Tigers Weekly 2006 Season

PLAYOFF EDITION #2: ALCS

Cardinals, Metropolitans, Athletics... and Tigers. 
These four teams remain in the hunt for the 2006 World
Series Championship.  The line-up of teams screams
80s, as all four teams won their last championship in
that decade.  Nobody thought that the Tigers would be
here.  They are still the Cinderella story of the
season, and they'll look to earn their way to the ball
with a good series against Oakland.

After a collapse that cost the Tigers the AL Central
title, most people had the Tigers written off as easy
pickings for the big bad Yankees.  Game One of the
series went as scripted, with the "best line-up of all
time" living up to the hype.  After dealing with a
rain-out that made Game Two an afternoon affair, the
Tigs clawed their way to a 4-3 win to head home.  In
Motown the Tigers simply dominated.  Kenny Rogers
turned in the performance of his career (OK, except
for his perfect game) at a game I was fortunate enough
to attend.  Game Four was played concurrently with the
U of M / State game, and I've never been in a better
mood after a Wolverine cake-walk.  On a normally
divisive day, the state of Michigan was united as
their team displayed excellence in the greatest game,
knocking off the Goliath of the American League.  That
was Jeremy Bonderman slinging rocks.  The post-game
celebration left fans grinning from ear to ear as
everyone rejoiced at the Tigers' first playoff series
win since 1984.  

Next we look to the ALCS where the Oakland Athletics
await.  Unlike the Yankees, the A's have a decent
pitching staff and will pose a tougher challenge for
our hitters.  The Oakland hitters don't look as
imposing as the Yankees, but as we learned, you can
take nothing for granted in the post-season.  The
format will be 2-3-2, so the middle three games will
be played in Comerica.  Let's get it on!!!

New Subscribers...

Tommy "T-Love" Krause

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A Look Ahead at the ALCS...
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The Schedule (projected starters)...

Game One (Tue):  Nate Robertson vs. Barry Zito
Game Two (Wed):  Justin Verlander vs. Esteban Loaiza
Game Three (Fri):  Dan Haren vs. Kenny Rogers
Game Four (Sat):  Rich Harden vs. Jeremy Bonderman 
Game Five (Sun):  TBD
Game Six (Tue):  TBD
Game Seven (Wed): TBD

Though the Tigers had a better record than the A's,
they must open on the road since they were the Wild
Card winner.  The logic seems fuzzy.  Two teams meet
in the playoffs, and Team A has a better record than
Team B.  Team C had a better record than both Team A
and Team B and Team A and C were in the same
division... so Team B gets the home-field advantage
for the series with Team A.  Pretty ridiculous.  In
this series the Tigers only finished three games up on
the A's, but imagine if the AL West champ was barely
over .500, like the NL West champ last year.  The
situation would be absurd.  Maybe it's just a case of
being on the wrong side of the fence, but this rule
doesn't seem to make much sense.  Thankfully the
Tigers are a good road team. 

The Tigers are healthy, and the A's are not.  The
regular middle of Oakland's infield, Bobby Crosby and
Mark Ellis, are both out for this series.  Also,
starter Rich Harden has been hurt for most of the
season and doesn't appear to be 100%.  The A's are a
patient club, like the Yankees, and have good power in
hitters Frank Thomas, Nick Swisher, and Eric Chavez. 
The outfield of Payton, Kotsay (battling injuries),
and Bradley is statistically average.  Jason Kendall
rounds things out at catcher.  The A's only hit .245
in the ALDS, but they capitalized on all of the Twins'
mistakes to sweep the series.

Zito is a great lefty with a unique twelve-to-six
curveball (think of a clock... most curves come in at
some sort of diagonal).  Against Detroit he gave up
one earned run over seven innings earlier this year. 
Loaiza has been hit hard by the D.  In nine innings,
the Tigers hit .350 and tagged him for eight runs. 
Dan Haren also surrendered eight runs to the Tigers in
two starts vs. Detroit.  

After receiving no love in the ALDS the Tigers are
getting a little more respect from the guys at ESPN.
Nobody picked the Tigers to beat the Yankees, but two
of the five guys there have the D going to the World
Series.  All five guys have the series going at least
six games.  Check out all of ESPN's coverage at: 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2006/series?
series=detoak

I like our chances in this one, but you never know. 
As good as the Tigers looked in the ALDS, we've seen
their bats take week-long vacations before.  We must
hope that the good swings continue and, more
importantly, that the staff continues to pitch as the
best in the American League.

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Game Linescores...
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Game Three
October 6:  New York Yankees 0 - Detroit 6
Starters:  NYY: Johnson 5.2IP - DET: Rogers 7.2IP
NYY  000 000 000  0  5 0
DET  030 002 10X  6 10 0
W: Rogers  (1-0)
L: Johnson (0-1)

Three Stars of the Game...

