We’ll officially begin counting down the Detroit Tigers magic number at 10. And why not? It’s often the arbitrary number chosen for countdowns. And it starts tonight with Detrorit’s 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians! (see box score)
The “magic number” represents any combination of Tigers’ wins and/or losses by the 2nd place team in the division (the Twins) needed to clinch. As we count down, we’ll make it so each magic number is represented by a current (or former) Tiger that wore the respective uniform number. It should be a much more fun way of doing the countdown, assuming we get all the way to double zero, at which point I think we’d have to use a bat boy or resort to another sport and use someone like Eric Montross.
Fittingly so, skipper Jim Leyland kicks off the countdown, as he currently sports the No. 10. Instead of saying, “our magic number is 10,” we should start using the vernacular, “our magic number is Jim” (skip, Jimmy, Leyland, coach, old timer, and smokes would all be acceptable alternatives).
In case you want to know more about our “magic number,” Leyland has won two NL Manager of the Year awards (1990 and 1992) and added an AL Manager of the Year award to his resume in 2006 with the Tags. He has an outside shot at another this season should the Tigers make the postseason. He’s done a marvelous job managing his pitching staff and making the most of his anemic offense (which hasn’t been much). He smokes Marlboro’s and he allegedly still wears spikes as opposed to turfs (the standard for managers and those not playing).
Rick Porcello will take the bump tomorrow, hoping to get us to Chad Curtis-ville.
Go Tigers!
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