The Streak

I suppose I should give credit where credit is due. As John rightfully pointed out after my last post, the Tigers did end their streak. They took 2 of 3 from the 1st place Angels and finally won a road series after 10 straight series losses.

The problem is that every time I praise the Tigers they tend to lay an egg the next game. It's the thatballdontlie curse. Or perhaps it's simply that the Tigers are incredibly inconsistent, which is why I always reference Inge. Depending on how the moons align, Brandon Inge either strikes out four times (on 12 pitches) or ends the game with a walk-off home run. Prior to this season, there was no more polarizing Detroit Tiger than Brandon Inge. His performance this year has further cemented that status. Hitting and fielding like an all-star in the 1st half and then plummeting to a .164 average in the 2nd? He's the 2009 Detroit Tigers! Impossible to pin down. Impossible to predict.

How do they lose 2 of 3 to the hapless A's (and Jack Cust) then put 10 up on the Angels the next night? I suppose that's the nature of sports and why we find it so fascinating.

So, yes, the streak is over, and the Tigers deserve credit for performing well in a road series. All the starters did pretty well, except Verlander who somehow lost focus after the offense scored the 10 runs. Maybe those long, half-inning layoffs really affect their arms? Now they're back home with a few against the Devil Rays, another decent team. With a good home stand, the Tigers could put a strangle-hold on their first place lead. The White Sox haven't helped themselves in recent weeks, but the Twins, to the surprise of no one, are inching back into contention (4.5 games back).