If the Tigers couldn't win it all, Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski can at least smile at the consolation prize.
For the first time in Dombrowski's long career as a general manager and Leyland's longer career as a manager, they have a chance to keep a World Series team intact and build on it. But it's not going to be as easy as making a signing or two and then looking forward to Spring Training.
Between two key free agents, a slew of arbitration cases and a lineup that could use one more bat, Detroit still has the makings of a busy offseason as one of four potential contenders in the American League Central. But instead of shopping lists and building blocks, the Tigers are as close to a finished product as they've been since 1984. And for the first time in several years, they don't have to go to the open market hoping to be taken seriously.
Costly error ends Tigers' season
The Tigers ended their World Series trip as the subject of a few one-liners, most of them justifiably containing the letters PFP for pitchers' fielding practice. But with their season complete, the Tigers can look around and say they're no joke.
Tigers fall in Game 4, on brink in Series
First came the slip. Later came the fall.
The Tigers lost just 10 times all season when leading after six innings, but even then, they hadn't seen anything like this. A misstep from Curtis Granderson, a mistake from Fernando Rodney and a near-miss from Craig Monroe sent the Tigers from what looked like a deadlocked World Series to another loss to the Cardinals. Unlike the other two, however, Thursday's 5-4 defeat was one that got away.
Leyland wants division crown
Tigers manager Jim Leyland wants the division title. His players have wanted it more with each passing day. But that hasn't made it easy to do.
If the American League Central champion was the only team from the division to go to the postseason, it might be an entirely different race down the stretch.
Short memory works for Walker
When Jamie Walker says he forgets about an outing as soon as he's out of the ballpark, it's not a figure of speech. For a reliever who has averaged 65 outings a season since joining the Tigers, it's the only way to go about your work, even if you haven't had won or lost a game all season.
