T-shirt #205 - Detroit Tigers in blue script

T-shirt #205 - Detroit Tigers in blue script

In 2003, the Tigers lost 119 games. I watched or listened to nearly every game. The Tigers set a new mark for futility and almost tied the hapless 1962 Mets for worst record in the modern history of Baseball.

Do not expect order here. I am reminiscing and attempting to make a point but somewhat out of order.

In 1987, after trading John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander, the Tigers lost the ALCS to the Minnesota Twins four games to one lone win. Alexander pitched brilliantly and helped the Tigers win the East but not the AL or the World Series. Worse, it would be nineteen years before they would back to the World Series. And the team is still striving for its first win in, now, twenty-nine years.

Back in 1968 the Tigers won the World Series, beating the Cardinals, but I was only six, so I was not fully aware and on board. By 1972, I was a die-hard, full-fledged Tigers fan, but though the team won the division it fell to the dread Oakland Athletics (the team it just beat to reach this year's ALCS) in a decisive game five. Years of futility followed. As the Tigers lost 90 games in 1974 and 102 games in 1975, I moved on to other interests and for a short time forgot how much I loved Baseball as I was pre-occupied with comic books, magic, theatre, role playing games, and girls (not necessarily in that order). When I again joined the Tigers band wagon, it was 1984 and the team proved to be one of the best ever in the history of Baseball.

And then years of futility.

Things were looking up in 1997. I liked Bobby Higginson. He seemed to play the game the right way. After dismal season of 109 losses in 1996, the Tigers seemed hot enough to finish the season with a winning record. Though they limped to a 79-83 finish and 3rd in the AL Central, the team showed promise and potential, which was quickly dashed in 1998 with a disappointing last place finish and a record of 65-97.

In 2006, a friend of mine predicted, on the first day of the season, that the Tigers would go all the way to the World Series. I considered this to be clear evidence of her lunacy because the year before, 2005, the Tigers were 71-91 and fourth in the AL Central. But somehow, despite her clear insanity, she pegged it. Inexplicably (I think she just got lucky because a crazy optimistic fan will always predict a World Series run), the Tigers beat down the Yankees and the Athletics in devastating fashion before losing (as I expected) to the Cardinals in a re-match of the 1968 classic that did not go the Tigers' way.

And then years of futility and narrow misses (and one dismal catastrophe) before 2011 when the Tigers reached but lost the ALCS to the Rangers. Then last year's domination of (once again) the Athletics and the Yankees (whom they swept 4-0) only to be swept themselves by the subpar but lucky San Francisco Giants (who finished this year 76-86 and 16 games behind the NL West leading Dodgers).

And with yet another repeat of events, the St. Louis Cardinals could very well make it to the World Series  (playing the Dodgers to win the bid) this year.

Remember what I wrote about expectations on Thursday? I urged putting expectations into perspective. Instead of reaching for Alpha Centauri, how about Mars? Well, Verlander gave us fans the Andromeda Galaxy.

I still caution tempering craziness. Of course, I want the Tigers to win. The Baseball lover in me would love it to go seven games, if only to see the maximum number of games possible. I surely do not want to see the Tigers get swept, especially since a friend of mine is working on tickets for Game Four. If the Tigers lose the series with Game Four, with me in the house, I will be so convinced that I am a jinx that I may never attend another game in my life. (I say this for melodrama but rest assured that next year I am there for opening day).

The Red Sox are a tough team. They have the best record in the AL, and they did play a tough division. The Tigers bested the Red Sox this year 4-3 but that's hardly domination. In the last game between the two clubs, at Fenway, the Tigers lost 20-4. Let's not forget that one. Scherzer took his second loss in the game the day before. And Doug Fister beat them in the first game of the series 3-0. At home, The Tigers won three of the four games. Fister took a 10-6 loss on June 21st. Scherzer won a 10-3 gem the next day and Verlander pitched in the next winner, won in the end by Benoit. The other game, 4-3 win on June 20th, was started by Alvarez and won by Smyly.

They can win this series. I hope they do. But I am wary enough not to expect it, and I certainly will not jinx the team by bragging about it before it happens. But then, please, Baseball Gods, could we end the years of futility and disappointment?

GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- chris tower - 1310.12 - 16:32

T-shirt #203 - Detroit Tigers Baseball Club - Orange

T-shirt #203 - Detroit Tigers Baseball Club - Orange

Expectations are the root of many problems with relationships. I know many of you already know about this problem. But I believe that thinking over this territory is always a useful exercise.

