Wierd how a month changes things.
Just one month ago, this was the series that would determine if or if not the Tigers would hold on for the AL Central championship. Though this could still hold true, it now not only shows that, but how easy the Tigers stretch to make the playoffs in the season's final two weeks will be.
The Tigers currently hold a one game lead over the Twins and are up on the White Sox by five games. Even if the Tigers fold and lose three straight to the Sox, their favorable schedule down the stretch will likely give them the American League wild card berth. However, yet another three game sweep at the hands of the White Sox is not what the Tigers want or need going into the season's final ten games.
Sure, a sweep would likely put the Tigers in second place for the first time since early May, but they would still be ahead of Chicago by two games with six left against the Royals and one against Baltimore. I'm sure anyone would take a two-game lead with that schedule ahead of them. However, losing three straight to the defending world champions will do nothing to gain respect around Major League Baseball or gain confidence among Detroit's players.
The Tigers need to take this series. They need to knock Chicago out of the playoffs and stay in first place in the AL Central. Minnesota has a three game set in Boston, and though the Red Sox are all but out of the playoffs, a three to one series win against the Yankees have kept their hopes alive and if they can play well against the Twins, coupled with the Tigers holding off the White Sox, Boston can gain a bit of confidence and save a prayer for the postseason.
It all comes down to this for the Red Sox (which is great for the Tigers): If Boston can sweep the Twins and the Tigers can take at least two of three from the White Sox, Boston can jump to only five games back in the loss column to get the Wild Card berth. If the Yankees would have swept Boston as they did not too long ago, the Red Sox would have nothing to play for at all.
But Detroit has to win tonight. Boston still has to jump two teams to get into the playoffs and Chicago will have to come back to them to keep them alive. With Chicago playing Minnesota in the season't last three days, the most the Red Sox can hope to make up on either one of them is a game, unless Boston can catch Chicago and get within two or three of the Twins. If they can do that, their chance go up immensely, making it a three-team race in the season's final weekend.
Well that starts tonight as the Tigers take on the White Sox in the first of their three-game series. A Tigers loss helps to eliminate the Red Sox from the playoffs, which might not have the best effect on their team going into a series that, when you get right down to it, is more important to the Tigers and the Twins than the Red Sox.
The Red Sox are all but finished, but it helps the Tigers to keep their false hopes alive as long as possible--at least for the next four days. If the Tigers win tonight, it helps the Red Sox ever so slightly think they still have a shot, and they will pull out all the stops against Minnesota on Tuesday. With every Tiger loss in the next three days, however, the Boston will get closer and closer to having to give up...
