The World Series wrap: The foundation is in place
posted in World Series |We wanted to win it all this season, just a year removed from wishing to see an 82nd win once again in our lifetimes. The tools were there, but on the biggest stage in baseball, the inexperience seemed to poke through. That team celebrating across the field knew a thing or two about October baseball. They played in a World Series — got swept — just two years ago. A painful experience for them, I’m sure. But this past week, the Cardinals looked like they belonged. The Tigers looked in awe. The next time Detroit plays in the World Series the role will be reversed.
In Baseball Prospectus, Nate Silver wrote the Detroiters weren’t of the right frame of mind.
During the regular season, Detroit Tiger pitchers had a respectable .939 fielding percentage. During the World Series, Detroit Tiger pitchers made five errors in 17 chances. The odds of that happening based on chance alone are 355 to 1 against.
During the regular season, Detroit Tiger leadoff hitters got on base 33 percent of the time. During the World Series, Detroit Tiger leadoff hitters reached base five times in 44 plate appearances. The odds of that happening based on chance alone are 843 to 1 against.
In other words, it wasn’t that the Tigers lost. It was the way in which they lost. If you want to take a conspiratorial bent, you can identify a myriad of factors that prevented the Tigers from playing relaxed, professional baseball. There was the long lay-off prior to Game 1. There was smudgegate during Game 2. There was Chris Carpenter pitching his best game of the season in Game 3. There was the rainout before Game 4. And the Tigers headed into Game 5 coming off a heartbreaking loss, facing another road game in a compromised position that they’d never planned for. The Tigers never had the chance to catch their breath. It might have been bad luck that they faced this sequence of events. But it wasn’t bad luck that they lost this series.The Detroit Tigers. They just weren’t right.
But we’ve seen them like this before. All along, this Tigers club looked like one with great potential, with physical gifts and all the right pieces of the world championship puzzle. They could beat the teams they were supposed to beat with great consistency. But they seemed to fall short of their potential when faced with the storied, winning franchises. You can’t say it for sure, but it just seemed to be a case of the club still learning how to win, still getting that mental toughness required of teams that can truly call themselves the best. Remember, in March, Jim Leyland asked them to try to develop swagger, and not some fake swagger, either. Yesterday, they were playing in the World Series. That’s coming a long way pretty quickly.
It was a roller coaster. Some really high highs. Some low lows. A lot of smaller ups and downs in the middle. The team grew during all of it. The core group of players is returning, and sounds like GM Dave Dombrowski won’t be resting on his laurels. So the team should only get better. And not one of them will look across the field at a Yankees or White Sox club and try to hide a small whisper of doubt. No, they know they belong now. They’re battle tested. They took out the storied Yankees in October, won the American League in four games, and played in the Fall Classic.
The greatest thing of them all is that the Tigers have given baseball back to fans state- and nationwide. The 2006 season was a dream, full of moments we’ll never forget. For me, I’ll carry the image and sound of the “Let’s go Tigers” chant at Wrigley Field. Somewhere around there, you knew this was going to be a year to remember. It was a case of falling in love with baseball again for so many fans. It’s a year that will be cherished. But it’s also just the start.
What is it they say? “Wait ’til next year!”? Next year on April 2, the Tigers raise the American League pennant above Comerica Park to throngs of cheering Tigers fans and players holding their heads high. There’s no reason to think they won’t be right in the thick of adding another next year, and maybe going a step further.
The World is theirs for the taking.
Sphere It
I thought this was amazing! Check this out!
http://www.bleacherguy.com/
Sorry, this is the site I meant to leave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAK06_bHuTs&eurl=
Actually, I prefer the bleacherguy link. A politician of either party trying to ride a sports team’s coattails and sounding stupid never surprises me. They all do it.
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Excellent post.
I’m disappointed about the outcome, but I’m actually not all that torn up about it. In my eyes, this was just a first step — a monumental first step, for sure, but a first step all the same. To go from what we’ve seen the greater part of the last two decades to what we enjoyed this year, well, I can’t be too upset. Especially considering that with our veteran core plus up-and-coming prospects like Andrew Miller, Humberto Sanchez, and Cameron Maybin, this team will be back in the thick of things next season.
It’s sad, but after a weekend of mourning, I’ll be ready to enjoy that first night the Pistons step on the court for the regular season, Matt! It was weird watching about four quarters of preseason basketball total this month.