2006 Tigers Record through 92 games: 62-30
World Champion 2005 White Sox Record through 92 games: 62-30
So why are the Tigers still considered the underdog while the White Sox were hailed as favorites? I’m not sure, but I hope I can change your mind. Two teams, two seasons. Both in the AL Central, with new managers who brought a team picked to be mediocre at best to the best record in the game. Through 92 games, or how many games have been played to far this year, the AL Central leaders of 2005 and 2006 have the exact same record, 62-30, both the best in the bigs. So, what’s the difference? The 2005 team, the Chicago White Sox, went on to win the World Series. Now they trail the team of 2006, the upstart Detroit Tigers, yet most still hold the Tigers as the underdog whereas the White Sox were hailed as favorites last year.
Does playing in the same division as last year’s champion really make a difference? While the White Sox are still a great team, maybe even improved from last year, they are not ahead of the Detroit Tigers. At this point last year, the White Sox had established themselves as the team to beat from their amazing record, a .674 winning percentage through the first half and slightly into the second. However, this year the media and the general public simply refuse to recognize that the Detroit Tigers are the American League’s best team right now. If they have a misstep and fall into second, that’s fine, you can say they are no longer the favorite, however, right now, they are a second coming of the 2005 Chicago White Sox.
Last year’s Champs had two things that amounted to the sudden jolt of wins and a World Championship: They got a new, enthusiastic manager that changed the whole approach and they got suddenly better results from the starting rotation. The team ERA went from 4.91 in 2004 to 3.61 in 2005. And even while scoring nearly 100 runs fewer than the previous year, the White Sox of 2005 won 16 more games than in 2004.
This season’s upstart team has been the Detroit Tigers, also gained the insight and change a new manager can bring. Jim Leyland, former manager of the Pirates and Florida Marlins, brought a winning mindset to a very young team. He has milked the talent, while using veterans like Pudge Rodriguez and Kenny Rogers as an example. He has stated his mind to the media, a la Ozzie Guillen, and his pitching staff has been key. Even though the Tigers offense is still looking to get it together, the young pitching combo of Robertson, Bonderman, and Verlander is ruling the American League. The Tigers ERA from last year was 4.51, while this year it has dropped to 3.54. Now the Tigers are looking to add a left handed bat to make their offense even more potent.
So, why not give credit where credit is due? The two teams had the exact same record through this point in the season, and they went through similar transformations. Why is this Tigers team any less promising that last year’s White Sox? They will have to make monumental history to miss the playoffs. They had the Major League’s best record at the All-Star break. No team with MLB’s best record at the break has missed the playoffs since the creation of the Wild Card. It is nearly impossible. The White Sox made a daring effort last year, almost losing their spot to the Cleveland Indians in the last series of the season. So, even if the Tigers do have a rough stretch, it is not the end of the world.
Really, I cannot fathom how being 4.5 games up on last year’s World Series Champs hurts baseball’s best team. They have more home games than road games in the final part of the season, and it doesn’t matter to them where they play anyway, they are 33-15 on the road. This year’s White Sox have struggled in opposing parks, 24-20, and they have the bulk of their road schedule remaining.
Now the Tigers have the chance to show how strong they are in an upcoming series with the White Sox in Detroit. Even if they get swept, they still lead the AL Central.
Hopefully you can now see how odd it is that we are making the Tigers the underdog here. They seem to be a carbon copy of the 2005 White Sox, déjà vu, except apparently it has failed to register in the mind of America. If playoff experience is your cup of tea, remember last year as Tadahito Iguchi and Bobby Jenks came up big to take out the defending champion Red Sox. If these teams meet in the playoffs, it will come in the ALCS. Personally, I’d pick the new team. While every tiger’s stripes are different, unlike champions, patterns repeat all the time. Remember the Faith. Hokie Hi.