The final weekend of the 2009 season is here and the Tigers are in position for the American League Central title. Twenty-two years ago tonight the Tigers started the final season with the A.L. East in their sights. Here’s part seven of our series.

American League East Standings: October 2, 1987

Team
Record
Pct.
GB

Toronto
96-63
.604
–

Detroit
95-64
.597
1

Of all the scenarios facing the [...]

As the Tigers and Twins wrap up the biggest series of the year with the division title hanging in the balance, we continue our look back on the last great race in Tigers history: 1987 and the seven games against the Toronto Blue Jays in the season’s final 10 days. Today: Game 4, the final [...]

Over the next week, we’ll watch the Tigers and Twins play head-to-head to decide the American League Central.

While this plays out, let’s look back at the final two weekends of the 1987 season when the Tigers and Blue Jays squared off for seven heart-pounding, one-run games that would ultimately decide the American League East [...]

Dan Dickerson was quick to point out that Justin Verlander’s shutout on Thursday was the first by a Tigers pitcher at Fenway Park since Doyle Alexander blanked the Red Sox in 1987. (Thanks to a tip from Fungo contributor Doug Hill, we went scrambling for the details.)

The Tigers were a half-game out of first place [...]

So where does last night’s dust-up rank in the annals of Tigers bench clearers?
Hmm.
Well, it wasn’t as interesting as the 1980 Tigers/White Sox brawl (a.k.a. Cowens v. Farmer Grudge Match), nor as violent as Tigers/White Sox circa 2000. Here’s a refresher on that one:
Sixteen players, coaches and managers suspended. Nine others fined. [...]

We salute your 58th birthday and stand virtually alone in supporting the trade that brought you to Detroit.

…the Tigers sent John Smoltz to the Atlanta Braves for Doyle Alexander.
Discuss.

Are you kidding me?When Mike first broached the possibility of Dave Dombrowski’s blockbuster this afternoon late this morning by forwarding me Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal I thought it must’ve been some posturing and cheap talk.When I nosed around ESPN.com and saw Peter Gammon’s blog entry saying there was some validity to it I let my [...]