I'm on pins and needles. My beloved Detroit Tigers have a two-game lead over the despicable Minnesota Twins, with seven games to play. The teams begin a four-game series tonight in Detroit. I get to watch tonight's game on MLB Network at 6:05 Central Time. I'm trying to get my work done early so I can enjoy the game. If the Tigers get swept by the Twins, then they don't deserve to win the division. I will applaud the Twins. If the Twins take three of four, the teams will be in a dead heat with three games to play. Minnesota hosts the Kansas City Royals next weekend, while the Tigers host the Chicago White Sox. If the Tigers take two of the four games against the Twins, their magic number will be two (rather than the current six) going into the weekend. Bottom line: Win at least one game against the Twins. Two will make me sleep a lot better. If the Tigers take three of four, they will clinch the title and the weekend games won't matter. If I were a Yankee fan, I would be very, very afraid of the Tigers.
Addendum: Steve Burri misstated my position in a comment on a previous post. What I have said, many times, is that if I had to choose between (1) the Tigers not winning their division and (2) the Tigers losing the World Series, I would choose 1 in a heartbeat. But that choice doesn't confront me now. I desperately want my Tigers to win the Central Division. I also want them to go to the World Series. But if they do, they must win it. Losing a World Series is disgraceful.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 