Not Good Enough - Not Yet

AP Photo: Cabrera and Verlander

It’s September 10^th and the boys of the Old English D are 20 games over .500.

The Tigers are 9.5 games up on the dastardly bastardly White Sox, 10 up on the Indians, and 23 games up on the Twins – the team that in past years (2006 and 2009) made the Tigers look foolish by sliding by on the last pitch of those seasons to swipe the AL Central Division Title.

The magic number this morning is 10. There are 18 games left to play. The Tigers have won their last 7.

I think now we can all take a deep breath and realize the Tigers will get to the post season.

Those last seven games have been against Chicago, Cleveland, and Minnesota. They have been beating up on weak pitching. Justin Verlander’s Cy Young bid has been secondary talk to the debate over whether a pitcher can be the AL MVP.

The additions since the All Star to the Tiger’s roster have been key. Wilson Betimit at third, Delmon Young and Doug Fister have each contributed significantly to help stretch the lead by adding power at the plate and solid pitching into a weak rotation.

But in the words of Yogi Berra – it ain’t over ‘till it’s over.

Yeah, I know. That’s not a great attitude. But I still have that horrific taste of 2009’s game 163 in my mouth – the last game ever played in the dome from hell in Minnesota – next to the Twin Cities airport – the one that brought my last feelings of Tiger’s jubilation crashing to the ground like the meteor that slammed into the Earth millions of years ago and ended the reign of the dinosaurs.

But it doesn’t smell like that this year. 2011 smells much sweeter, more so than 2006 when the Tiger’s lucked out by having the AL wildcard slot to fall back into after being swept by Kansas City in the final three games to watch Minnesota tip-toe past them to back into the AL Central Division title.

It smells a lot better this year. The air is sweetened by power appearing up and down the line up scoring 73 runs in their last 8 games – averaging a hair more than nine runs a game, and outscoring their opponents by an average of more than six runs a game.

Yes, it’s true this streak has taken place against AL Central rivals – the Tigers haven’t played outside their division since their last game in Tampa Bay August 25^th, but that’s what they needed to do to pull away from Chicago and Cleveland – beat the snot out of them.

And they have.

So now the talk turns instead to looking forward to the post season, and where will they finish in the bigger picture of the four post season contenders. The wildcard will be in the East, that’s a lock, so you know both the Yankees and the Red Sox will be in but the Yankees are not a lock with only a 2.5 game lead, and many conceding the Red Sox are actually the better team of the two. In the West, Texas and Los Angeles are also battling with the Rangers up by 2.5 – but the loser of this race can only sit and watch.

If the playoffs were to start today, the Tigers who are a single loss better than Texas – would be playing wildcard entry Boston in the ALDS – not the best match up for the Tigers. But the Tigers would have the opportunity to throw Verlander at them twice and Fister once in a short five game series – so they do have a fighting chance.

The post season is the big unknown. To me it’s a really big black hole where anything could happen once the Tigers get there. Notice I said when?

Listening to the sports radio this morning, the eminent Pat Caputo hosting his Saturday morning show – one caller in particular spoke vehemently that Tiger fans should not be satisfied unless they win the World Series. The good sport side of my brain - the dominant side I’m afraid – thinks that’s the wrong attitude. But deep in my heart – and in that tiny suppressed side of my psyche – agrees that this year just getting to the playoffs is not good enough.

Not after 2006 when the Tigers folded in the World Series against a much inferior Cardinals team, folding and freezing up offensively – and defensively with pitcher fielding errors in damned near every game – choking like they did against Kansas City in the final three games of the regular season .

No, the playoffs are not good enough.

This newly expanded explosive offense needs to be fully loaded and ready to go off like crazed madmen satisfied with nothing less than World Series rings at the end of October. No standing at the plate with men in scoring position watching strike three go by.

No Brandon Inge on this post season roster. As you can tell by my last post some two months ago now, I thought we put that enigma to rest. Instead we need to see a lineup of hot Cabrera’s, Martinez’s, Young’s, Avila’s and even Santiago’s and Guillen’s hit line shots with power all over and out of the park. We need Verlander’s and Fister’s and Scherzer’s nailing the corners with 95-100 mph stuff and wicked-ass breaking stuff leaving Bo-Sox batters standing at the plate whimpering like little girls not invited to the Halloween dance at the local elementary school.

Is that too much to ask?

