You have to hand to Detroit. After authoring the biggest collapse in major league history, blowing a fifteen-and-a-half-game lead over Cleveland in the A.L. Central, they faced those same Guardians, and knocked them out of the playoffs.

Their offense finally got mad, finally showed their embarrassment and humiliation, and finally came through.

For the first two-and-a-half games, watching Detroit was like watching the hapless Rangers offense. They’d get runners on, then have absolutely no idea how to move them up. Or to touch that little white home-plate shaped object in front of the catcher.

Then, it all came together for them in the top of the seventh when they scored four runs and sealed the Wildcard victory. 

For one brief moment, “what if “came to mind. What if that was the Rangers. What if they could have just hit the ball just a little this year.

But that went away quickly because the Rangers weren’t good enough to make the playoffs and don’t deserve to be in one’s headspace during these playoffs because they weren’t worthy. Maybe in the next four or five seasons. But not now.

So, congratulations to the Tigers (and Cubs and Yankees). They’re moving on. After dropping the meat in the dirt during the regular season, they live to play on.