Welcome to the ALCS
I’m here, ready to entertain all of you ALCS watchers for the next week or so, or however long this series goes.
Let me start by saying I love this matchup because nobody would have picked these two teams back in the spring. All those teams who whine about payroll disparity now see how a team can be built with a modest budget and thrive.
The Red Sox and Yankees, with their massive payrolls, are on the golf course. The Tigers and A’s are the last two teams standing in the American League. This is, as my hombre Mychael Urban would say, Good for Ball.
Dave Dombrowski and Billy Beane have both done this right. Build from the ground up, and make cost-effective free agent signings and trades.
I got to see the Tigers first-hand in the ALDS and they are a fun bunch to watch. Zumaya might break a radar gun before this series is over. The Tigers are anti-Moneyball in the sense they never look for a walk. This team likes to set the tone.
Is there a baseball fan who doesn’t enjoy watching Jim Leyland manage? This guy is as old school as they get, a blue collar man who demands maximum effort out of his players and knows how to motivate.
The best story involving the A’s is Frank Thomas. The Biggest Hurt of all for Thomas was watching his White Sox win the World Series last year, and being an injured spectator. Big Frank gets the October stage first-hand this year, and he made his presence felt in the sweep over the Twins. He is the best one-dimensional player in baseball — at least this side of David Ortiz. Frank can’t run, he can’t field, but boy, can he hit.
You also have Eric Chavez and Barry Zito, the two survivors from the teams that got bounced in Game 5 of the playoffs four years in a row.
How will Huston Street handle the pressure of closing in the ALCS? Same goes for Todd Jones, the veteran on the other side.
More later, chime in with any and all thoughts.
— Ian Browne / MLB.com
2006 ALCS: Tigers vs. Athletics 
I have been watching the Tigers since I was a kid in the 60’s. They have a great team, and have worked hard. I hope they can go all the way this year. Jim has done a wonderful job with them. Best wishes guyes.
Rose
Fan in MI
Go A’s!!!
Frank Thomas and the A’s are the team to beat.
While the Detroit Tigers beat up on my team DA BRONX BOMBERS, I feel the momentum of Oaktown reving up for some BIG HURT!
“QUIT BEING BABIES…WATCH THE A’S IN THE POST SEASON!!!”
Gabriel
DA BRONX BOMBERS
http://daboogiedownbronx.mlblogs.com/
I have come to love Jim Leyland over the course of the season. He is a gutsy manager and is not afraid of anything. I liked the double steal in game one. Even though it didnt work, it was still a call that took confidence and only confidence like that was going to beat the Yankees. The Tigers are the team to beat. They just beat the best line-up in post season history that included a number 9 hitter (Cano) who almost won a batting title. I see the series going to seven games, but Leyland will be carried off the field once again when it is all said and done.
As a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, rooting for the Tigers is as good as it gets… Former Pirate guys on the Detroit coaching staff are as follows: Jim Leyland, Gene Lamont, Andy Van Slyke, Rafael Belliard, Lloyd McClendon, Don Slaught. As an added bonus, native Pittsburgher Sean Casey holds down fort at first base.
Hi Ian, nice to meet you. I have to confess I came on here looking for Jason Becks blog and was shocked to find it gone. Is it still out there in cyberspace somewhere? THere were many things on the blog that I would love to download.
Sorry I’m an idiot I found the Link.
Rube:
http://beck.mlblogs.com/
Cya there.
No worries. we would never get rid of Jason Beck’s blog. But feel free to join this blog as well!
Nate Robinson a WEAK LINK? We have NO WEAK LINKS.