Baseball – it has been said – is a game of losing. You lose more than you win. If you get on base just once in three times at bat, your succeeding even though you failing two thirds of the time.

We’ve seen the Tigers lose before. They used to be pretty damn good at it.

Should these Detroiter boys of summer not continue deep into fall and win this whole thing, Tiger fans will feel heartbreak. Tiger fans will see 2011 as another missed opportunity. Tiger fans will find it even harder to get emotionally steady to go through it all over again in 2012.

Mr. Illitch isn’t getting any younger. His recent spending will attest to it.

Mr. Leyland isn’t getting any more cleverer. His recent decision making will attest to it.

Mr. Dombrowski won’t get any more insightful, his recent off season acquisitions will attest to it.

2011 has to be the year. Anything less won’t be enough.

The cards are all on that table. And the Tiger’s Leyland holds a pretty decent hand. But baseball, like poker, has eight strong contenders sitting at the same table, betting and bluffing and pulling out straights and royal flushes and full hoses and royal straights. This is the big boy’s table.

The way I see it, the rest of this season depends as much on Leyland’s ability to play his cards right, lining up his starting rotation and picking the right hot hitter in the two hole in the lineup, and managing his bullpen.

I can tell you for sure that Leyland will be second guessed by Tiger fans at every move he makes.

I can’t wait.

But I’m not wearing my heart on my sleeve this year. It hurts too much.

What's On Second?

Jim Leyland explains infield
changes to 1st baseman
Miguel Cabrera

Okay, I know. The old Abbot and Costello bit right?

Well given the fact I have worked with guys named Hu and Watt – that bit has made for hours of stupid rehashed jokes when figuring project work assignments.

But now I’m serious.

Who’s on first? Why Miguel Cabrera – no issue there – hitting nicely over .300 and playing a solid one bag. No problems.

But what’s on second? That’s the question.

This season started with Will Rhymes, who could barely hit the ball past the grass line of the infield – despite some really nice defensive plays.

But the Tigers need offense.

So Scott Sizemore – hitting .400 or so in Toledo comes back up and Will goes back down. Sizemore starts hot but fizzles to the two hundred range. A month later and Sizemore is traded to Oakland for a nice reliever. Oakland sent Sizemore back down to Triple A.

And we all miss Placido Polanco. He’s on second.

In Philadelphia.

So what’s on second?

Well, Jim Leyland came out and told us it was going to be Ryan Raburn. Raburn is to be our everyday second baseman.

Raburn? Left fielder 4A player Ryan Raburn? The star of many outfield highlight reel bloopers like the fly ball that bounces off him and over the fence for a home run Ryan Raburn?

What?

Okay, so What’s on second. But not all the time – because also playing second is Ramon “I’ve been trying to be an everyday player with this team for five years now” Santiago. And that just ain’t happening because Santiago apparently isn’t good enough to play every day.

I never really understood the concept of a Major League ball player who can field and hit being considered not to be good enough to play every day? Did he sleep with the wrong guy’s wife?

Well, if he plays everyday his numbers go down.

Okay – play him every other day. Then Raburn won’t be your everyday second baseman. Right?

Well, there’s also Danny Worth – who’s also listed on the official roster as an infielder like Santiago. Play him too? Raburn is after all listed on that same roster as an outfielder.

Maybe he plays a deep second base. Chatting with Boesch and Jackson in right and center between pitches?

I dunno.

Third base.

Well that’s Brandon Inge, has been for a decade now – great defense – no bat. He’s floating around the .200 mark right now.

What? Inge has mononucleosis? Really? He must have caught it when diving into the stands for a foul ball.

Well then who play’s third?

I don’t know.

No questions about the Tigers’ shortstop though – Jhonny Peralta is hitting great – although some may critique his range. I love the guy myself.

Our starting pitching is pretty solid right now. Sure the fourth and fifth spot guys might show up and might not – but so far pretty good. And we finally seem to have our bull pen tightened up, And Alex Avila has proved me so wrong about being our everyday catcher I feel I need to send him flowers for what I wrote here about him at the start of the season. Now he’s on the All Star ballot – and he deserves to be there.

And I really like that Andy Dirks kid – I think he is going to grow into our everyday left fielder – every day with Casper Wells and Don Kelly – oh yeah – and Ryan Raburn.

No Raburn’s on second.

Right.

No that’s Brennan Boesch.

Okay, okay I get it.

