It all ends here

Well, I haven't posted on here in months, and apparently neither has Paul. But I figured I wanted to get my thoughts online before tonight.

So here we are. On the 2 year anniversary of Game 163....Please, Tigers...Beat New York.

No matter what, it's been a hell of ride this year. I got to attend 12 games. I saw Justin pitch live 6 times. Twice he almost threw a no-hitter, and another time he struck out 14 Diamondbacks. Once he even caused another Cy Young contender to melt-down. Sitting right there in left field, I witnessed the Angels bullpen on the ready, but they didn't want to be pounced on by our ferocious Tigers. I saw the defending World Champion Giants in person. I saw little ole' Ramon and his "Sneaky power" hit a walk-off. I watched tonight's starter Doug Fister pitch for Detroit and against it. I watched Miggy win a batting title right before my very eyes, all the while brightening our days with light tower shots that seemed to get lost in the eyes of the Tiger atop the left field scoreboard. I watched Austin Jackson who seemed to run down every ball hit within a stadium's reach of him. I watched Jose Valverde with my breath held, all while he managed to not blow a single save all season. I watched players such as Raburn and Benoit turn their seasons around even when nobody else seemed to believe in them. I watched our Tigers be the cause of other teams in the Central Division implode instead of doing it ourselves.

And here it is...9 innings to decide our own fate after 166 previous games. It all comes down to perhaps the biggest trade deadline move our team has made since 1987. It's time to right the wrong of the way that 1987 finished. It's as if we've come full circle. Doug Fister can make the memory of the John Smoltz-Doyle Alexander trade die forever, all right in front of the very same Smoltz, TBS commentator now. He can make the memory of that fateful Game 163 collapse of two years ago go away forever. Tonight, Doug Fister can fix two things. But no matter what, don't ever forget Detroit. Always a Tiger.