![]() The pitching staff miraculously came together around Rogers, a prickly 41-year-old, and young flame-throwers Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander and Joel Zuymaya, a rotation that had the lowest ERA in baseball this year.ĭetroit boasts a line-up of guys with great Latino names, like Maglio Ordonez and Placido Polanco, complemented by old-timey names like Curtis Granderson and Sean Casey. In vanquishing Little Lord Steinbrenner's most expensive toy in so convincing a fashion, Detroit once again proved that talent and teamwork overcome a me-first roster of prima donnas every time. New Yorkers can whine about Alex Rodriguez all they want, but they might give a little credit to the David of the Rust Belt, which refused to be intimidated by the MVP awards and All-Stars in Goliath's line-up. These Tigers play on barely restrained emotion and smoked the "all business, all the time" Yankees. The only thing that could be better would be Jose Lind coaching the infielders. Add to that hitting coach Don Slaught, and it's a veritable stroll through the last good times for Pirates fans. Just look how many former Pirates have stuck by him.įirst-base coach Andy Van Slyke looks like he's still in playing shape. Jim Leyland's players would lay down in traffic for him. That Rogers poured champagne on a Comerica Park cop to celebrate toppling the Yankees is particularly fitting, given his previous dealings with peace officers just a little over a year ago. Leyland has also provided Kenny Rogers with the kind of team he needs to get some redemption. Daily News columnist and Reggie Jackson biographer, writes glowingly about Leyland.ĭuring his years in Pittsburgh, Leyland was the only manager to successfully handle Barry Bonds and his world-renowned ego. And Leyland wasn't even working at the time. In 2001, ESPN's Bill Simmons wrote that Leyland was one of only five managers who really make a difference to a major-league team. Not to mention that Leyland looks like at least five of your dad's buddies. Nor does it smack of the escapades of micromanager and self-proclaimed genius Tony LaRussa. ![]() Somehow, his going out to check on pitchers instead of sending the pitching coach doesn't come off as self-important. ![]() Meanwhile, skipper Jim Leyland is proving once again that he can manage at a stratospheric level. But in an era of toxic personalities like Barry Bonds and Randy Johnson, and of steroid cheaters like Jason Grimsley and Jason Giambi, it would be nice for a good guy to finish first for once. It's probably said too often that Sean is a super guy. Exploits like that should warm the heart of just about every Yankee-hating fan - i.e., anybody outside the 212 area code. It's doesn't get much more fun than watching former Pirate and all-around good guy Sean Casey getting six hits and four RBIs against the Yankees in the playoffs. How can you not love a baseball team that came off a 2005 record of 71-91 - only to dominate the league for most of the following season? A franchise that is in the playoffs after posting three 100-loss seasons in the past decade: 1996, 20? Those are just a few reasons to love the Detroit Tigers, and to root for them this postseason. ![]()
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