There has to be a deal brewing. There has to be something happening out in the trade waters that GM Dave Dombrowski is scheming up – perhaps building a deal to acquire Jose Reyes from the Mets?

Wouldn’t that be sweet? The Mets are struggling to keep the team afloat and Reyes is hitting .285 ish. And he plays a great second base.

Could be?

I don’t know.

What I do know is that until all this nonsense get’s straightened out – the Tigers will likely be no better than a .500 team. And that Cinderella mistake by the lake Cleveland no longer looks like a fluke – this first half of the season looks like the Tigers in 2006 and 2009 – blowing the AL Central away before the All Star break – a month away now.

Can Cleveland keep this pace up?

Are the dastardly bastardly Chicago White Sox starting to put it together to make a run after the Tigers? Will the Tigers – currently in second – four and a half behind the Indians and three games up on Chicago as June starts – will they even be in the race come mid July?

What a strange season.

It’s like a bad Vaudeville skit, for sure.

The Men In Black Must Get The Call Right

A couple of weeks ago, the American League Central looked like a race between two horses. The Twins were three ahead of the Tigers, and the White Sox were four behind.

But lo and behold – it's now a three horse race.

And now we sit in the final days of June – the final weeks before the All Star Game – with the Twins up by a game and a half, and the White Sox and Tigers now tied for second.

Every game of the one hundred and sixty two to be played in a season is equally important. The Tigers and Twins proved that point and punctuated it with a big old game 163 to determine the AL Central winner. A change in any win or loss in the prior one hindered and sixty two played by either team would have nullified the need for that 163^rd game.

No longer do Tiger fans – nor Twins fans I presume – feel comfortable in stating "It's a long season and it's early yet…", because every win and loss is added up into the same totals column on the stats sheet.

But the outcome of a game is not entirely within the control of the players on the field. The men in black are showing us more and more this season that the final out of a game is equally decided by their judgments – right or wrong – accurate or blindly self righteous.

The blindly self righteous umpiring needs to be changed. These men in black – the blind bums as baseball fans have known them now for over a century – they need to get it right!

Just last night – a shining example again played itself out for Tiger fans.

The Tigers were playing the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field and were down four to one in the top of the ninth. Miguel Cabrera ripped a scorching solo dinger to make it four to two. Brenan Boesch struck out. And so did Guillen – the Tigers down to their last out. Brandon Inge fouled off some six or more strikes to finally earn a walk.

It was Inge's best at bat of the season.

Then the wheels fell off the otherwise impeccable Atlanta bullpen. The next three batters were walked – and the score now stood at four to three. And Johnny Damon came to the plate. With the count full, the wily veteran held off on a pitch well outside the plate. The tying run should have walked into home with Ramón Santiago due to come to the plate next for a chance to take the lead with a base hit.

The third strike called on Johnny Damon by umpire Gary Cederstrom.

But that outside pitch was called a strike. Damon argued with the umpire as they walked off the field together – asking in the end that the umpire to please look at the replay when he got in the club house.

And for the second time this 2010 season, the umpire agreed he had missed a call – stating to a pool reporter after the game – "it didn't look good".

And then everyone went home.

The Braves Announcers said "well, a win is a win I guess".

So true. It's been that way as long as umpires have been known as blind bums.

The Tigers cheated out of one of those one hundred and sixty two very important chances to win the game.

The Twins having beaten the Mets that day with outstanding pitching – and the White Sox winning as well, the Tigers fell from a half game back to a game and a half back of the Twins and into a tie with the once distant White Sox.

And again the idea of using the available technologies of the day to ensure umpire accuracy is discussed. And this is a discussion I personally don't like to hear.

I am a person who makes their living by designing and constructing technical solutions. And my feeling has always been that technology is best applied to enhance the work of human beings – not make up for a person's inadequacies.

To do so means it no longer matters if people make mistakes – the technology will correct them. The person no longer to be held accountable – the technology will right the wrong.

Oh, sure there are places for such thinking – like in the air traffic control tower where mistakes cost people their lives – or in operating rooms where a slip can also cost the life of a patient.

But for crying out loud this is baseball.

Why have umpires at all if technology like instant replay and pitch tracking can result in a one hundred percent accuracy rate? Why pay a guy to dress in black and stand behind the plate if his calls don't matter.

