It's amazing how sports consumes your life when one of your favorite teams is in the playoffs. Before this season, I never really cared much for watching baseball on TV. I would watch it when nothing else was on, but it was never really my preferred sport. How quickly things change in a year. When you finally have a good team to watch, it's amazing how fun the game can be. However, the Tigers performance in the World Series was not much fun for me. But to be honest, I'm not going to be too negative of how things ended. Because not me or many other people could've pictured the Tigers being as good as they were this season. 2005, they managed to scrounge up 71 wins. 2006, they win 95 games, win the wildcard, beat the Yankees when everyone counted them out, win the American League Pennant, and earn a trip to the World Series. And after their 119 loss season three years ago, 2006 made it even more special.
Baseball hadn't consumed my life for a very long time. Probably not since I was little when I watched Cecil Fielder, Alan Trammell, and Lou Whitaker play at the end of their careers. Even then, there's not much I remember about those seasons. I was never interested in watching a sub-500 baseball team. Whether that makes me a poor fan or a bandwagon fan, I don't know. I don't consider myself a poor fan, just waiting for the right time to root on my favorite team again. Maybe I wasn't publicly rooting for them, but deep inside, I always hoped for a winner and rooted the Tigers on even in defeat. I still wore my Tigers shirts and caps with pride, even though there wasn't a reason to wear them. Now there's a reason to wear them all of the time; and my support for them will no longer waver, even during the tough times.
A lot of Tigers fans might feel depressed today. In fact, I was feeling quite upset about the turn of events last night after the game. But I don't feel that way at all today. I am proud of the Tigers and what they gave their fans this season. Just look at the St. Louis Cardinals. Two years ago, they were swept from the World Series by the Boston Red Sox. That had to be a lousy feeling for them; knowing they were so close to getting a championship. Two years later, they finally got their championship. I bet the feeling of losing the World Series two years ago never left them, and they remembered it this year. They will get their rings, and I have every reason to believe the Tigers will get theirs someday, too.
The Tigers roster should remain fairly intact for many years to come. Their pitching rotation is exceptional and they should only have to make a few tweaks here and there as the years go by, mainly to the bullpen. As long as Kenny Rogers continues to pitch well, you keep him in Detroit. Same goes with everyone else. With Verlander only a rookie, I am sure we'll be watching him for awhile. I think next year will be Todd Jones' final year in baseball. He may not even finish out the year with the Tigers, as Joel Zumaya will become the Tigers regular closer. Oh man, what an important piece he'll be for years to come in that role. As for the Tigers line-up, I think a few new pieces need to be added. It might be necessary to upgrade at first base, even though Sean Casey was awesome during the World Series. He's getting to be too injury prone and unreliable defensively. However, I would like to see him possibly become a utilityman for the Tigers, if he's willing to accept such a role with the team. If not, he'll likely move on with another team. We have many talented prospects in the minor leagues, and we might see them fill a permanent role on the Tigers roster in years to come. The years to come look bright for the Tigers.
Here's to the Tigers in 2007! GO TIGERS! :-)
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