Yanks win Igawa rights with $26M bid

"The Yankees are a team with a lot of tradition," Igawa said at a news conference in Osaka. "They get a lot of media attention, like the Tigers do."

Huh? Can the Tigers accurately boast that they are "huge in Japan"?

It Wasn't Really Close, Was It?

By Mike McClary, The Daily Fungo

Watching the on-field celebration at Busch Stadium and it definitely stings.

A magical season — one we didn't see coming — ends in a fashion we didn't see coming. Was it too much to ask to go from not-quite-worst to World Series? Maybe. But the Detroit Tigers owned the Central Division for most of the summer, they stunned the New York Yankees in the ALDS and then won the American League pennant.

Would we have taken that on Opening Day? You bet.

Still, when you reach the World Series you want to win. When your team is the overwhelming favorite to win that World Series, you expect to win.

Someday soon we'll think back to this season and this World Series and see it as the foundation for a terrific future. I'd like to think that this is the first of many postseason appearances and, eventually, World Series championships.

As much as we still think fondly of the 1984 team, they gave us just one (thrilling) championship and we clung to it.

Until this year.

I believe this team will produce more than a few championships. The future isn't merely bright — it's blindingly so.

Sure, it will be a while before we can even start to think about 2007. But when we do, at long last, we can realistically look forward to next year.

The Dream Season from out of nowhere was one for the ages. They just came up short.

Yep, it definitely stings.

Good Omens

Yeah, stuff is looking grim right now. But there are a few good omens to be aware of, in case FOX didn't beat them into your head already.

1. The past two times the Tigers and Cardinals have met in the World Series, the winner of Game 4 has lost the Series.

2. In 1968, the Tigers lost Game 1, won Game 2, and lost Games 3 and 4 before coming back to win in seven games. Through four games, the Tigers have again followed this exact pattern.

3. If the Series goes to Game 7, and the Tigers rotation stays the same, Little Nate Robertson would start. He wears number 29 and is lefthanded. Know who else wore number 29 and was lefthanded? Mickey Lolich.

4. Our Tygs are always at their best when everyone says they're finished, that they can't do something. All year, their trademark has been amazing comebacks. It's time for a BIG one.

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

Having Faith!!

I know things don't look really great right now and maybe they won't make it, but whatever happens they have given fans one great ride this year. Now instead of 4.5 months without baseball, we'll have 3.5. There will be an American League pennant flying over the ballpark next spring and the very young team will be one year smarter.

Me? Well, I plan to watch three more games and see the Tigers go all the way this year. I'm going to be happy that we've have one hell of a team that is a team - not a bunch of individuals that earn unsightly large salaries. And I have nothing but good words for Jim Leyland and his staff.

GO TIGERS!!!!

Where did this come from?

I heard many many many reasons why the Detroit Tigers would not win the ALDS, then why they couldn't win the ALCS, and not so much the Series. Looking back, I do not ever remember hearing that the Tigers would lose because of their bullpen. They also never mentioned the Tigers defense, or errors.

Here I am saying to you and everybody "This is not over"!! Maybe I am still trying to convince myself, maybe I am still baffled as to how we got in this jam!

The Tigers will be OK. I know this because:
We lost game 1 because of a couple of errors, and what I believe to have been a great game pitched by Reyes.
Our only win in game 2 is heavily over shadowed by you know what!
Game 3 was obviously not meant to be, because we couldn't buy a hit!
Game 4 last night was ours to lose, looked great early, and looked horrible late! chalk up a loss!
Tonight Game 5 can go 1 of 2 ways, We can win by playing baseball like we have played over 100 ball games this year, or like we have played this series filled with errors, no urgency, and overall boring ball play!

Come on now, the time is NOW if it ever was!!! Let's Go Tigers!!!!

Stunning… But True! Little Known Facts About Last Night's Rainout

Last night's rainout of Game 4 of the World Series of Baseball (aka "The Fall Classic") has provided us with more astonishing and timeless lore to add to the seemingly already saturated annals of this fine pastime of ours. For instance:

Did you know?
- That the last manager of an MLB club to have smoked and entire carton of cigarettes during a World Series game in a National League park was way back in 1935, when Creighton "Uncle Grampy" Stubbs (NYG) smoked a full carton of cigarettes and ATE another during his teams victory over Pittsburgh to square the series at two. (Last time in an AL park - Clancy Schmancy, 1917, 1.22 cartons smoked, 0 eaten.)
- That I spent less money at the bar last night than I would have were the game to have been played?

Thanks to the Elias Sports Bureau for fact checkin' the smoking for me.

Bonderman. I've enjoyed watching him pitch in these playoffs more than anyone on the Tig.'s staff. Championships were what was in mind when he was swapped for Weaver, and now he is here and we are here, what, five years later?

optimism

what ever happened to being optimistic, keeping the faith. everyone is freaking out and i think we will be fine...........and if not we can say we made it this far! i am proud of those boys no matter what. its the fair weathered fans and the bandwagon jumpers that seem to be doing nothing but complaining. GO TIGERS! win or lose you have support

Game 4 Prediction Thread

Another must-win (I'm getting tired of these). Bonderman vs. Suppan this time. The Tigers need to get the bats working asap, and remember to display some patience at the plate.

Tigers 2, Cards 1.

There's Still A Game to Be Played, Right?

Despite the fact that it's all but forgotten that the World Series does resume tonight, a fact obscured by the strained attention on Rogers' hand, the ball, LaRussa's perceived observance of the Code of Baseball Insiders, etc., it is true that there will be a game between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals around 8:30 p.m. EST tonight. Don't believe the hype. We're still trying to win this thing.