Imagine the inevitable outcome of such a direction. A routine pop fly to center field – caught easily by the fielder – and the sound of an automated female voice ringing out over the loudspeaker "The batter is out". Next – a single up the gap – the runner turns first and slides into second as the throw from the left fielder reaches the second baseman and the tag is applied ….. seconds pass … the automated female voice over the loudspeaker states unemotionally … "the runner is safe".

No umpire behind second swinging his arms apart to make the call visible at the second it happens … merely a soft female voice … like the one who asks you one the phone … "press one for billing inquiries" …. Making the calls on the field.

Do you want that?

Or all eyes moving to the big scoreboard video screen to see if the pitch was inside or outside the strike zone – defined by a square – the ball a mere dot?

That's not baseball.

A lot of talk has been made of late about the 'human element'.

What I have just described to you is the result - should the human element of the umpire be removed from baseball.

Mindless automated unemotional responses to questions that have fans players and coaches waiting breathlessly for the response.

Do we want that?

Personally, I don't want that.

I want that umpire behind the plate making the call on balls on strikes with the option to ask the umpire at first or third if the batter went too far. I want that man in black standing behind second base making a call with either a fist pump or a swing of the arms to call safe or out.

What I want is umpire accountability.

What I want is umpire reversibility.

But maybe there is a place where the two positions can meet in the middle.

A compromise. A real solution.

You see, in my opinion, the problem is that the Umpire has it embedded into his head that once he has made a call – he can reverse it. He can't change his mind. He can't say – "oops, I really screwed that up … the runner was out!" or "I spoke to fast … the pitch was a ball".

If we think so highly of an umpire – like Jim Joyce – who's bad call cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game on June 2^nd – by calling the runner safe when he was indeed clearly out – as they admit their mistake with contrite sincerity – then why can't that umpire change his mind so he can right the wrong when it counts – during the game?

That's the old fashioned line of thinking that needs to change – an umpire can admit he was wrong – that he spoke to quickly – that he had doubt – and then let the umpire see the instant replay - have a look – and make the right call.

Not a female automated voice – or graphic displays on a scoreboard screen. Show the replay on the scoreboard so it's clear to everyone – which they do not do now – and the umpire then forced to change his mind if he is wrong.

It takes a big man to admit he is wrong.

It takes a bigger man to admit he is wrong in front of 43,000 screaming fans – but if he makes it right – then all is forgiven.

And an umpire in the Major Leagues – in The Bigs – in The Show – should that big a man.

And remember – it works both ways – in half of these instances the umpire will be proven right. And when those times come – the umpire should be able to say to those 43,000 screaming fans

"See, I told you so – now shut the hell up and let me call this game!"

The Mighty Caseys of Detroit

originally published on headstuffing on October 7, 2009

What a game.

The regular season playoffs against the Twins was one of the greatest games I ever watched.
One of them.

After twelve innings of play – the Twins squeaked in a run from second a short fly ball to right field – the throw to the plate was not even close.

A real battle.

But you can read a recap of the game on any news service. You don't need me to replay it over for you.

I just don't have the heart to relive it all right now.

Maybe in December.

But if the truth be told, the better team won.

I wish it wasn't true.

The Detroit Tigers went on a power slide of a losing streak just when they needed to win the most.

They split two with Minnesota at Comerica, and then lost two of three to the White Sox – all in their home yard – Comerica Park.

I was at the final home game against the White Sox – the one they won. My Lovely wife Darlene and I were thrilled as the Tigers handily took the White Sox in the 162^nd contest of the 2009 season.

The Tigers had to win that game, and the Twins had to lose – but watching the scoreboard in right-center field – the Twins were just pounding the Royals 7-0.

The following day, the day that was supposed to be the rest up day before the start of the playoffs against the Yankees, but instead became the limbo day before the single game playoff with the Twins, news broke that the Friday night before – superstar slugger and American League candidate for MVP Miguel Cabrera had been out drinking with friends from the White Sox – until five in the morning – and had an altercation with the missus as he drunkenly returned (somehow) to his house.

In Saturdays game – unquestionably still affected by the partying and the embarrassment of police intervention that forced Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski to pick Cabrera up at a suburban Detroit police station – during that ever critical game that if won, the Tigers would have made the playoffs, Miguel Cabrera – Superstar slugger and MVP candidate for 2009 went-oh- for four at the plate and looked like a wet rag.

But the Twins kept on pounding away. Chipping away at a lead that was once seven games with a onth left, and was 3 games up with four to play – to finally fdorce the single game elimination – at Minnesota's Metropolitan Dome – the dome from hell.

