There's nothing quite like the major league baseball playoffs. The race for October is unlike any other in sports, because these teams play 162 games for a chance to battle it out in the World Series. The NFL plays 16 regular season games. The NBA plays 82 regular season games. The MLB plays, once again, 162 regular season games for a shot at history. The current race in the American League is shaping up to be the most exciting race in years, because no one teams stands head and shoulders above the rest. All five teams in the big dance, which will quickly whittle down to four teams after the one game Wild Card playoff, will have a legitimate chance to battle it out with the Cubs or Dodgers or whoever is lucky enough to make it out of the senior circuit. Here's why the Detroit Tigers are absolutely the most dangerous team that nobody wants to face in the American League, their anemic record against the Cleveland Indians notwithstanding.
Lloyd Christmas once said, "So you're telling me there's a chance?" Due to some unfortunate injuries to the starting rotation this season, most notably the recurring maladies haunting off-season pickup Jordan Zimmerman, and some inconsistent offense, the Tigers probably won't even make the postseason unless some miraculous chips fall their way this weekend. They need to win out against the Braves and Indians, while receiving some help from the Red Sox and Yankees along the way. As I write this piece, the Tigers stand 1.5 games back of the second Wild Card spot. But, if there was ever a pitcher NO TEAM wants to face in a one game fight to the death (only slight exaggeration there), it would be all-world ace of the Tigers, Justin Verlander.
After years of injuries and question marks regarding his status as a front-line starter, Verlander has returned this season with a vengeance. Verlander is going to lead the AL in strikeouts and inning pitched by a nice margin. He's currently second in ERA and, by most measures, he's second in WAR among the league leaders. He has carried this rotation on his back and then some and certainly deserves another CY Young award for his efforts. On the other hand, the man who's first in ERA if he qualifies with enough innings would be his own ROOKIE teammate in Michael Fulmer. Fulmer is the runaway choice for Rookie of the Year and is a legitimate number 2 in the rotation. Zimmerman, the off-season addition presumed to be the number 2 until he got hurt, is finally returning this weekend and will hopefully be of service if the Tigers return to the playoffs. The idiosyncratic Daniel Norris, not to be forgotten, has returned from a fight with cancer to put up a solid season with potential for greatness. Norris as a number 4 in the playoffs could stack up well with anyone!
The offense of the Tigers, which is the backbone of the team, is the most lethal offense on the planet when healthy and firing on all cylinders. The team has endured injuries to almost all of the starters from JD missing over a month to Castellanos dealing with a fractured hand. However, everyone is back and ready to literally swing for the fences if they get a chance in the playoffs. The best hitter on the planet in Miguel Cabrera is destroying pitchers like always while the aforementioned JD Martinez and Justin Upton have been on a tear unlike any other in the month of September. There's not one pitcher in the American League that wants to deal with this potent of an offense in a win-or-go-home game during the playoffs.
The bullpen is, like always, the elephant in the room when talking about the Tigers. In spite of K-Rod solidifying the closer spot the entire season, the relief pitchers preceding him have not been doing their job and those numerous close blown losses may be the reason the Tigers don't even get a chance to prove their excellence in the postseason. Bruce Rondon, however, is finally starting to show why he was deemed the closer-of-the-future only three years ago.
Mike Ilitch DESERVES a World Series ring before he kicks the bucket. His Detroit Red Wings have won the Stanley Cup numerous times in the NHL, but the city of Detroit yearns for it's first World Series championship since that legendary squad in 1984. It has been 32 years since the last title, but if this current version gets the chance to fight in the playoffs, then they might make every fan of the 313 proud to call themselves a Tigers fan. Speaking of 32 years, the burden might actually fall upon number 32 Michael Fulmer to win the last game and get this squad into the big dance. Goggles on Tigers fans, goggles on! The journey is, hopefully, only beginning.
