven't watched them on TV and I certainly won't go see them. I do want to say this about that organization. In my opinion I don't believe there is anybody there that honestly feels they can win from the owner to the janitor. I think it has been that way for over 40 years. The purpose of that organization is to field a team on Sunday's not to win Super Bowls. What other organization in the NFL in the last 40 years has place such an emphasis on drafting offensive skill players so high year-after-year? They have never won with this philosophy but yet they continue to follow it. That's because it excites the fans and gets them on ESPN. But it is not a winning football formula. Their last two football coaches are defensive gurus yet they have not been able to develop any defensive lineman, doesn't that strike you as strange? It's all about the excitement for the Lions, think Run'Shoot, Billy Sims, Joey H. Andre Ware, Chuck Long, 4 WR in 1st rd. now Matt Stafford. And the beat goes on.
Alan
As managers go - Cito Gaston of the '92 - '93 Blue Jays was a great manager back then - easy when you have that kind of talent as they did in those repeat world series years.
But last night was more like a chess match between Gaston and Leyland - each counter-moving the other. It the end - Leyland had more pieces to play with.
But I gotta say, after Santiago pinch hit for Everette earlier - then Aubry Huff pinch hit for Santiago in the ninth - and hit the soggy tater in the rain - All I could think of was who was going to play shortstop?
There were some great risks taken last night in the final innings - and I think Leyland might have won back a few of his detractors.
But he did have a better collection of chess pieces to choose from.
Pat,
I was at the game last night, and it was one of the more memorable ones of the season. What a comeback. This is certainly one dramatic team to be sure. I don't know what October holds for this ballclub, but I'm sure it will be exciting, and they won't go down without a good fight.
Off-topic: I have to ask you what you think of Lynn Henning's assertion that the Tigers may be looking to trade Granderson in the off-season. Without calling out your colleague, do you see any basis for this? If you don't want to discuss it here, how about a segment on the radio show this week? I think it's a ludicrous idea, but I want to know what another columnist close to the team has to say about the matter.
Travis
Tigers are a bit better than an average team ... win the pennant with 86 wins?
Everyone that thinks that if they win the pennant, that their pitching could carry them to the World Series is very optimistic. In fact, nuts.
Alan,
Judging by how difficult it has been for the Lions to sellout, you're not alone. Me, I can't help but follow it. I'm addicted to the NFL.
Caputo
Fred Brill,
I've respected Cito Gaston. He is a terrfic baseball man. But he doesn't have much to work with.
Caputo
Travis,
The Tigers have had their share of dramatic late-inning wins this season, but they need more down the stretch.
Caputo
Anonymous,
Anything can happen if the Tigers get to the playoffs. We've heard that a lot, but they would definitely be a longshot.
Caputo
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