Congratulations to the Detroit Tigers, who clinched their 11th American League pennant with today's 8-1 win over the Yankees in Game Four of the ALCS. It was just the fifth "annihilation" sweep in a seven-game series in baseball history, as the Tigers not only won all four games, but never trailed at any point. The Detroit victory could also be a good omen for the Cardinals in the NLCS — nine of the Tigers' 10 previous World Series opponents (the Cubs four times, the Cardinals thrice and the Pirates and Reds once each) have been NL Central teams.
Here's the latest from the Motor City as the Tigers look for their first Series win since 1984…
- GM Dave Drombrowski told reporters (including Chris Iott of MLive.com) that Jim Leyland is welcome back to manage the Tigers in 2013. "He knows that. He's in a situation where we want him back, and I'm sure that he wants to come back," Dombrowski said. "But there's a time and a place for that. It's not right now." Leyland isn't under contract for 2013 but said last week that he wants to manage next season.
- The contributions of Phil Coke, Austin Jackson and Max Scherzer have made the Tigers the winner of their blockbuster 2009 trade with the Yankees and Diamondbacks, writes Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press. The D'Backs received Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson while the Yankees received Curtis Granderson, who struggled horribly in the ALCS and wasn't started in Game Four.
- Tigers third base coach Gene Lamont tells Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald that he hasn't been contacted by the Red Sox about the manager's job. Lamont was Boston's second choice behind Bobby Valentine last winter, and Lamont says that he wishes he'd been hired. “I don’t know what the record would’ve been,” Lamont said, “but I’m positive it wouldn’t have been as chaotic.”
I don’t think Lamont was really a good choice either, honestly. I am a fan of the current interviews (hoping it’s either Pena or Wallach…)
Not huge on any really and always remember pena for being a FIERY catcher, but one who couldn’t keep his trap shut… He got suspended once for “calling” a hit batter the next game for retaliation even…
A leader behind HP? Yeah, just too… Big mouth in that regard IMO..
I think all 3 teams have been declared winners of this trade at some point int he past few seasons.
So who wins in the end? Yankees and Dbacks won early and now it looks like the Tigers won because they have 3 young players who have gotten better since the trade and may still get better.
wasn’t John Smoltz part of that deal?
No
Hello. Lack-of-humour alert (and a Cards fan shouldn’t be in any other than a happy mood)
None of these articles mention A-Rod, what gives?
They will update it don’t worry
Leyland is a great manager. That is all.
Not sure if there was any winner in the trade. The Diamondbacks ended up with Kennedy and Hudson. The Yankees got a 40 hr outfielder. The Tigers got a Scherzer and Jackson. The players filled needs for each team. It’s really easy to say the Tigers were the winners now that Scherzer is in the midst of such a dominate season. When you are winning every trade you have made looks like a win.
and Coke.
If you factor in money, it’s a no-brainer Tigers won. Granderson had a big salary these past two seasons, as did Edwin Jackson, meanwhile all these contributors to the Tigers are first-time or second-time arb eligible after this season for the most part.
Who is this Dave “Drombrowski” fellow?