The Tigers, American League champions for the second time in seven years, won’t know who they’re playing in the World Series until the NLCS ends tonight. Here are some Tigers-related links in the meantime…
- Tigers president and GM Dave Dombrowski acknowledged that he targets hard-throwing pitchers, Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press reports. "But so do a lot of other people, too,” Dombrowski said. “I think everybody likes them." The GM declined to elaborate beyond that. “I don't want to Moneyball you and give away my thought processes, either. Why should I?”
- Longtime Tigers owner Mike Ilitch told Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News that he wants a World Series title, no matter the costs. "I don't worry about the investment, I want to win," Ilitch said. Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland say they want to win a championship for the 83-year-old owner.
- Leyland says his team is ready to play in the World Series even after an extended break, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Sounds like a lot of pizzas
Insert “bad” in front of pizzas and you’d be correct.
For $5.00 they are good. Ill take it! I mean what do you expect?
you referring to Prince’s pre-game meals?!
Pizza! Pizza!
Gotta love Mike Illitch. The man wants a world series more than anything. Going to be a very sad day in Detroit when he eventually passes, no chance his kids/any other heir will invest as much into the team as Mr. Pizza himself.
This is exactly why baseball’s method of luxury taxes doesn’t work and the only solution to make the game competitive is a salary cap. Here you have a guy who’s 83 and doesn’t give a hoot about losing money. After all it’s his heir’s money he’s spending, not his. Most of the rest of baseball ownership isn’t in that position. It’s bad enough that the huge revenue teams have such an advantage. Now you have a rich guy that doesn’t care about his personal financial future.
Sorry to spoil it InLeylandWeTrust, but as far as I’m concerned, should you get the title, it’s just as tainted as those the Yankees bought and paid for.
How are the Yankees or Tigers, if they win it this year, titles tainted? Because they have a high payroll? So what.
Titles are won. Teams are bought/paid for. Find me a Major League team that that’s won a title with a $0 payroll.
By the way, there won’t be a salary cap. And I’m in favor of one so don’t assume I’m saying that cause I’m a Yankee fan. If I didn’t think there should be one, I’d tell you straight up.
How is it tainted? The Tigers never would have signed Prince Fielder except that Victor Martinez got hurt. The Tigers got hot at the right time and the White Sox stunk out the joint in September. The only thing I didn’t like about the playoffs this year was the schedule. You win the division or if your record is better than the other division winner, the series should start in your home stadium. I felt the A’s got hurt because of the schedule change. I just don’t get what the whole “tainted” thing is about.
Maybe he’s bitter that Fielder left the Brewers and went to Detroit?
Illitch earned that money, not the people that’ll be the heir to it, so yes, it is his to spend.
If you don’t or have never lived in Detroit, you’ll never understand what Illitch has done for this city.
Salary caps do little to stop market disparity, because there are factors beside sheer salary that go into a decision. Luxury taxes do work, because they enrich the small market teams and allow them to spend more. Indeed, baseball has been the sport with the greatest parity for years.
Parity when it comes to championships, but as far as making the playoffs it’s hard to say. Although this added wild card will get more teams in the playoffs.
Every other sport has at least 6 teams in each league in the playoffs (NFL with 6, NHL and NBA with 8) I believe every single team in baseball (except the Pirates. Blue Jays and Royals) has finished in the top 6 standings wise in their league the past 10 years. Currently those 3 teams mentioned, along with the Mariners have 10+ years of no playoff apperances, Of course the Nationals and Orioles appearances this year ended their streaks.
Really hard to compare parity. NFL has equal sharing so despite the same teams winning and same teams losing for the most part, I’d have to say it has more parity in MLB.
Parity is hard to determine between sports for the reason you mentioned: The playoff structures are different.
However, in terms of the MLB itself, you need to to recognize that ‘parity’ can be mired by cheap owners and incompetent leaders.
Doesn’t NHL have 16 playoff teams?
8 in each league as I pointed out. But 16 total though.
Yea 16/30 teams making it to the playoffs always seemed ridiculous to me.
Agreed
” After all it’s his heir’s money he’s spending, not his”
hahahahaha. wow.
agreed.
Actually Salary caps wouldnt do anything, you would need a salary floor. Sorry I didnt realize we should punish someone’s wish to invest in their team. Money doesnt always mean success though, see dodgers, red sox, cubs, mets, and the yankees this year.
Tigers are in the World Series bc of great business decisions and the ability of Dave Dombrowski. Max Scherzer, Austin Jackson, Phil Coke all made barely over the league minimum this season. They were acquired for 2 players that made a total of 20MM this season (Granderson and Edwin Jackson). 20MM that could be spent on a player like oh idk, Prince Fielder.
Do the Tigers make it to the World Series without Doug Fister, another guy making about the league minimum this year? Or Omar Infante, making 2MM this season? The more expensive role-player guys Jhonny Peralta (6MM) and Delmon Young (9MM), arguably the Tigers’ top producers of the playoffs? Acquired from teams within their same division! Lastly, I shouldn’t have to explain to you the brilliance of the MCab trade or Verlander drafting
Seriously? “Not his money..it’s his heirs.”
Let his heir(s) start their own successful company if they want some money. Tigers are operating within the confines of the game (legally and ethically) and doing it well. Drafted JV, traded for AJ, Sherzer, Coke, Infante, Sanchez and signed Prince when no one else was willing to.
Leyland says his team is ready. Well, what else is he going to say? “No we are not ready, in fact I wouldn’t be surprised if we get our butts kicked…”
I was surprised I could understand him.
Ilitch is the most beloved owner in the game. Anyone from Detroit that doesn’t appreciate Ilitch doesn’t fully understand all he’s done for the city of Detroit and sports there.
I <3 Mike Illitch. What he has given his fans, and the city of Detroit, is immeasurable. He wants a Worl Series, but for all the right reasons. He selflessly gives; just look at how how awful Detroit could be without the red wings and tigers conteding. And the sports teams are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what that man has contributed to the city I love.
Mike illitch is a class act and is beloved by all who understand what he has done.