Interesting Question Which, For More Than One Reason, As Far As I Can Think, We'd Rather Not Posed: In the event that the Tigers face elimination on Thursday night, does Leyland send Rogers to the hill, in St. Louis, amidst all of this crap? Just a question. It'd be, of course, Verlander's slot. Hmmmm… I think the answer has to be "Yes." Won't be an issue, though.

Enjoy the game tomorrow, Barry - this would've been my best shot at attendance too, and, well, crazier things have happened.

Todd Jones

I'm posting this a bit late, but I figure it's a good story so better late than never. I went to Game 1 hoping to talk to Todd Jones, despite the fact that he told a reporter he wasn't even talking to family that day. He lied, big time!

I've known Jonesy about four years, since he was with the Rockies, and I've liked him since he was a Tiger the first time. I met him first in San Francisco, when I was trying to get Gabe Kapler's autograph on a sketch. I have a sketchbook full of drawings of (mostly) old Tigers, and I was trying to get them all signed. Anyway, Kappy and Jonesy were both with the Rockies, and not only did Jonesy come over and chat, he got Kappy and also brought back three baseballs. Such a nice guy. I saw him again with the Marlins, when I was looking for an Easley sketch autograph. This time Jonesy hand carried the thing out to Easley, who was taking grounders at short. Jonesy crouched protectively in front of him while he signed it, then brought it back. He and Brian Moehler (yet another ex-Tyg) were both with the Marlins then, and they got me onto the bit of warning track by the rightfield bullpen for a picture!

This year, when Jonesy came back to the Tigers, I decided to finally sketch him, having felt lots of guilt about how nice he's been to me and how I never drew him because of his mustache. But I didn't get the sketch done in time for the Oakland series (during which Jonesy leapfrogged Mike Maroth as my favorite Tiger by taking me out on the field to meet most of the bullpen plus Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames.) So Game 1 was my shot.

I got there early and saw Jonesy in rightfield, schmoozing with all the fans. I yelled his name and he came over near my part of the fence, though he didn't see me. I squeezed into the autograph crowd with my original sketch and a copy for Jonesy. At a lull, I finally got his attention.

When he recognized me, he got all happy and gave me a big hug. He was so gleeful that I finally did a sketch of him! He signed it, writing that this was the best he'd ever looked. He asked how I got tickets, where my Dad was, etc, just chatting away. I don't care how nervous he makes me in the ninth sometimes, I absolutely love Todd Jones. He handed the rolled up copy to a security guy with instructions to make sure it got back to his locker. I didn't stop shaking with excitement until about fifteen minutes later, haha.

Game 3 Prediction Thread

Nate Robertson against Chris Carpenter. Carpenter was pummeled by the Tigers during interleague play, and though he's had two consecutive strong postseason games, I feel another pummeling coming on. Pudge gets hits and RBIs.

Tigers 8, Cards 4.

What say you?

Prom Week For Tigers, And Pimples Are Breaking Out

This is prom week, and the Tigers look in the mirror and what to they see?

Ack! A pimple -- Curtis Granderson and his rusty gate of a swing. Gasp! More acne -- Pudge Rodriguez and his 0 for 19 slump. Yikes! Is that another blemish? Yes -- in the form of suspect hitting with RISP.

The Tigers have acne, and this is a bad week for it.

The fact that the team is tied with the Cardinals, 1-1, in the World Series, is encouraging, but the Tigers have exactly 24 hours to find their offense.

You're not going to win too many games leaving as many runners on base as the Tigers did in Game 2. Walks will haunt you defensively; leaving RISP will do the same offensively.

Unless you have Kenny Rogers pitching for you, that is.

Rogers' scoreless streak in the postseason now stands at 23 innings, and had he not been on the mound last night, a tied Series would not be a given this morning. At one point, the linescore read: Detroit, 3 runs, 10 hits; St. Louis, 0 runs, 1 hit. Yet the Cardinals were not going away, mainly because the Tigers didn't shoo them away. You see it all the time, in every team sport: Team A dominates for most of the game statistically, yet can't deliver the knockout punch. Team B gladly accepts the new life and steals the game at the end. Just ask the Arizona Cardinals after their Monday Night Meltdown against the Bears.

Granderson, who's done a marvelous job of cutting down his strikeout frequency in the postseason, has been a non-factor in Games 1 and 2. Same with Pudge, who is all messed up right now. But both are due, and if the law of averages is just that -- a law -- then let's hope it's still on the books, for the Tigers will not win three more games with Grandy and Pudgey gathering more collars than a lucky policeman.

The World Series is tied, but it feels like the Tigers are slightly behind. I still believe they'll win two of three in St. Louis, and finish it off at home in Game 6. But I'd sure feel better about that prediction if some folks would get off the schneide.

Huh!?

The cloud I floated to work on after a GAME 2 win was quickly grounded when I walked in the door. A coworker called The Gambler a cheater. I wanted to punch him in the neck. Since I went right to bed after the game, I missed the next 6 hours of ESPN "smudgegate" coverage. Are you f*!#ing kidding me? ESPN kills me with this crap. Now I'm seeing stills from other playoff games and every little shadow on his palm might as well be dripping with pine tar. America has voiced their opinion and tagged Rogers as a cheater EVEN THOUGH...after he washed off the "dirt" he still looked like Christy Mathewson!

That said, isn't it good to have Casey back!