And of course after one of the most exciting twelve inning matches I ever witnessed – the Twins of Minnesota danced around the dome joyously as the AL Central Division pennant winners . On that night – for the first time since May 10, the Tigers were no longer in first place.

We've all heard the poem "Mighty Casey".

Oh! somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville -- mighty Casey has struck out.That about sums it up.

The Detroit Tigers – Start of the Payoffs or End of the Season?

I'm sitting in the parking lot of our local community center.

My little girls are inside taking their weekly gymnastics class. They close the door on these sessions, so the parents can either sit in the lobby and wait, or go off to do their weekend chores while the kids are occupied.

I chose to sit in the jeep and listen to the radio.

And write. There's just not enough time to write anymore.

The talk on the sports radio station is spread across all the current happenings.

The University of Michigan is playing Michigan State University right now. A big deal across the river as both Big Ten conference teams are bitter rivals.

The Lions are playing tomorrow against the Chicago Bears. And some think the Lions have a chance to actually win.

But the big talk today is about the Tigers. My beloved Detroit Tigers are one game up in the AL Central over the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers are playing the Chicago White Sox. The Twins are playing the Kansas City Royals. And the American League Central pennant race is coming down to the wire, with tomorrow being the end of the regular season.

My lovely wife Darlene and I will be at that game tomorrow. We thought the game would be a mere formality – meaning nothing with the division already won by the Tigers. But it looks like it will be the make or break game of the season.

I know it's silly to care so much about a baseball team.

But I do.

Four weeks the Tigers had a seven game lead. But they failed miserably down this final stretch – most notably losing so many to the Twins both in the horrid Metropolitan Dome in Minneapolis – and in their own yard at Comerica Park.

I predicted in the first week of August that this scenario was not only possible – but likely. And now that prediction seems pathetically prophetic. You could see this scenario coming like a slow train on the prairies coming up to the depot. The land is so flat you can see the train coming the night befoe.

And flat is a great way to describe these Detroit Tigers.

These Tigers are playing almost as though they are scared to win. The pitching has been mediocre when it needs to be stellar. The hitting needs to be explosive but instead it's more of a fizzled out fuse. And the decisions made by Tiger's Manager Jim Leyland have been questionable to say the least.

While they have a one game lead with two to play, you can tell the fans have already determined the Twins will win this thing.

Of course I hope that's not true.

Darlene and I have not yet been to a game yet this year. Tomorrow is the game we chose, and we splurged on premium seats. The Tigers have held first place since May 10^th. To watch it slip away on this last game of the year, sitting in the expensive chairs, and having to drive home afterwards is unacceptable.

Today the Twins face Kansas City's ace Zack Greinke. This is the Royal's best opportunity to help the Tigers stave off the on-coming-like-a-freight-train Twins.

That's encouraging.

So who are the Tigers starting tonight against the White Sox?

A rookie named Figaro. Yes, like the operatic aria.

A rookie who has only pitched two games in the big leagues. They were both good outings, but hey – this game means something.

So this 2009 season seems to be closing down like a tragedy packed opera – staring who else but Figaro to sing what could be the final act.

I only hope the fat lady doesn't sing.

Could it be? The Detroit Tigers Are Six Games Up?

originally published on headstuffing on September 6, 2009

Could it be?

I seem to have to keep looking at my newspaper this morning.

The sports section. The Major League Baseball standings tucked in the top left corner of the second page of the sports section.

There, in black and white – with the authority of an official news organization behind – sits the standings of the American League Central.

My beloved Detroit Tigers are leading the American League Central division by six games.

Holy mackerel

I have watched every game on television or listened to every game on the radio. So I don't know why I am in such a state of disbelief. Joyous disbelief, but disbelief all the same.

Pat Caputo is on the radio again this morning urging people to finally believe in this team. With a team leading their division by six with twenty seven left to play. The magic number now set to twenty games – combinations of Tigers Wins – or losses of Minnesota and Chicago. Pat can't understand why Tiger fans have been hesitant to believe the Tigers will win the American League pennant and have a spot in the 2009 playoffs.

Well, to start with, the Tigers were supposed to be a poor team this year – chosen by the pundits of national sports to finish near the bottom of the division. But we Tiger fans knew the boys wearing the old English D were not as bad as they appeared to be last year – when they did finish in the basement after being picked by those same national media pundits to win the World Series.

