The Detroit Tigers pulled an upset, taking the ALDS against the New York Yankees, three games to one.  Another thing they did with the win was prove that money does not, in fact, buy you everything.  And it was the Tigers pitching that quieted the mighty Yankees lineup, a staff that lost its effectiveness in the second half of the season after such a stellar start.  Jeremy Bonderman pitched a gem to clinch the series for the Tigers, going 8.1 innings and only giving up two runs.

This following another a great pitching performance by Kenny Rogers in Game Three, dealing 7.2 innings without surrending a run.  But, it all started with rookie Justin Verlander in Game Two doing just enough to help the Tigers tie the series and split the games at Yankees Stadium.  So, after a collapse and losing its grip on the A.L. Central in the last day of the season, the Tigers find validation in beating the Yankees modern-day Murderer’s Row of a batting order.  Kudos to manager Jim Leyland, who should win the A.L. Manager Year of Award.

The Tigers move on to face my Oakland A’s (yes, from now on, I’ll be a homer, going against journalistic decorum) with the first game being played on Tuesday at 5pm PST at the Athletic’s McAfee Coliseum.