The Tigers finished this year’s schedule stretch from hell on Sunday. They ended the 16 game run against the Indians, Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, and Blue Jays with an unimpressive 7-9 record. Most disappointing was that the Tiger lost each series against the three playoff teams from last year. The Tigers won only three of the ten games against the Yankees, Red Sox, and White Sox. Tiger pitching was a bit of a mixed bag. The starters faired well, but the bullpen repeatedly had difficulty holding leads and keeping games close. The Tiger hitters fell short in critical situations. They repeatedly failed to drive in runners in scoring position, but that is to be expected against better teams and pitchers.
Luckily, the White Sox also chose that stretch of games to stumble. The net result was the Tigers were left still clinging to 1.5 game lead in the Central Division and possessing the best record in the Major Leagues. They also still have the best team ERA in the MLB.
My impression is that the Tigers are close to being an elite team, but they haven’t yet made the mental leap necessary to get there. They didn’t look like they believed that they could win a series against the big three elite teams. The Tigers have the necessary talent. They are close. The playoffs are still a real possibility, but I don’t see them making a run at the World Series…yet.
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