Scott Rovak-US PRESSWIRE
For the second time in the last 6 years, the Detroit Tigers have made it to the World Series, just to be dominated by their National League opponents.
When it happened in 2006 it was a complete shock. The Tigers were playing fantastic baseball and looked to be unstoppable, yet they only managed to take one game, completely destroyed by the St. Louis Cardinals.
This season was much different for the Tigers and their fans, but no less excruciating.
For a team that was penciled in as Champions before the season began, Detroit struggled throughout the season. The big name line-up of Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, and Justin Verlander had to make a late season push just to get into the postseason.
Once there, Detroit made it clear they belonged. They beat the feel good Oakland Athletics, and then swept the New York Yankees, taking advantage of a New York hitting slump, and finishing the Yankees in four games. They entered the Fall Classic as the favorites, even though the NLCS was yet to be finished. The belief was, the Tigers were playing better ball than either of the two teams that were left, and would be able to beat either opponent.
How far from the truth this would be.
Throughout the whole series, the San Francisco Giants proved to be the better team. They got hits from every player they had. There were times it looked like the equipment managers were getting hits!
As good as Detroit’s pitching had been going into the game, the Giants pitched better. That, or the Tigers hitters were so bad they made the Giants pitchers look better!
This is a line up that includes the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, the free agent of the year, and the AL leader in postseason home runs! Yet, the Tigers never led once in the entire series.
Just as it was in 2006, ast season’s AL MVP Justin Verlander was hit out of Game 1, this time in just 4 innings. Detroit never recovered. The next 3 games may have been close, but there was never a moment when the Giants weren’t in control.
The failure of this series will be hard for the Tigers and their fans to swallow. There was just too much promise on this team. How is it possible that they could not even muster one win. They couldn’t even win a desperation, back against the wall, must-win elimination game with the home town crowd propping them up.
Right now, the pain is sharp for the Tigers and those that love them, but when the hurt starts to fade, expect the questions to come hard and fast. The “paper Tigers” theory from earlier this season doesn’t hold up. The talent translated to actual wins for the Tigers. After all, they didn’t reach the Fall Classic on just their looks.
Something within this organization is very wrong. No team should vanish the way the Tigers have. No team should make it to the most important series of the season, and then fail to put up a fight.
7 straight World Series losses is not just unbelievable, it is unacceptable and it cannot happen again.
Jeff Everette is a Featured Columnist for www.RantSports.com, covering the NFL and NBA. Follow Jeff on twitter @jeverettesports, like his page on FaceBook, or add his Google + to your circles for all of his latest articles, thoughts, and rants.
