Ahira's Hangar

When they throw this guy in jail, I hope they lose the key!

Following that perfect game, the White Sox had pulled into a tie with the the Tigers for first place in the woefully bad AL Central. The Tigers have been in first for...months... now, and it is generally agreed upon here in Detroit that they are the worst first place team in the history of baseball.

For years now the White Sox have owned the Tigers, whether at the Cell or CoPa. So I am both shocked and pleased that the Tigers have somehow managed to win the first three of four of a crucial four game series against the Sox this weekend. They have opened up a tiny bit of breathing space over both the Sox and the Twins. I think they will lose to the Sox tomorrow in game four, however, as our starting pitcher is a gifted but slumping twenty year old rookie.

I am still expecting the Tigers to come in third in the division when all is said and done. We have two rookies in the starting rotation, and our best hitter, Magglio Ordonez, is mired in a horrible season long slump (his wife is very sick and has required two operations since spring, and his mind is quite naturally home with her and their three children rather than on baseball).

But we have had one weekend of glory as fans, and have seen our beloved team beat back their most hated division rival.

TheTigers are starting to look like they might hold on to first place in their division and make the playoffs. They are increasing their lead over the third place Sox, and holding a steady lead over the second place Twins. This franchise has a way of finding ways to break the hearts of their fans, though, so I will not believe it until the last day of the season!

The Yankees' off season shopping trip sure paid off in a big way for them, didn't it?

More sadness for Tigers fans. We lost long time TV broadcaster and player George Kell, and then Mark the Bird Fydrych already this year. Now the classiest man in baseball, who did our radio broadcasts for more than forty years - Ernie Harwell, the Hall of Fame announcer, has terminal cancer.

Now I hope that the Tigers do manage to hold on and make it to the playoffs - just so Ernie can see his beloved Tigers in the playoffs once last time before he leaves us for the Field of Dreams.

It's Ernie Harwell night tonight at Comerica. He will thank the fans sometime around the third inning. I predict not a dry eye in at the stadium, and thousands upon thousands more sobbing and wiping eyes at home while watching the game on TV. Ernie is the absolute epitomy of class and kindness - he will be an incalculable loss.

I listened to Ernie Harwell's farewell to Tigers fans on the radio on the way home from my son's soccer game. Yes, I cried like a baby. I love that old man.

And he is facing his oncoming death with so much courage and calmness...and optimism. The next stage of his marvelous journey.

I love that old man.

The damned Tigers broke my wife's heart last night.

I know that the odds are that the Twins will nip them in the end, and I have been expecting it, but last night's game was super ugly.

The Tigers and Twins are in an epic battle to see who wins the AL Central and goes to the playoffs. Today they split a day-night double header, after last night's game was put off due to wind and rain. The Tigers are up by two games, with a "magic number" of four, with two games left against the Twins and then three against the White Sox, who always play the Tigers really tough. I think the Twins - with the best manager in baseball - will probably take this.

But after last year's horrible season, I am really glad that the Tigers are playing games that acually mean something in September/October.

Verlander hung in there!

Off the mound he seems to be a really nice normal guy who does a ton of charity work - but when he pitches he is as mean and determined as a grouchy old snake.

Tonight we have an untried rookie going in Eddie Bonine - and a more average rookie - not a Porcello only a couple of times in a lifetime rookie. (Actually there would be three in my lifetime - the Bird, Verlander, and now Porcello). And then in tomorrow's game we have Nate the Not So Great Robertson.

Verlander came through once again, and the Tigers won just enough games to hang onto a first place tie with the Twins and force a one game playoff to see who wins the division and makes it to the playoffs (where the winner will face the Yankees and get swept ). The game is up in Minnie, though, and the Tigers royally suck when they play there - so while my heart is with the Tigers, if I were to bet money on the game, it would go with the Twins. Porcello is pitching, so this does give the Tigers a very slim chance...

I cannot even begin to discuss how disgusted and upset I am by this. There can be no excuse for such behavior, and Tigers fans deserve to get a huge apology from this player. What a freaking loser, and what a horrible way to act in the middle of a key series that determines whether or not the team makes it to the post-season.

And for such a huge and strong man to drunkenly get into a physical altercation with a woman?

Can we bring back the stocks or public flogging?

Thank God for Magglio Ordonez, who actually showed up to play in the series!!!!!!!

this crap just keeps getting deeper and deeper, smellier and smellier, worse and worse: