Pat Caputo: Unlike The Collapse Of '09, The Tigers Should Win The A.L. Central This Time - This Is Why
The following is about what should be, not necessarily what will be.
We all know that is the difference between the Tigers — baseball's ultimate example of leading their fans on and letting them down in recent years — and other organizations.
Until they actually pop the corks and there is champagne flowing in the clubhouse in celebration of the Tigers' first-ever American League Central Division title, you should all be skeptical.
Especially during a week the Tigers are visiting Tampa Bay, where they swept a three-game series in 2009 to take complete and total command of the A.L. Central.
Isn't that what 7-up with 26 to go is? A lock?
Oooops.
Good. Now that we have that disclaimer out of the way, I will proceed to give you four solid reasons why 2011 should garner a different result for the Tigers than the disastrous collapse of 2009:
1. The American League Central is worse: In 2009, the Twins were still really good. Joe Mauer was the American League MVP and arguably the best player in baseball. They had Delmon Young, not the Tigers. The Twins' bullpen and starting rotation were solid. They were much more formidable than the Indians or the White Sox of 2011. The Indians are essentially a .500 team. They've over-achieved overall, and have played considerably below .500 ball since a surprising 30-15 start.
The White Sox are brutal. Think the Tigers have had some cumbersome and troublesome multi-year contracts in recent years? Try the White Sox on for size. Adam Dunn, Alex Rios and Jake Peavy are receiving more than $42 million for this season — and are signed for the future, too. It's a veteran team which has had success in recent years. Suppose you can't count the White Sox totally out of it. They might be more threatening than the Indians at this stage. Yet, it would difficult to dispute they aren't as ominous as the '09 Twins, even if Justin Morneau was out at the time because of injury.
