The Hunt is Over

The entire 2015 season left a terrible aftertase in the mouths of every single Tigers fan. Detroit finished dead last and surrendered their hold on the AL Central to the KC Royals, a team that won NOTHING since manager Dick Howser led them to a World Series Championship in 1985, a year after the Tigers won it. (Gee, ironic, seems that KC is always following in the Tiger's paw prints...) The Tigers ended the season in last place with a dismal 74-87 record. The pitching staff, which once DOMINATED went from best to worst ending 27th in ERA, 28th in FIP, and 27th in WHIP. But there were extreme bright spots that left some hope for brighter days like having an AL best .270 team batting average and Miggy earning his 4th batting title in 5 years.

The off season preceding the 2016 season provided excitement and a new fire in the hearts of Detroit Fans. Longtime Tigers owner Mike Ilitch, perhaps the greatest and most loved owner in all of pro sports, opened his wallet wide, dug deep in to his pockets, and spared no expense to try and capture that ever-elusive  World Series trophy that both he, and entire state of Michigan are starving for. Marquee free agents Jordan Zimmermann and Justin Upton were signed to hefty contracts. Trades brought in players like Cameron Maybin and veteran closer Francisco Rodriguez who headlines a totally revamped bullpen with Justin Wilson and (ugh...) Mark Lowe. Mr. Ilitch gave Tigers GM Al Avila the green light to be agressive in addressing the needs of the team and he did just that. The was a new aura of excitement that placed VERY high expectations (along with a VERY high payroll) on this team with many favoring them to win the AL Central and possibly...dare I say it?...the World Series. But maybe, just maybe that was the problem. Everyone put way too much expectations on a team that had just finished in last place just a year ago. From last to World Series Champs? Although not entirely impossible, it just wasn't feasible. You'd have a better shot a squeezing a camel through the eye of a needle.

It was easy to get caught up in the excitement. I fell victim to it, as did many a Detroit fan. On paper, we had one of the most potent line ups in all of baseball, and for the most part (except when we REALLY needed them to come through), they weren't all that bad. Miggy, V Mart, JD, Kinsler Upton, Castellanos...OH MY!  All capable of hitting at least .280, 25 HR, and 100 RBI. That's flat-out SCARY! The starting pitching featured a revamped JV, newly acquired workhorse Jordan Zimmermann, former AL ERA Leader Anibal Sanchez, and rookie hopeful Daniel Norris. The bullpen which brought so much anguish in years past was totally given a new make over with a new closer in K-Rod, and some mid inning help from Justin Wilson (no, not the Cajun Chef).   Considering the money that was spent to shore up the team, and the numbers that were possible of being put up by this monster of a line up, yeah sure...we had every reason to put our money on the Tigers. But instead of going all-in, we should have played it cautiously. 

We should've known better. When it comes to Detroit Sports (Red Wings are excluded), Detroit fans have a tendency of getting our hearts and dreams totally decimated by our teams. World Series losses in 2006 and 2012, the Lions misery Sunday after Sunday, game after game, year after year... After all, the Tigers did finish in last place a year ago. Should we have realistically put all our eggs in one basket? Bank it all on the Tigers? Go for broke on hoping that we win the World Series? Once again, it's easy to be optimistic, but we also need to weigh facts, figures, and track records before we invest that much hope and emotion into our hopes of bring it all home in October.

It's okay to be bummed out. I fully understand. With their roster, on paper the Tigers SHOULD have won the AL Central. There was no reason to think that Cleveland would've dominated Detroit all season like they did. But we should've been cautious and realists. Again, was it truly feasible to think that a team that finished last a year ago was going to win the division, the pennant, and the World Series? Come on, answer honestly. All things considered, I am extremely proud of our Detroit Tigers and what they accomplished this year. Am I disappointed? Hell yeah I am. It sucks that we are not watching the Tigers in the post season. But I am still proud. Proud of a team that went from last place to second in a season that was plagued by injuries of some key players. Proud of a team that was in the hunt for a post season spot all the way up until the final game of the season. Regardless of the fact that they failed to make to playoffs, I am proud of our boys, and you should be as well.

What next? I don't know. The Tigers have some serious questions to ponder on where to go from here. Are the contracts of our beloved JV & Miggy worth shelling out the money for or should they be traded?  What to do about Zimm, Sanchez, & Pelfrey? Will they keep Maybin? Who knows??? I don't see the Tigers doing too much to change their offense except maybe looking for better options in CF and an upgrade or two at catcher. If the Tigers are going to improve, they MUST focus on getting some better pitching (especially in the starting rotation). Not just some average Joe, but someone of the caliber of pitching skills that we have grown accustomed to. Someone like a Scherzer, Porcello, or David Price. But this is gonna cost a pretty penny and maybe a beloved Detroit Superstar or two.

Bottom line: No, they aren't in the playoffs. No, they did NOT win the AL Central. But considering they finished last a year ago, I am STILL damn proud of my Detroit Tigers and win or lose... I'm ALWAYS a Tiger. 

Thanks to everyone in the Tigers Organization for a fun year (with a not so fun ending). 

Thanks to Miggy for being our constant, reliable rock (and for signing my ball at the game against KC on 10/27).

Thanks to Rod Allen for #SECONDDECK and all the laughter it provided.

Thanks to JV for coming through on your promise to dominate.

Thanks to JD, Casty, Maybin, Zimm... ALL of our boys who pressed through injuries.

Thank you all...I look forward to what you're gonna do in 2017. Bless You Boys

JT