Comments on: Cautious Optimism Abounds

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 06 May 2006 05:31:02 +0000

I couldn’t help but nod my head in agreement as I read your post. I have grown up a loyal Tigers fan despite never knowing many winning seasons (I was 2 yrs old when they won their last WS). The way things are going now I could honestly see the Tigers as a WC contender come August.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 06 May 2006 00:13:25 +0000

Here, here! to everything that’s been said, but most of all to the fact that the White Sox have the most annoying announcers ever. I had to suffer through their nonsense for four years while living two blocks away from the Cell. Back then the Tigers would always come in and sweep the White Sox, even though Detroit was the worst team in the division. Consistently beating Detroit is what got Chicago over the hump last season. (Yes, I really believe that without Detroit, Chicago wouldn’t have won the World Series last year. It was in Detroit where they clinched their playoff spot and began their incredible 16-1 streak, 11 of those wins coming in the playoffs.)

And to the people who mentioned Baltimore’s false start last year… A lot of us thought that Chicago’s fast start was also a fluke, but they carried that momentum for an entire season and into this one. Many analysts were honestly projecting the White Sox to finish 3rd or even 4th last year. At this time last year they were 20-7.

By: Joey K

Joey K — Thu, 04 May 2006 18:44:27 +0000

Being a loyal Tiger fan in Portland OR (there aren’t many of us) I get asked all the time now. “whats up with your Tigers!?” I just smile and enjoy it. Its much better than “man, your Tigers aren’t doing so hot this year.”

And now I can hate the White Sox for every game they win, not just for being jerks with most annoying announcers ever!

By: Kyle J

Kyle J — Thu, 04 May 2006 16:30:08 +0000

The bottom line is that this start is as good as we could possibly have expected. If we’re not allowed to get excited about this, we’re not allowed to get excited about anything.

Statistical question: Intuitively, I would think that a hot start based on good pitching would be more likely to hold up than a hot start based on hitting. (The Tigers have hit relatively well, but the pitching has been phenomenal.) I wonder if this is really true.

By: Jeff M

Jeff M — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:50:56 +0000

this hot start is legit.

Pythag can’t tell you if a team is capable of sustaining their production. It can only show you whether or not their production justifies their record.

As a point of curiousity, does anyone know what Baltimore’s pythag was at the end of their hot start?

By: Lee Panas

Lee Panas — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:45:58 +0000

Tony is right about being cautious. Look at the Cincinnati Reds right now. Still, I have a good feeling about the Tigers. I said at the beginning of the season that they needed two things to happen this year. They needed to stay healthy and they needed the young pitchers to break though. So far those things are happening with no sign of letting up soon.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:30:28 +0000

I hate to be a downer, but this time last year the Orioles were 18-9. I love the start, but I

By: Jeff M

Jeff M — Thu, 04 May 2006 14:13:20 +0000

Did you guys notice how angry Weaver was getting last night when the calls weren

By: Joey

Joey — Thu, 04 May 2006 12:15:33 +0000

Did you guys notice how angry Weaver was getting last night when the calls weren’t going his way? His performance seemed to suffer once he lost his cool and the ump certainly wasn’t about to help him out considering the bad attitude. I remember this being a problem when he was pitching for us.

That being said, once again the umpiring in this game was terrible. That Country Joe–or whatever Rod and Mario were calling him–might be the worst home plate ump I’ve seen all year. I’m thankful he ended up hurting the opponent more than us, but it sure is frustrating to watch such inconsistent pitch calling.

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 04 May 2006 11:29:12 +0000

I hate to be a downer, but this time last year the Orioles were 18-9. I love the start, but I’ve been burnt before by a hot start.

By: Jeff M

Jeff M — Thu, 04 May 2006 06:43:18 +0000

so we don

By: Will

Will — Thu, 04 May 2006 04:25:05 +0000

God Bless These Boys!
GO TIGERS!

By: Joey

Joey — Thu, 04 May 2006 04:09:36 +0000

Great post Billfer. I do think we’re all having a hard time processing this and the recommendation to just enjoy it as it unfolds is the right prescription.

By: Kyle J

Kyle J — Thu, 04 May 2006 03:28:08 +0000

White Sox come back to win in the 11th so we don’t move into first place. But we’re tied (at this moment, at least) for the second best record in all of MLB. And we have a 3 1/2 game lead on every AL team outside Chicago.

I am afraid to admit how excited I am. But the season has clearly started as well as it possibly could have. None of us could have dreamed we’d be in this position nearly 30 games into the season.

Go Tigers!