3.  Sean Casey: 2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI.

2.  Curtis Granderson: 1 for 3, 2R, 2RBI, SB, HR.

1.  Kenny Rogers: 7.2IP, 5H, 2BB, 8K, 0ER.  

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Chas Claus attends a game...

On Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending
Game 3 of the ALDS - the first playoff baseball game
played in Detroit in almost 10,000 days.  The only
lineup better than the Yankees' "Murderer's Row and
then Cano" was the lineup of fans that made the trek:
myself, Mike "Jet" Claus, Chuck "the Toe" Claus, Kirk
"the Holder" Hanna, Mike "Larr" Kopec, and our beloved
editor Mr. O'Toole.

Despite heavy traffic that delayed our arrival time,
we all hooked up at the State Bar & Grill and polished
off five $7 pitchers of cheap, warm, domestic beer
between the six of us.  In a spirited mood, we made
the short walk to the CoPa just in time to catch the
lineup annoucements and anthem.

Sitting in in the infamous section 345 is an awful
idea for a summer afternoon game, where one is baked
in the sun and can't see much of anything. 
Contrariwise, the 3-4-5 was the perfect place to catch
postseason night baseball - far enough away to take in
the action and the crowd - and chock full of REAL fans
who stood at all the key moment, ignored 
attempts to do the wave, and brought lots of homemade
signs featuring slogans such as "Can Leyland coach the
Lions Too?"

90% of the readership here caught the game on TV, and
the other 10% are non-Tigers fans who aren't
interested, anyway, so I'll forego an attempt to 
recap the action.  Suffice it to say that the evening
was a festive one.  The Tigers won 6-0, thanks to a
masterful performance from "My Tiger," Kenny 
Rogers.  The Tigers got timely hitting from all parts
of their batting order, and the Yankees failed to do
the same, going 0-18 hitting with men on base.  The
Tigers crowd, staked to an early 3-run lead, was
oppressive and loud throughout the night, booing Jeter
(despite his Michigan roots and probable multi-million
dollar support of the "Kalamazoo Promise"), 
chanting "Ster-oids" and "Bal-co" at Giambi, and
accusing various Yankees of homosexual tendencies at
every chance, with clever substitutions, such as 
"Gay-Rod," "A-gay-u," "Gay-ambi," etc.

---

Game Four
October 7:  New York Yankees 3 - Detroit 8
Starters:  NYY: Wright 2.2IP - DET: Bonderman 8.1IP
NYY  000 000 102  3  6 2
DET  031 031 00X  8 13 0
W: Bonderman (1-0)
L: Wright    (0-1)

Three Stars of the Game...

3.  Carlos Guillen: 3 for 4, 2B, RBI.

2.  Magglio Ordonez: 2 for 4, 3R, 2RBI, HR.  

1.  Jeremy Bonderman: 8.1IP, 5H, 1BB, 4K, 2ER.

Editor's Note:  I looked for Yankee stars in each of
these games.  There really were none.

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Readers Write In...
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Paul "Shakes" Klozik

Keep up the good work MR EDITOR.
A Thankful  reader = = = =  =Mr Paul

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"Poor Ole" Terry O'Toole

Hi Matt,
Keep the info coming, enjoy the letter, even Mom is
into the Tigers BIG TIME and watches them all she can.
What a great job by the bull pen in game two, 
gave the baseball fans around the country a good look
at SPEED, not only Joel Z but also Verlander was
smokin' some 100 mph pitches.
GO GET 'EM TIGERS !
Dad

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Andy "Kin Korn" Karnitz

It's the middle of the 4th in Game 3 as I type this.
Ernie Harwell called the 2nd Inning on the Tigs'
broadcast. The guy didn't miss a beat. He talked about
Bobo Newsome; he talked about Satchel Paige. Matsui
watched the third strike go by, and was compared to
that old house by the side of the road. I was wishing
there might be someone sent out for excessive window 
shopping, but when Williams lined to Inge for the
third out, I promptly withdrew those wishes. When
Ernie handed the mike back to Dickerson- after the
Bengals had made three runs in the bottom of the
frame- I, alone in my tiny quarters, gave Mr. Harwell
a standing O.
 
Most people I know might think me a cynic, but when it
comes to my teams I always keep the eye peeled for the
silver lining. August and September found my optimism
waning a bit. Thank goodness for the expanded playoff
format! I was agonizing on that last weekend of the
regular season. And as crappy as the feeling was-
losing the Division Crown on the last day of the
season- I know it might have been worse. Just ask any
Phillies fan who was alive in '64.
 
So hope, like Ernie Harwell, springs eternal in
October. Our boys are even with the mighty Yanks in
the series and leading in Game 3. Cano just whiffed
for strike 3. 
Life is good.

