Why the Tigers are Cooked or How I Got My September Back

Precisely when did the Tigers’ season come to a crashing end? It wasn’t last night’s 5-0 embarrassment at Kansas City, nor the night before. In fact, it wasn’t even during the Cleveland series last week.

Nope.

The Tigers season, or more accurately their post-season chances, vanished on Saturday. Saturday evening, that is. Not early Saturday morning when the concession stands served scrambled eggs with the Polish sausage (or should have).

It was Saturday night when Jeremy Bonderman laid an egg of his own, 15 hours and 35 minutes after Carlos Guillen’s homer ended the all-nighter.

That, folks, was the season.

Both teams were exhausted to be sure and you almost couldn’t blame either team for using fatigue as a legitimate reason for mailing it in…if this were high school.

If there is an advantage for any team coming off a game mostly played in the wee hours of a Saturday morn it would be for the home team. You get a chance to slip into your jammies, get cozy into your own bed and avoid the mini-bar charges.

The Yankees, who usually stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, had to shower, dress, take a 20-minute bus ride before hitting the hay. I’m sure the Ritz’s hay is sublime but for a ballplayer on the road — it still ain’t your bed.

Advantage: Tigers, by an eyelash.

Yet the Tigers played like zombies while the road-weary Yankees managed to summon the necessary zest to win one against the pitcher everyone outside of Detroit suggests is a budding ace.

So much for Bonderman making a statement and building on some momentum. Instead he raised more questions about his mental makeup and provided no short- or long-term answers.Even though the Tigers managed to win the next two games of the series in impressive fashion, in my view, the chances of a playoff run evaporated.

(By the by, if you’re feeling bad about the Tigers, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by peeking at where the Cardinals are perched in National League Central standings.)

The trouble with Cleveland

Here’s what Jim Leyland said to John Lowe in today’s Freep:

“I don’t worry so much about Cleveland. We can make up four or five games in a hurry, but not if we’re playing the way we’re playing, pitching the way we’re pitching. We’ve just got to keep battling, and we will.”

Today Detroit sits 4.5 games behind the Indians in the Central. If you’re rounding up, that’s five. Which means even if the two teams match each other’s play until they meet for the final time in mid-September, a sweep of that three-game series still leaves the Tigers out by two games with about 10 days to go.

But let’s get real. After the Tigers leave Cleveland on Sept. 19, they come home for three against Kansas City. (Need I remind you of 2006?) Then the Twins come to town.

Again, no guarantees there.

After an off day the Tigers head to Chicago for the final three games of the season against a pathetic team who, when the Tigers are on the schedule, play like it’s 2005 all over again.

[Insert your cursing of the unbalanced schedule here.]

Looking to the DL for help

Perhaps I’m just too close to this team to get an un-jaded view. Familiarity breeds contempt, no? So if you’re looking for some positive thoughts about the Tigers current state of affairs, look no further than CBS SportsLine.com’s Power Rankings for this week where the Tigers rank #9:

After rebounding against the Yankees, they have just two series against playoff hopefuls: vs. Seattle, at Cleveland. Those are the two teams they are chasing and their schedule is one of the most favorable here on out. They’re due for a long hot streak that should get them into the playoffs, regardless of Gary Sheffield’s health.

If only.

Now and again I allow myself to think that a recharged Sheffield and a healthy Kenny Rogers will walk into the clubhouse and fuel a September push for the ages.

Maybe, but not likely.

This team is tired and Leyland is out of answers. Not because he suddenly forgot how to manage, but because the number of questions — from the rickety starting pitchers to the hit-rich, run-poor offense — exceeds anyone’s capacity to credibly answer them.

Yes, I hate to admit that for the Tigers next month will be just like every September between 1989 and 2005: the final month of the season and nothing more.

Oh, they may get within two games or so of the division leaders but not much more.

Calling my shot

When the Tigers lost the World Series last year my gut told me the Tigers blew the best chance they’d have for a championship for a l-o-n-g time. Worse yet, I feared the team could have a solid 2007 season but still finish third. I’ll be darned if that isn’t looking more and more plausible by the inning.

For my sake, I needed to make a call on this season and how I’d spend my precious few brain cells next month. Will they be spent following the Tigers and eating Tums? Or shall I spend them on more lasting pursuits such as reading “How to Behave So Your Children Will, Too!“? Probably should read that regardless.

Again, I take no pleasure in calling this division race over as far as the Tigers are concerned. The Wild Card? Please. I feel bad enough.

At the very least, the Tigers are back on the baseball landscape to stay and next year holds promise. And how often in the past 15 hears have we been able to say that?