We knew our starting pitching rotation would not stink this year like they did last year. We knew guys like Polanco, Inge, Guillen, and Thames would step up to fill the shoes of game-by-game heros when our superstars like Cabrera, Ordonez, Granderson, and Verlander faltered. And we knew that the Tigers farm system was deep enough to supply great temporary support by sending up newcomers like Raburn, Thomas, and Avila would step into roles and play significant parts – before we even knew their names.

But the problem was the Tigers couldn't win on the road.

Their road record was atrocious until the last two away game series. They hadn't won a road series since May, until taking the Angels in Anaheim last week and know their current series with the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend. The final game of that series about to start in a few minutes.

But while the Tigers played poorly on the road, the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox played worse.

Nobody beats Tampa Bay at Tropicana field.

But the Tigers have. And came from behind to do so.

The bats that were quiet are now awake.

The players that were slumping in clutch situations are now getting key hits. The pitching – when failing – has received enough run support to surpass the opposition. The defense has been tighter – and the Tigers Catchers – Laird and Avila – have been surpising in their ability to handcuff base runners by throwing laser accurate ropes to second – to the perfect spots where the runners slide into waiting gloves of Polanco, Everette, and Santiago.

A new confidence has arisen from the Tigers when they sit in the visiting dugouts.

If they score first they taunt the opposition to catch them if they can. If they fall behind in the course of a game, they charge back with determination and conviction to take the lead in the eighth or ninth innings.

And Tigers closer Fernando Rodney gives you tingles of fear comparable to a bungee jump made at a county fair – walking men or giving up hits to allow the tying run coming to the plate – only to get the poor bastard to swing at strike three and get out of the self-imposed jam. Rodney has scared us to death with every save opportunity appearance – but the statics show that in thirty something such opportunities – he has only let one slip through his split fingers.

But I am superstitious when it comes to baseball. I believe in jinxes.

And so that is why I still hesitate to declare decisively as Pat Caputo insists – that the Tigers will win the AL Central division.

Six game leads seem like a lot. Especially in September.

But there is a very scary road trip coming up – to visit both Minnesota and Chicago – at fields they don't typically do well in … so I reserve my right to hedge my complete and utter faith in the Tigers winning the pennant. Six games can dwindle quickly – especially if Minnesota and Chicago get hot too.

So I am still nervous. That's what makes a true pennant race like this one so exciting. I am hopeful – and trying desperately to be faithful. But I don't yet know for sure where things will sit when the fat lady sings in the first week of October.

I do know this. I will be at that final regular season game in October – against the White Sox. And whether it is a game of formality to simply cheer the Tigers into the post season – or whether it comes down to that final game to win our way into the post season – I don't know.

But it will be a great day that day.

Perhaps I will venture up to the press box to track down Caputo – and shake his hand – and share with him how truly great this season has been – pretending to be a pizza delivery guy – or a writer for the Schwartzville Times – Gazette – and simply point a thumbs up at him as he keys in his thoughts on the season.

Who knows.

But it has been a terrific ride that I hope continues strong for another twenty seven game days.

And I can honestly state that I am now a true believer – with only the fear that I am jinxing my beloved Detroit Tigers.

Could it be?

Yes it could.

Detroit Tigers – There’s A Big Storm Brewing

originally published on headstuffing on August 4, 2009

Hold on to your hats Tiger fans!

Or at least turn them inside out and wear them as rally caps.

There's a big storm brewing! It's already on the radar screen.

Last night the Tigers took the first game of a six game home stand with the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota

Twins by coming from five runs back and tying the game in the fifth – then winning the game with a two out two strike blast by Clete Thomas into the bushes in center field.

It was a bomb.

As well, Tiger's ace Justin Verlander did not let a five run first inning phase him. He pitched lights out ball the next seven innings getting better with each pitch he threw. It was that beautiful Verlander poise and presence coming through yet again.

But this time the Tigers offense woke up.

Leading the way was superstar Miguel Cabrera – who while he has big numbers and hitting .334 – had been very quite in clutch situations with men in scoring position – knocked in three RBIs with a big clutch double and the game tying homerun.

To recap - the Tigers came back and caught the Orioles in the fifth. And won it with a walk off homer in the ninth.

That was an exciting game – and many things Tiger fans have been waiting to see finally appeared.

But it was a home game. In Comerica Park. The Tigers usually win at home.