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Steve "Stone" Sprague

Toolie,

I'm watching the game on ESPN tonight and Joe Morgan -
who apparently has such a vast knowledge of baseball
that he needs to have a police escort between Shea
Stadium and Yankee Stadium because no one else could 
possibly do the game - commented that fans at Comerica
are starting to stand on two strike counts like they
do at Yankee Stadium.  Hey moron, they do that at
every major league park with a decent fan base!  It is
certainly not anything unique to Yankee fans.  Just
because ESPN doesn't understand that 
the midwest cares about sports doesn't mean the
announcers should exhibit the same ignorance.

Editor's Note:  Not the same Joe Morgan that referred
to our Game Two starter as Jason Verlander? 
Noooooooo....

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Ch"Aase" Claus

All I can say is that I am fully caught up in Tigers
Fever.  Typically by this time of year, I am
faithfully watching every minute of Red Wings 
games, obsessing over college football, and casually
watching playoff baseball, wondering what it would be
like to have my own team in them.  This week, I 
not only skipped my weekly publication of my college
football newsletter, but turned down tickets to
Michigan/MSU in favor of tickets to Game 4 of the
ALDS.

On a side note, If you haven't seen it and have 10
minutes, some men after my own heart, but with far
more time on their hands, have recreated,
pitch-by-pitch, the end of Game 6 of the 1986 World
Series (Buckner this and Buckner that... Leave the man
alone, and leave ME alone!) using the original 
TV commentary along with the old RBI World Series
video game.  It's pretty hilarious and definately an
impressive use of the underrated deadly sin of 
Sloth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb_xnCBJoKI

Bless you Boys!
Chas

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Anthony "Whoop-A" Williams

I'm ashamed to admit it, but after Game 1 I didn't
really expect the Tigers to make a comeback.  I
would've still been happy with a strong season and a
playoff appearance, though.  But three straight,
dominating games over the Yankees---nobody (not even
you, Matt!) expected that!  

Whatever their problems last week, the Tigers picked
up their peak game at the right time.  If they can
keep up this level of performance, they should go deep
into the post-season.  Go Tigers!

Anthony

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Toolie's Trashtalk...

Man, ever since ESPN took over Monday Night Football
they have been covering it like crazy.  You'd think
this Ravens / Broncos game was for the AFC
Championship!  Also, ever since the Tigers eliminated
New York, what has all the talk been about?  

What's gonna happen with A-Rod?
Is Joe Torre going to be fired?
Who's going to replace Torre?  
What does Steinbrenner think?

I haven't seen a morsel of ALCS preview.  It reminds
me of when the Pistons won their latest NBA
Championship.  After that series ESPN couldn't stop
with Kobe-Shaq-Phil talk and you didn't hear jack
about the Pistons, the team that demolished those
Lakers.  The Tigers appear to be getting similar
treatment Disappointing.  

Going to Game Three was surreal.  Traffic was a real
pain in the tailpipe, but we arrived abou two hours
before game-time.  The State Bar was an extremely fun
place to drink pre-game.  There were some good anti-NY
shirts in the crowd, drinks were pretty inexpensive,
and there was some sort of rock concert happening in
the adjacent State Theatre.  Our section in Comerica
was pretty full, though our row was empty except for
us (it was a short row)!  No complaints, here. 
Luckily there weren't too many Yankee fans in our
section.  Some Red Sox fan was in the section, and he
kept trying to get all these anti-Yankee chants going.
I just didn't feel, at all, like getting behind this
guy.  My mindset was more about cheering for the
Tigers than against the Yankees, and I just wanted
this Red Sox fan to shut up.  This series wasn't about
Yankees-Red Sox.  It was Yankees-Tigers, and the D won
the first playoff meeting between the two clubs. 
Better luck next year, chowder-heads.

Three things I learned at Game Three:

1.  Along with large quantities of beer, smart support
of the Tigers can make average-looking girls come off
as hot.

2.  "Voodoo Child" by Jimi Hendrix is the perfect song
for Joel Zumaya to enter to.  

3.  Troughs were a good idea.  The lines in the
bathroom were unbelievable!  There should be twice as
many men's rooms are there are women's.  

The absence of the Dunkin' Donuts Race was about the
only disappointment of the evening.  That was
something I could live with.  

After the game they played the 1968 Fight Song.  I
sang every word.  

Check out some photos I took from the game at:

http://www.msu.edu/~otoolema/alds.html

The best moments of the post-Game Four celebration
were Leyland kissing some random guy (after kissing
his family) and Kenny Rogers dumping a bottle of
champagne on a reluctant but willing police officer. 
It was a great celebration.

Tuesday night we start back at square one.  A seven
game series makes Game One a little less stressful,
though it would be big to run Nate Robertson out there
against Barry Zito and grab a win.  The Tigers have a
few hitters who really hit lefties well (Maggs, Pudge,
Guillen).  Granderson will most likely bat ninth (.218
vs. lefties in the regular season).  Oakland hit just
.226 off of Nate in two starts this season, though
they got him for 9 earned runs.  It should be a good
one! 

This is great!

I'm out.





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