There was a point, at the end of July, when the Tigers' season was decidedly frustrating.
They were 56-51. The American League Central was still very much a race - even though the Tigers obviously should have been running away with it. Manager Jim Leyland kept putting up these goofy lineup cards that made no sense. There was much anticipation the Tigers would collapse in the second half of the season again.
Well, they didn't. Given a couple more pieces to the puzzle by general manager Dave Dombrowski, Leyland has been pushing all the right buttons.
The Tigers are going to win the AL Central in a rout.
The Tigers have gone from underachievers to overachievers that quickly. Leyland stopped with those goofy lineups, he handled his pitching staff very well and pulled his club together.
There hasn't been a manager in the American League who has done a better job. Leyland deserves to be AL Manager of the Year. Manny Acta of the Indians and Joe Maddon of the Rays are the other leading candidates, especially Maddon if the Rays nip out the Red Sox for the AL wildcard spot.