I'm not trying to put a damper on last night's elation. Please hear me out. I'm just trying to be objective.

The Tigers have a chance in the next few weeks to widen the gap between them and the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins. They might expand their lead by as many as four games ahead of their Central Division rivals.

But, like I said already, there is a big storm brewing!

As I look at the Tigers long range weather forecast, I can see a tropical storm brewing over the American Midwest. And it looks like it could build into a category five hurricane. The conditions look like they could be just right for this monstrous storm to hit the Tigers right where they are weak – weak as a West New Orleans levy of sandbags – when the Tigers play away games.

The Tigers will need a lot more sandbags to weather this storm. Let me explain:

The Tigers record at home at Comerica Park is 32 wins and sixteen losses.

The Tigers record when they are away from Comerica Park is 23 wins and 33 losses.

The Tigers stink on the road.

But luckily so do most of the other teams in the American League.

So what is this storm brewing that has me so worried?

It's a ten game road trip – starting on the 18^th of September and ending on the 27^th of September. During that trip, the Tigers will play three games in Minnesota (a park where they have little luck), four games in Cleveland (who just took two out of three from Detroit in Cleveland last weekend), and then the final three against the Chicago White Sox at what should be called New Cominsky Park.

The Tigers record on the road stinks.

It is possible that the Tigers could lose six to eight of those games. Such a result would possibly be enough to sink the Tigers 2009 chances. Drowned by the lack of offense they are known for on the road this season.

As I look at the remaining schedule of the Tigers, White Sox and Twins in 2009 - if current trends continue - I see the Tigers being even with Chicago by the time the first pitch of that September 25^th weekend series begins. Games in that horrible dome in Minneapolis and Cleveland's Progressive field will erode at least two games of what I expect to be a three game lead.

Two of the three sandbags will be blown off the Tigers soft away game levy, leaving a single sandbag or two to ride out the three game hurricane of games at Chicago.

Chicago is the windy city.

And some would try to say that Detroit is No-Mo-Town now. This would be the worst possible outcome if the Tigers lose eight out of ten on that road trip.

Now there are some elements that entered into the radar that may slightly change this American League Central weather patterns development over the last week.

The Tigers have picked up some pitching to make their rotation even stronger, acquiring Jarrod Washburn from Seattle in return for Lucas French and a Minor League rising star Mauricio Robles.

Washburn was having an above average year with Seattle – with an 8 win 6 loss record – throwing 79 strikeouts and 33 walks in 133 innings. How will he do as a Tiger? Tonight will be his first outing clad in the old English D. And his first start will be in Comerica – after the elation of a great win last night. So fingers are crossed that Washburn starts off strong as a Tiger.

But as well, Chicago has strengthened their pitching, picking up Jake Peavy from San Diego. Peavy is considered to around the same barometer readings with the Tigers Verlander, Anderson, and now Washburn. The white Sox already have perfect game pitcher Mark Burhle in their rotation.

Do the Tigers Verlander and Jackson combined outweigh the dominance of Mark Burhle? Are Washburn and Peavy simply going to cancel each other out? It will be very interesting and exciting to see.

But there is good news for us Tiger fans in all of this. After what promises to be the most exciting road trip of the season during that last half of September, the Tigers return home – to trusty and faithful Comerica Park.

The Tigers safe harbor from the storm.

And who is coming to play those final six games of the 2009 season in the Tigers safe harbor? Who else.

The Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox.

This is going to be one wild storm during the last four weeks of the American League Central Pennant race my friends. And if I were you, I would get tickets to all six of the final home stand games.

Because if the Tigers can ride out the hurricane brewing for the end of September, that first week in October will be the most amazing games played yet at Comerica park.

Can the Tigers ride that fast approaching storm? Will they have stashed away enough wins to survive the expected offensive power outage they seem to experience during road trips?

But I think - like 2006 - we need as big a lead built right now to survive that final onslaught.

In 2006 we had the luxury of being in the Wildcard division. We sat in August and September and helplessly watched the water rise high enough to erode the Tigers once ten game lead.

Is the 2009 version of the Tigers stronger than the 2006 version? It's certainly different. But this year I think the Tigers pitching is actually better than in 2006.

We got the pitching to slow down the storm - but we need these bats of this potentially explosive offense to get better on the road.

2009 has the potential to be one of the most exciting finishes of Tiger baseball history.

Hang onto your hats Tiger fans, because there is a big storm heading our way.