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The Detroit Tigers clinched the AL Central Division title last night for the third consecutive season. The Tigers only managed to score one run against the Minnesota Twins, but got a phenomenal performance from their ace Max Scherzer as they cruised to a 1-0 win.
In 2011 Detroit lost in the ALCS to the defending AL Champion Texas Rangers, and last season the Tigers advanced all the way to the World Series, only to be swept by the San Francisco Giants. Although they have made steady improvements over the past few seasons, it is a World Series title or bust for the Tigers this season.
The 2013 Tigers are led by two of the most dominant players in baseball: starting pitcher Scherzer and third basemen Miguel Cabrera. Scherzer, the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award and Cabrera, the favorite for the AL MVP award, led the Tigers to one of the best records in all of baseball this season despite Justin Verlander having one of the worst seasons of his career.
Due to their power pitching and power hitting, the Tigers will enter the 2013 postseason as one of the favorites to win the World Series, but what exactly would a World Series victory mean to the Tigers?
The Tigers have come very close to winning the World Series in each of the past two seasons. To come so close to winning in back-to-back seasons can take a toll on a team. However, the Tigers have continued to work hard to get back to the postseason yet again in 2013. A World Series win for the Tigers would demonstrate the importance that hard work and perseverance plays in being successful in baseball.
If the Tigers were to win the World Series this year, it would also mean a lot to the entire city of Detroit. Things have not been going too well for Detroit as of late. Not only did the city file for bankruptcy this summer, becoming the largest city in U.S. history to do so, but Boston mayor Tom Menino recently had some very harsh words to say about Detroit.
Earlier this month, Menino was asked what he would do to fix Detroit and he responded by saying “I’d blow up the place and start all over.”
The Tigers are one of the few bright spots in the city of Detroit right now, and winning the World Series would do so much for the spirit of the entire city. If the Tigers do indeed end up winning the World Series this year, not only would they bring joy to a city in dire need of it, but they would also teach the city a valuable lesson.
It was not too long ago that Detroit was one of the worst teams in all of baseball, but with patience, hard work and perseverance, the Tigers once again find themselves in contention for a World Series title. A win would reinforce this lesson far beyond the baseball field.
Jon Keller is a writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on twitter @jkell2005
