Suddenly on Saturday, the Tigers stopped hitting well. Then, they stopped pitching well. And they stopped fielding well, too. And, thus, Detroit’s magical baseball season ended when the Cleveland Guardians defeated them, 7-3, in Game 5 of a best-of-five American League Divisional Series.
Now, Cleveland will move on to represent the Great Lakes bracket in the Final Four of the Major League Baseball postseason tournament that ends in the World Series, the “October Classic” probably finishing in November, just as college basketball’s “March Madness” now ends in April.
The Guardians deserved to advance. They were the better team. Next, they will be the underdogs against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. If they upset them, Cleveland will face another big-city, coastal team — either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the New York Mets — in the Series.
So it is safe to say fair-minded Detroit baseball fans will cheer for our Lake Erie neighbor, another municipality in flyover country that has long served those not from this region as a punchline for urban decline.
As for the Tigers, their shortened off-season might delay construction at Comerica Park of the new seating and private club scheduled to be built in the lower deck behind home plate for wealthy swells. Another business question to be answered includes their local television presence.
The parent company of Bally Sports Detroit is facing bankruptcy. Even when that channel is operating smoothly, some customers pay more for it now and more games are being leaked away to national “streaming” services that add additional expense and are difficult to use.
Were the 2024 Tigers, with their late-season run, a fluke? Sure, in the best way. It was absolution for penance. Over the decades, Detroit sports fans have learned if you suffer enough for long enough, eventually a local team will rise to surprise you with sudden success.
The Lions showed how last season, almost reaching the Super Bowl. The Red Wings and Pistons insist they are on the rise and the playoffs might finally be in reach for the hockey team. As someone once wrote, hope springs eternal in the human breast.
