THE DETROIT TIGERS ARE DEAD TO ME

The Tigers season was hanging by a thread last night. Most, including myself, had already dug their grave and admitted that the 2008 Season was a colossal disappointment.

But there was that small chance. That 1 in a million shot that the Twins and White Sox would both blow up and the Tigs would somehow manage a sweep this week.

Up 6-1, that 1 in a million shot was looking pretty good.

But then it happened. Robertson gave up a few runs which is he more than prone to do. And the White Sox just kept inching closer.

When newly acquired Kyle Farnsworth toed the rubber in the 8th inning, he had yet to show Tigers fans anything but misery.

He did not disappoint.

He served up a game tying solo shot.

He looked visibly distraught and so did most of the Tigers squad. Even the young guys looked like they had given up.

I don’t know why but for some reason I continued to watch this game. The car wreck was up ahead and I was just trying to see how bad it was going to get.

But out of the blue, Placido Polanco lifted everyones spirits with a two run homer in the top of the 14th inning.

It was a gut check kind of homer from Polly who rarely hits home runs (let alone two in one game).

I asked myself at about 1am, are they teasing us again? Is this going to be a win to propel them?

About 10 minutes later, I had my answer.

It was just another tease job.

Before the game, The Wizard of Woodward Jim Leyland had annointed Joel Zumaya as the new closer.

And like all the Tigers closers before him this year, he failed miserably.

A couple of hits and a Edgar Reneteria bobbled grounder led to two on and Nick Swisher coming to the plate.

And like Jermaine Dye did against Todd Jones only three weeks before, he sent a homerun into right field.

A homerun the Tigers won’t soon forget.

——

It’s over for the Tigers. The only people hanging on are homers. The only people hanging on are people too stupid to realize that this time just doesn’t have it this year.

It’s painfully obvious they don’t have the right mix of players. But much more than that, they just don’t have pitching. Something that separated them from the rest of baseball in 2006.

The Joel Zumaya that gave up that three run homer isn’t the same Zumaya that scared hitters just a couple of years ago.

In fact, the fear when Zumaya comes in is from the Detroit dugout now. Knowing its just a matter of time before another injury ends his season.

This was a frustrating year for both the fans and players. Hope and happiness in spring training turned to despair just a week into the season.

They played good at times, perhaps even great, but it was never enough. Their spurts of good were surrounded by a week or two of horrendous play.

So I bid adieu officially to the Detroit Tigers 2008 Season.

It was not nice knowing you.

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