Throwing in the Towel

A few weeks ago I wrote about how maybe there is still hope for this Tigers season. Todd Jones sucked all that hope out of me.

1 strike away from the biggest win of the season. Yet another example of how the Tigers could not get a big win when they needed it the most, thereby screaming: "We are a .500 team."

Face it, the White Sox knew exactly what Jones was going to do when he did it. Dye knew that Jones was going to throw an outside fastball on a 2-0 count because that is what he does every time. While it is true that Jones should have pitched that ball down in the zone, Dye knew it was coming the whole time. His eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning when he saw exactly what he expected and spanked it out of the park.

Then what do the Tigers do? They throw out their ace against some nobody pitcher who is somehow having a decent season. He pitches like Nate Robertson, and does not give his team a chance to win. That is not what an Ace does. Verlander remains a very good pitcher, but not an ace.

Somehow, Zach Miner salavages the season with another nice outing.

But instead of coming out and making a statement against a bad team, they play like they knew the season was over with one swing of Jermaine Dye's bat. A shut out when playing against Paul Byrd?!?!? 4 hits against a pitcher who is one notch above a slow pitch softball hurler?

While some of you may have scoreboard watched tonight and think there is hope, allow me to put it in stone

The White Sox, not the Tigers, will be representing the AL Central in the playoffs.

The White Sox have good pitching and a great bullpen. They are flat out better than the Tigers and they proved it by taking 2 out of 3 in Comerica Park.

The only hope the Tigers have now is to go out and sweep the White Sox in Chicago.

Look I know there is a lot of baseball left, but the fact is the Tigers just don't pounce on big opportunities. If they did they would have won that game on Friday (and dont just blame Todd Jones, Zumaya gave up that 2 run lead). If they were a playoff team they wouldn't lose 3 out of 4 against the Twins in Detroit; they wouldnt split with a bad Baltimore team; and they certainly wouldn't show up like they dont care and get 4 hit by Paul FRICKEN Byrd.

This Team screams mediocrity. And in baseball mediocre teams dont make the playoffs (unless you are in the NL West...)