DETROIT TIGERS... A contender or pretender?

[buzzsaw]

So this team was a joke a few years ago and has rebuilt the team very nicely! I was waiting to pass judgement on this team until after the series against the Yankees and Red Sox... well they got beat down 3 of 4 vs the Yankees and probably would have lost that last game if Rivera was not hurt and doing the closing, but Farnsworthless comes in and serves it up on a platter and the Tigers "salvage" a win. Now they are playing a tough Boston team and barely lost to Schilling and Company last night... but that still leaves them at 1-4 for the games vs tough opponents... I'm not sure what to think yet, but I know they are improved.

[Willy]

Although this is not saying much this year, they are better than the Twins.

They have had the hitting for the past few years. Their pitching has finally caught up and now they are tough. Throw in Kenny Rogers (Oops TR, he's been great ever since we let him go) and the young smokeballer they've got and now their pitching staff is one of the best in the majors. I think they'll be right there at the end and I guess it wouldn't break my heart to see them take the division over the Sox.

[genegodawa]

Pretty tough choice alright - listen to Windy or Backherup?

[Spinner1]

Any team that can run with the White Sox this long is a contender. I'm a Reds fan. The same question is asked about my team.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Spinner,

The thing that you have to look at is that the Kitties have been playing out of their minds this season while the Sox have been just sputtering along, good for a few and then a clunker. With all that being said, as of today the Sox are only a half game behind the Kitties in the win column and even in the loss column and that is the best record in baseball.

I never thought I would live to see the day with the Sox that people say they are just playing so-so baseball for the first third of the season and they have the best record in baseball!

My prediction is that the Kitties will hang around until about the All-Star game and then fade to third in the division. I still like the Tribe to catch fire and contend with the Pale Hose until about mid August and then the Sox will shift into a gear that everybody is expecting them to be playing and win the division by about 8.5 games.

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[Spinner1]

I'm not suggesting they'll win 110 games, but I say the Tigers clearly qualify as a contender. I predict a wildcard for them. I guess we'll have to let them go ahead and play the games. In any event, Tigers turn around is impressive. Pitching is good, and their record is no fluke. It's what I love about baseball. More competitive than football.

[buzzsaw]

Yup, so far I agree... a Contender... cue the Jackson Browne tune!

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Buzz and Spinner (sounds like an old Clutch Cargo cartoon, for you older folks out there)

I would have to agree and give them the contender label (yes, cue the Jackson Browne, Buzz) but you never know when Chrissy Hynde is laying in the weeds and she switches them to....The Pretenders! How bout dem Sox today!

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES! Windy

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Now that's some funny stuff right there, I don't care who you are. Pardon my Larry The Cable Guy-ism!

GIT R DONE !

Windy

[Spinner1]

Did the Contendas just win number 40 today???

Was Clutch Cargo from a cartoon shown in the early 70s. I'm thinkin I saw it on a Chicago station when we first got cable. I'm guessin Windy is fortyish.

Now if you'll excuse me, my Reds just lost three in a row to the Cubs. I have to go find a building to jump off.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Just turned 47 last week Spinner. I used to watch Clutch Cargo on the old Ray Rayner morning show with Cuddly Duddly, Chelveston the Duck and Diver Dan. Ah, that's when TV shows were TV shows. Here's to the old days.

Windy

[Mudcutter]

big twins fan here. haven't posted this year due to the poor playing of the Twins. I don't see it improving to the level needed to win the or even contend for the DIV, I hope I'am wrong!!

MY reason for this post is that I watched the White Sox play the tribe last sat. What a team the White sox have from top to bottom!! The tribe can't manufacture runs. The white sox can in many different ways. I hate to say it, but they are GOOD.

they play the late innings in a close game like it's sept or OCt, alot like the red sox do. The tigers will fade and the sox win the DIV by 6+ games over the nearest contender.

I think the Twins will finish around .525,, about 6-10 games behind the Sox in a battle for 2nd.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Mud,

Great minds think alike! I would have to agree with you. I see the Tribe doing a little better with their potent lineup but their pitching is suspect. Just the opposite for the Twinks, great potential pitching (at least two of the starters) but not so hot lineup punch. I do see my beloved Pale Hose running away with the division, even though they have yet to play to their potential this year and I guess it could be the Tribe or the Twinks who do battle for 2nd but I agree that the Kitties will most likely come in 3rd. And I guess we can say...YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD...YES!

Windy

[AndyMan]

All I can say...to this point, they are still the best team "in all the land!" (45 wins and 24 losses).

Leading the Cubs 10-2 in the 5th, having already hit 6 home runs in the game so far..."bye-bye" Mark Prior in the 4th...we'll see ya after the All-Star break, Windy...still have a lot of games to take from the White Sox...when they'll really count, too...

