My beloved Detroit Tigers have not won a divisional title since 1987, when I was 30 years old. I'm 52 now. As of this morning, they are in first place in the American League Central Division, six games ahead of the Minnesota Twins, who, incidentally, won the World Series in 1987. The Tigers' magic number is 18. You may recall that in 2006, the Tigers got off to a scorching start and cooled off near the end, losing the division to the Twins on the final day of the season. That defeat still stings. Even if the Tigers had won the World Series that year, it would not have mattered. Reaching the World Series as a wild card is not the same as reaching the World Series as a division winner. Some of you will say that it doesn't matter how you reach the World Series, as long as you reach it. It matters to me. I'm a deontologist, not a consequentialist. I care about paths, not just outcomes.
Addendum: My Tigers have reached the postseason five times in my lifetime. In 1968, they finished first of 10 teams in the American League and won the World Series. In 1972, they finished first of six teams in the American League East Division but lost the American League Championship Series to the Oakland Athletics. In 1984, they finished first of seven teams in the East Division and won the World Series. In 1987, they finished first of seven teams in the East Division but lost the ALCS to the Minnesota Twins. In 2006, they were the American League wild card but lost the World Series to the St Louis Cardinals. I'm still distraught about the losses in 1972 and 1987, but at least the Tigers won their division in those years. I prefer to forget 2006. Not only did the Tigers fail to win their division; they lost the World Series. I've said it many times and will say it again: I'd rather the Tigers finish dead last in their division than lose a World Series. If I could make this change to the 2006 season, I'd do so in a heartbeat.
Addendum 2: Four wild cards have won the World Series: the Florida Marlins in 1997, the Anaheim Angels of Anaheim in 2002, the Marlins again in 2003, and the Boston Rat Sox in 2004. If I were a fan of these teams, I would be ashamed to have won the World Series as a wild card. You don't belong in the World Series if you can't win your division.
Addendum 3: Here is what I wrote on the final day of the 2006 season.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 