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It's been a long time for the Tigers by Cameron O'Neill
The last time this happened the Motor City was moondancing to “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. Today Detroit is bringing sexy back with the play of the Detroit Tigers during post-season. There are numerous similarities between the 1984 “Bless You, Boys” Tigers and this year’s team of upstart young guns, castoffs and has-beens who have become the feel-good story of this baseball season. Today's team and yesterday's team started from very different places, miles apart in the eyes of the press. This year’s squad started the season ranked 25th out of 30 teams in CBS’ preseason power rankings. The boys of ’84 came roaring into the season after finishing second in their division (which meant they missed the playoffs since the wildcard had yet to be brought into play). Once the actual season kicked off though, both teams went on a tear. The “Bless You, Boys” started an MLB-Best 35-5 and kept it kicking all season. They are one of three teams in history to start the regular season in first place, lead all year long and take home the World Series crown. This year’s Tigers had the best record in baseball most of the season before slowing down at the end and settling for the wild card on the last day of the season. Both teams were able to win several games thanks to pitchers they could trust to close out opposing teams night after night. Today’s Tigers feature the hard throwing Joel Zumaya, who is regularly clocked throwing the ball more than 100 mph. He has a nice changeup to keep pitchers honest. Wily veteran closer Todd Jones earned 37 saves this year and posted a 3.94 ERA. Those two make for a formidable duo, but that is nothing compared to the dominance that Willie Hernandez showed for the Tigers in the 1984 season. He was honored with the regular season MVP award and a Cy Young award after getting 32 saves and posting a 1.92 ERA and finished off the last game of the season, the American League Championship Series and the World Series.
The team’s similarities do not end there.The ’84 team had what is known as strength up the middle, great play from the centerfield, shortstop, second base and catcher positions. Detroit legends Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker anchored the middle of the infield, with hard-hitting Lance Parrish catching and hitting clean up and Chet Lemmon displaying considerable talent in centerfield. It was hard to get anything done offensively against the Tigers, especially up the middle of their defense. This year's squad is no slouch in that department either, with future Hall-of-Famer Ivan ‘Pudge” Rodriguez providing much-needed veteran leadership, guiding the pitching staff from the catcher position, with ALCS MVP Placido Polanco playing great defense at second and Curtis Granderson hitting .313 this post-season and playing centerfield. We can’t forget about Carlos Guillen (who should play shortstop in the World Series pending a setback to Sean Casey’s recovery) whose bat has been hot all playoffs. Manager Jim Leyland says Guillen is the smartest player on the team. The managers now and then also display similar leadership. In his fifth season as manager of the Tigers, Sparky Anderson brought the title back to Detroit for the first time since 1968. He managed a team full of veterans such as Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker and Chet Lemon. Leyland just took over the Tigers, who have had 12 straight losing seasons, one of which included 119 losses, a bunch of young unproven players and a few veterans tossed in their for good measure. Both managers both are Hall of Fame caliber and both have two manager of the year trophies sitting on their mantles at home. One thing these two teams does not have in common though is broadcasters. Dan Dickerson got to make the call when Magglio Ordonez hit the home run that sent the Tigers to the World Series this year, but the 1984 Tigers win was called by Detroit legend Ernie Harwell. Harwell started broadcasting games for the boys of Detroit in 1960 and his voice has been synonymous ever since. Dickerson credits Harwell as one of the reasons he got into broadcasting. He grew up listening to Harwell call the games from Tigers Stadium. Rob Yelvington has been a baseball fan his whole life and recalls the 80’s. “I was driving in the car with Jill (his wife at the time) and the Tigers game was on. She asked who that was broadcasting the game. It’s Ernie Harwell. She said ‘I remember my grandfather listening to him.’” That is one of the greatest compliments a broadcaster will ever receive, to know that at least three generations of a family allowed his voice to paint the picture of the events at Tigers Stadium. Even though Ernie has left the broadcasting booth, the Tigers still have a legacy to uphold and this years team should be able to continue the tradition of the great Tigers teams that came before them. The World Series is upon us and it is up to the current group of Tigers to bring the trophy back to Detroit, a place it has not visited in 22 years. Let’s go, Tigers!!! |
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