[buzzsaw]

Well the Tigers and White Sox certainly are tearing it up, but If my beloved Twinkies can somehow keep playing the way they've been playing and make it into the playoffs (long shot I know) I'm certain that nobody would want to face our 1-2 combo of Santana and Liriano. Our other young guys are denting the ball as well... Mauer, Morneau, Kubel... the futures so bright, I gotta wear shades.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

Buzzy,

You know your Timbuk 3, my man. As for my beloved Pale Hose, it's not the future we are worried about, it is...

Right Here Right Now, now go ahead and name that band, I can name that band in 6 notes! Later, Buzz, hope you had a great fathers day. We did here in the windy. I had about 15 of the 24 family members over who go up to Cass Lake each year and we did up a bunch of the walleye from last years harvest. I did a bunch of walleye soaked in stout beer and did them in a wet stout beer batter. Followed those up with some walleye that I soaked in buttermilk and cayanne pepper and then dipped in a dry cajun breading (those fillets had everybody reaching for another ice cold Blue Moon) I did a few walleye for my youngest son who does not like fried fish so I had some walleye that I left the skin on and marinated them in olive oil, garlic and lemon pepper and did them on the grill, tasty. Finished up with about 4 of our northern pike which I filleted into 4 inch chunks and did them in a fish boil with some lemons and old bay and served them with some melted garlic butter, for a little "poor man's lobster". Very tasty. Along with the food we had a few games of bean bags, some Texas Hold Em and of course another White Sox sweep, for the perfect Fathers Day. Would have been nice if the Cubs could have shown a pulse this weekend but I guess that is asking for a little too much. Oh well, Happy Fathers Day to all you FM crazies out there and as usual...

YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD....YES! Windy

[genegodawa]

Windy, yes it was a great Father's Day here in Chi-town. While you were cooking them, I was giving them away as I just returned last night from Cass. Unfortunately, my Cubbies couldn't help your WSox at all, huh?

P-yewwwwww, man do they stink!

[buzzsaw]

Windy, the answer is the Sammy Hagar led version of Van Halen. I am glad to here you like good tasty beer, I myself do some damage on the Blue Moon as well as Paulener Hefe weizen and a few other German and Belgian Hefe Weizens, I think they are the tastiest suds going. The Germans are now making a krystal weizen where they have strained the wheat a bit more and made a less cloudy beer.... still have to get my hands on some of that barely pop. and to finish off your song and making it tie in with drinking a beer... "what are ya waiting for, it means everything".

[Spinner1]

Last chance to vote. Don't be waiting for the season to end to check in on this.

[RJ]

Or are we a team a couple years ahead of schedule? No one predicted this. We will take the Wild Card, gladly, but it is disappointing we couldn't get it done late. KC really came to town ready to play. About fifty hits in three games. We are limping into the playoffs with a beat up pitching staff and tired regulars. Pudge caught twelve innings today. About all our regulars played the entire KC series. Tigers tried real hard to win one.

Bring on the Yankees.

[Spinner1]

RJ

I'm sure it was tough to watch them back into the playoffs, but you won near 100 games in the toughest division in MLB. I don't like your chances in the playoffs, but the Kitties do get to go to the dance. 20+ teams would trade with them today.

[Mudcutter]

the Tigers didn't back into to the playoffs, they clinched a spot a week ago. The Cards backed into the playoffs.

The Tigers are the last team the YAnks want to face.

[soldoncass]

RJ,

Congratulations to you and the Tigers for a great season! They had a phenomenal year. Not quite as HOT at the end as at the beginning of the year, but they sure didn't quit. Everything starts with pitching, and they had trouble holding the Royals down. Don't despair, though, they can get Hot again at a moments notice. Good luck against the Yankees. They are beatable!

[Spinner1]

Quote:

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the Tigers didn't back into to the playoffs, they clinched a spot a week ago. The Cards backed into the playoffs.

The Tigers are the last team the YAnks want to face.

---

We'll have to disagree Mud. IMO, the Tigers are limping bad, and it's not about a three game series with KC. They could have closed the deal on the DIVISION a month ago with only a mediocre streak. They couldn't do it. Hopefully RJ knows I am not trashing his team. I was defending their honor early in this thread. I've thought they were for real since May. But the Kitty pitchers are gonna have to reach deep, because they haven't been dominating lately. I hope they whip the Yanks, but I'm not expecting that.

[CALVINIST]

I think the kitties are going to play the Yanks tough. Will the Yanks enter the playoffs against the Tigers and not take 'em seriously? After all, they just lost what, 5 straight, right? Sure, the Tigers croaked in the latter innings sunday, but they are overdo to win, especially if the Yankees suffer from illusions of grandeur. It's possible the Tigers take this 5 game series against the Yankees.