I spend a lot of time examining my expectations. Often, when I have a reaction to something, no matter where it falls on the positive-negative spectrum, I examine my expectations as I analyze my reaction. If I am having a negative feeling, then was this reaction produced because my expectations were not met? But even if I have a positive reaction, I wonder about expectations. Were my expectations fulfilled? How can I have these expectations fulfilled again in the same way so as to produce the same positive feeling?

Given the way the world is full of disappointments, I try to temper my expectations when it comes to things like sports. Setting my expectations too high can set the stage for misery, as I suffered with the Tigers last year or as I suffered with the Pistons in 2005. After many sleepless nights in 2005 as the Pistons lost Game Seven of the NBA Finals, I swore not to take sports so seriously, and so far, I sleep even if the Tigers lose.

Expectations for the Detroit Tigers this year were far too high. After last year's run to the World Series and the team's crushing defeat, the only reasonable expectation according to most people for this year would be to return to the World Series and win it all. But winning the World Series is not an easy task. Winning any sporting championship is a special and difficult accomplishment. Winning the World Series is surely no more difficult than NBA or NHL finals or even the Super Bowl, but it's no easier either.

Though the Detroit Tigers did not quite dominate their division and the entire American League as many expected they would give their talent level, they did lead the AL Central for most of the season, though hardly by a wide margin. They clinched the AL title much later than most other teams in other divisions. Though they flirted with reaching the best record in the AL, they were outplayed by the Oakland Athletics and the Boston Red Sox, but not by a lot. The Red Sox won 97 games and the Athletics won 96 games compared to the 93 games won by the Detroit Tigers.

The Red Sox scored more runs than the Tigers in the 2013 regular season (853-796), hit more home runs (178-176), had a higher on base percentage (.349-.346). The Tigers led in hits (1625-1566). But even with Boston leading several offensive categories, the Tigers were very close in two of the categories I listed. The Athletics were hardly offensively dominant. Tigers hit the ball way more often (1625-1403), scored more runs (796-767), and were on base more often (.346-.327). However, surprisingly, the Athletics hit more home runs (186-176) and hit more doubles (301-292).

Though the Tigers dominated the majors in strikeouts (1428 with the Indians as the closest second with 1379), the Athletics were better in pitching with ERA (3.56-3.61), Walks allowed (428-462), Hits allowed (1339-1369), and WHIP (1.22-1.25). Still the statistical variance on some of those categories is very small. The Athletics may have led in ERA and WHIP but not by very much. And given that the Athletics got to play Houston more often than the Tigers did, it's no surprise that they won three more games.

Oakland has an edge in the season record 3-4 and now with the post-season added 5-6. Oakland was 52-29 at home this year compared to the Tigers road record of 42-39.

Once again, like last year, the Tigers are playing a Game Five in Oakland to win the ALDS or go home. Just like last year, Justin Verlander takes the mound. There has been plenty of chatter about how JV has not been as dominant this year as in past years, but he ranks sixteenth in the AL in ERA with only one single Athletic starter above him (Colon). He's fourth in Strikeouts. And he dominated the Athletics in Game Two, a game the Tigers should have won. Hardly a disappointing season. And yet, some people's expectations for JV are so far out of whack that there's been disappointment in his season so far.

Likewise, The expectations for the Tigers have been out of whack. World Series or bust? Even if the Tigers lose tonight, they had a very successful season and have the pieces in place to make another run next year. The Tigers are taking their best shot tonight. I do not love the anxiety produced by win or go home games. But I must admit that the games are incredibly thrilling, especially if the Tigers win as they did in spectacular fashion Tuesday, with a home run by another player for whom expectations were a bit out of whack, Victor Martinez, but who turned it up a notch in the second half the season and finished strong.

As for expectations, people need to examine the situation. Baseball is not like marriage in which another person can be relied upon to act a certain way, to treat his/her partner a certain way. Baseball is not even like a job in which interpersonal communications skills and teamwork strategies dictate how well work is accomplished. Baseball is a dynamic system full of chaos and chance, affected by luck and superstition. It's never been a sure thing that the Tigers will win, and being too sure of a win is a certain way to jinx it.

Let's all take a deep breath, temper our expectations, and then cheer like HELL.

I am making no predictions and delivering no trash talk about tonight's game. I want to see a Tigers win, obviously. But it will be what it will be.

GO TIGERS!!

- chris tower - 1310.10 - 8:41