Now that the Tigers have so efficiently disposed of the Yankees and A’s, just what can they do for an encore?
Well, they could win the World Series and cap off this magical, improbable baseball season with a world championship.
Even if they don’t, this team has already won the hearts and minds of a grateful city.
They’ve proven their meddle over the course of an entire season and emerged as champions in a town that desperately needs to feel good about itself,
Whether Tigers? skipper Jim Leyland can pull yet another rabbit out of his Olde English ‘D? cap against the National League champs remains to be seen. It’s always up to the guys on the field to complete the job. But frankly, there is no reason to believe this team can’t keep the momentum going and steamroll another foe.
For some of us, the Tigers became world champs when they beat the mighty Yankees. Oakland was just icing on the cake.
Even the oldest Tiger fans would be hard-pressed to recall a more spirited and sincere post-game celebration than the one players and fans enjoyed following the big win against the Bronx Bombers.
When was the last time Tiger players carried their manager off the field?
And when did a winning Detroit team opt to leave their champagne-drenched post-game locker room to run back out onto the field to share the joy — and some of their bubbly — with the fans who deserved this success nearly as much as the players?
As far as I can remember — never!
This has been one magical season.