Unfortunately for fans of the Detroit Tigers, the team is absent from the Major League Baseball playoffs for a third consecutive season. That could be the case for the foreseeable future as the team goes through a rebuild.
Despite not partaking in baseball’s second season this fall, this could be shaping up as one of the more exciting and thrilling postseasons in recent memory. And these are three of the bigger storylines to watch for beginning on Tuesday.
WIDE OPEN FIELD
If you’re in a pool where you predict how the postseason will play out, best of luck to you. Anyone who can accurately pick a Fall Classic matchup and eventual winner deserves some semblance of a prize.
This could very well be the most wide open field baseball has had in quite some time. We have three teams with 100+ wins this year: Dodgers, Indians, and Astros. It’s the first time that has happened since 2003. Add in the equally-as-powerful Washington Nationals (97-65) and this quartet has created what has been called the “Premier League” of MLB this season.
If we’re picking favorites, those would probably be the go-to choices. But it doesn’t stop there. The Boston Red Sox, rather quietly perhaps, collected 93 wins this season. As did Wild Card recipient Arizona Diamondbacks, were a +24 in the win-loss department from a season ago.
The Snakes are just one of four very dangerous Wild Card teams. The Colorado Rockies are back in the postseason. While they’ve slowed down some down the stretch, they can get hot really quick. The New York Yankees are almost close to being the New York Yankees that most people remember. And the upstart Minnesota Twins were among the hotter teams the latter two months. They also become the first to make the playoffs after losing 100+ games the year before.
Oh, and the Chicago Cubs are back in the dance the defend their title.
Buckle up. It’s going to be a fun and wild ride.
ANOTHER CURSE BROKEN?
It’s safe to assume that last year, the Cubs were wire-to-wire the overall best team in baseball. It’s almost like they were destined to finally win the World Series, everything was seemingly in their favor.
That storyline of having never won a championship in 100+ years dominated the headlines throughout the season into the playoffs. That could very well be the case this year. What makes it more interesting this go-round is the number of teams who have long title droughts or, in some cases, never won one at all.
| CLUB | LAST WS WIN | LAST WS APP. | FOUNDED |
| ARZ | 2001 | 2001 | 1998 |
| BOS | 2013 | 2013 | 1901 |
| CHC | 2016 | 2016 | 1876 |
| CLE | 1948 | 2016 | 1901 |
| COL | — | 2007 | 1993 |
| HOU | — | 2005 | 1962 |
| LAD | 1988 | 1988 | 1884¹ |
| MIN | 1991 | 1991 | 1901² |
| NYY | 2009 | 2009 | 1903 |
| WSH | — | — | 1969³ |
¹Previously the Brooklyn Dodgers
²Previously the Washington Senators
³Previously the Montreal Expos
So, will we see another long curse broken?
¡FIESTA TIGRES!
You know what they say, “Ain’t no party like a Detroit party!” Well, the Tigers are not in playoffs but this Detroit party definitely won’t stop.
Look around and all the former Tigers playing in the postseason. I’ll just leave this list here:
- ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
- OF J.D. Martinez
- SP Robbie Ray
- RP Fernando Rodney
- BOSTON RED SOX
- OF Rajai Davis
- SP Doug Fister
- SP Rick Porcello
- SP David Price
- CHICAGO CUBS
- C Alex Avila
- RP Justin Wilson
- CLEVELAND INDIANS
- OF Austin Jackson
- RP Andrew Miller
- HOUSTON ASTROS
- Cameron Maybin
- Justin Verlander
- LOS ANGELES DODGERS
- OF Curtis Granderson
- NEW YORK YANKEES
- P Chad Green (former DET draft pick)
- WASHINGTON NATIONALS
- P Edwin Jackson
- OF Ryan Raburn (DL)
- P Max Scherzer
Sorry Rockies and Twins, guess you’re not a part of ¡Fiesta Tigres!
You don’t have to necessarily root for a certain team if you’re a Tigers fan but if you’re a fan of players who previously donned the Old English D, consider the names above.
