Monday, October 29, 2012

No Joy in Mudville

There's not much to say about the shellacking the Tigers received at the hands of the San Francisco Giants in the World Series, losing four straight, two of them by shutout (the Tigers were only shutout three times during the regular season). Who knows if it was the Giants excellence, or the Tigers acting like choking dogs, or perhaps both?

I listened to this series, except for a half inning or two, on the radio between pizza deliveries, so the entire effect was a little more removed. If I had seen it in person I might be more nauseated--it's almost as if I can pretend it didn't happen if I didn't see it. At least they didn't lose to a team I hate.

The signs were all bad from Game 1, when Justin Verlander laid an egg. I mean, he didn't just lose to Barry Zito, he allowed an RBI single to him! That seemed to deflate the Tigers' balloon, and they responded by being shut out in two straight games, the first time that's happened in a Series since 1966. According to Orel Hershiser on the ESPN radio broadcast, the Giants' pitching was pretty good, but not Koufax-like. He thought the Tigers' batting approach was all wrong.

Then there were just flukes that indicated it wasn't to be. A ball hitting the bag. A bunt single rolling up the line. Prince Fielder thrown at at the plate, and hitting less than .100 for the Series. Then, the final image, triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera, the tying run in extra innings, watching a pitch go right down the middle for strike three to end it all. If the Tigers had supernatural help in the ALCS against the Yankees, it boomeranged on them here.

Perhaps there is something to a team that sweeps a league championship series having big problems when they face a team that went to seven in theirs. The Giants ended up winning seven straight games, even without their pitching rotation sent. I guess the Tigers will only win if they go to seven in their own ALCS.

Still, it was a good year--it's easy to be morose in times like this, but how many teams (I'm looking at you, Cubs fans) would give an eye tooth to even get to the Series? Surely there will be some changes--another bat would be welcome--but I imagine the core of this team will be back, and in the hunt next year. Like their city mates the Pistons, who had to climb the ladder one rung at a time to win the championship back in the '80s, perhaps this is a three-year process.

The baseball season is over. How long until pitchers and catchers report?

No comments:

Post a Comment