The TIGERS?!

Ugh. I'm suffering from the worst allergy attack in history. My eyes are watering, and I've sneezed 20 times in the last 5 minutes. Something is in the air!

But to business:

The Red Wings were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, by a team that was eighth seed (I take some consolation in the fact that that team came within one game of winning it all.) The Pistons were shell-Shaqued (again, consolation in the fact that Miami went on to win it all.) And Team USA was eliminated by Ghana. GHANA! Did they even HAVE a soccer team four years ago? In the three games they played, they scored exactly one goal (I don't count the goal against Italy.)

So who woulda thunk that my best hope for a team I like to win a championship would lie with the DETROIT TIGERS?!

Seriously. Three years ago, this is a team that came within one game of setting a record for most losses in a season. As a manager, Alan Trammel was a hell of a shortstop. He may have loved the Tigers, but he did NOT know how to manage a team.

Enter Jim Leyland, a native of Perrysburg (just south of Toledo). In 1997, he managed Florida to a World Series win. And you can claim that it was the all-star players on that team, but having great players doesn't guarantee a good team--just look at the Yankees.

Enter Kenny Rogers, a veteran hurler who leads four all-star starting pitchers, three of whom rank in the top ten of the AL in ERA.

Enter a bunch of young players who helped the Mud Hens win the Governor's cup last year, among them Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames.

Add all these things up and you get the team with the best record in baseball, which just completed a sweep of the Cardinals, the second best team in baseball. I'm just wondering how long it can last. As, I'm sure, are many people in Detroit...

Maybe I'll just enjoy the ride while it lasts. Red Sox fans rode that ride all the way to the World Series two years ago.

And I'll take consolation in the fact that the Cubs stink this year. When the Cubs play the Tigers in the World Series, then I'll know Armageddon is around the corner.