The Tigers hope to consider their winning ways starting with a three game series at Kansas City tonight...
The good news is that Cleveland is playing Minnesota and then has one against Seattle.
The bad news is that Cleveland looks like they are getting hot right now.
The good news is that Cleveland could knock Minnesota out of the race and bring Seattle back to the Tigers.
The bad news is that if Cleveland keeps winning, Detroit will have a tough time catching them.
That said, if Detroit can keep winning, they control their own destiny, tarting with a three-game series that begins tonight against the Kansas City Royals. Sweep the Royals, and the Indians will, at worst, still be withing striking distance.
The Tigers are in a tough travel stretch against some relatively easy teams. After playing last night until about 10:30 PM, they have a game today against Kansas City on the road. Then, after their Thursday day game against the Royals, they travel to Oakland for their last west coast trip of the season.
The good news is that they get a day off after traveling back from Oakland before meeting the Chicago White Sox to start a ten game homestand. Unfortunately, the homestand, because of rainouts, takes place over the course of nine days.
Mark that day on your calendar. September 13th. The Tigers and the Indians are off, with the Indians getting ready to host Kansas City and the Tigers travelling to Minnesota. We'll know a lot by that point. If the Tigers are five games or more behind Cleveland on that day, they better hope they are still in the wild card hunt. If they are within three to five games, they better sweep Minnesota, because Cleveland is next, and they will need to sweep the Indians to stay in the race. If it is less than three, then the Cleveland series will likely decide the AL Central champions. If the Tigers, somehow, some way, are more than three ahead of the Indians, and can take one of three in the Cleveland series, you might be able to make reservations for October.
This is going to come down to the wire, but the good news is that Detroit still has games against Seattle and Cleveland. They are done with the Yankees, but, after proving they can beat the Yankees, the Yankees schedule gets tougher. They are playing Boston this week, and if they want to have any chance to win the division, they will have to sweep.
Boston, however, can smell the AL East crown. They might sweep the Yanks, and then the Yankees will be behind the Tigers for the first time in a while. When the Tigers meet Seattle in early September, at home, they have the wild card in their own hands. Sweep Seattle, and play about .600 ball the rest of the way, and they should make the playoffs. Don't, and it's a great season of "could've beens."
The Tigers have fought through injuries all year, and if they can finally get healthy for the last few weeks of September, they should make a run. If they make a run and make the playoffs, they have a shot to win it all because they will finally have the entire team playing together at the most important time. We just have to hope it isn't too late.
What it comes down to, however, is whoever goes 22-9 to finish the season makes the playoffs. Whoever doesn't, will not. The Tigers need to win and win now. At least four of their next six, if not five, and they are in good shape. Any less, and you might as well get ready for Pistons' basketball if you live in the motor city (judging by the Lions' last decade or so).
Robertson takes the hill against Bannister for Kansas City. On paper, it looks like a tough matchup, but if Nate can keep pitching the way he has been, the Royals could be in trouble. The Tigers need to get off on the right foot in this series, though, because Andrew Miller gets the call tomorrow, and he doesn't look quite ready yet. Then, it's Jeremy Bonderman. If he can get out of the first inning against the Royals, then the Tigers are in good shape heading to Oakland. If he can't, it's about time to see a psycologist...
