Why did The Tigers choke in the World Series?

Question

Was it all the errors they made?
Was it due to their lack of experience?
Was it because they had a week off
before St. Louis beat NY?

Either way did any of you expect The Tigers to go as far as they did? I didn't. I am very proud of what The Tigers accomplished in 2006.

perhaps "choke"was the wrong word. I was merely wondering what you thought of what really happened. As I said I am very proud of The Tigers.

Answer 1

Great question Georgie and to add to your comment I too was very surprised by the success of YOUR team.... and I believe that to much time off can be a detriment to a team that has been riding momentim into the playoffs.. I to believe that they will return next year to be a contender..

Answer 2

First of all they didn't choke! This was a team that not so long ago lost 119 games. What they were able to achieve in such a short period of time hardly labels them a chokers.

I think success might have come too quickly. Suddenly they found themselves in the spotlight playing for the world championship. Yes, the lack of playoff pressure might have played a small part in their failure to beat the Cardinals but more than anything the Tigers ran into a hot pitching staff.

I'm no Cardinal fan as you know and I still have a problem with an 83-78 team calling themselves world champions but the timing was perfect for them. I guess during that particular week the Cardinals could have beaten anyone.

No, the Tigers didn't choke. They have made themselves into a world class team. I would imagine that they might even be in the hunt next year. I know I thought for awhile that they were one hit wonders, as I called them, but after reviewing the season I realized that I was wrong. The Tigers have as much of a chance of going back to the world series as any team in the AL.

Answer 3

Georgie,
The two Mickey #7 Yankee fans are completely correct. The Tigers surprised the world by getting to the World Series. Yes, there were crucial errors that likely cost them the Series, but come on, as they pointed out, 2003 was only 3 years earlier...and what a meteoric rise. Except for Rogers and Rodriguez, the Tigers are at their core a young team that can expect to be competitive for years to come. Sometimes a World Series team is a confluence of veterans at the end of their contracts and as soon as the Series is over, the team falls apart. That is not the case with the Tigers. If you look back at the World Series, enjoy the fact that your team got there. And didn't you post on this board before and during the Series that if the Cardinals won, you could live with that.
Only about 40 days until pitchers and catchers.

Answer 4

Well, despite all of the pitching errors on the over throws, I think the problem the entire series was the complete lack of HITTING in the Tigers lineup.

I am talking about Polanco who absolutely went ice cold, Granderson, and Pudge who couldn't buy a hit, when you have guys like that in core positions in the lineup who are not producing (1,2,5???), then your team is slated to be in for a tough series. Now, I don't know if it was the time off, but it was definitely the hitting that lost them the series. Without Casey or the occasional Guillen in the lineup, this series WOULD have been a solid 4-0 sweep.

However, do not feel bad Tigers fans. You have had a great turn around and have almost (if not everyone) returning and I'd say are the team to beat in 07'...unless that is my Cardinals can once again crush them kitty cats...j/k.

Good Luck in 07'......I can't wait to get this next season rollin' again!!!!

Answer 5

The Tigers had a great year and were fortunate to make it to baseball's biggest stage, but they made a lot of errors on fielding when a ball was hit to the pitcher, they were rusty after not playing for a week after crushing the A's, weren't really together as a team like the Cardinals, and had too high expectations. They automatically thought they were a lock to be World Champions, and that backfired on them. They might have put up a fight after Kenny Rogers' dominating performance, but the controversy following it may have embarrassed the Tigers and given the Cardinals the motivation to beat the Tigers after that loss.

Answer 6

Whom ever reported a collection trailing interior the international sequence 3-video games-a million has by no skill come decrease back is an fool.. this is been executed 4 situations interior the main Leagues For one, The Tigers have executed it in the previous, satirically, they trailed the 1968 international sequence 3-video games-a million against.. The Cardinals.. and got here decrease back to win it.. The final time the feat grew to become into performed, grew to become into certainly one of my prominent international sequence ever, while "we are kin' Willie Stargell and the Pittsburgh Pirates, down, 3 video games to a minimum of one against the Baltimore Orioles... they closed the door on the Orioles, who scored 24 runs in 4 video games against the Pirates, and a couple of runs the subsequent 3 video games.. The Tigers quite have the pitching to grow to be the 5th group in historic previous to do it.. realisticly, it gained;t happen.. yet while Verlander pitches a gem this evening, that takes Rogers, pine tar and all, to interest six, those are 2 video games the Tigers, in the event that they pitch like they are in a position, ought to o.k. win.. and then this is interest seven, the place something can and could happen..

Answer 7

Choke is a harsh word GP.I think that it was their lack of experience.The Tigers are a young team overall,having to sit a week and listen to everybody say that you will be the favorite in the WS didn't help.And the pitchers making all those errors killed them.The Cardinals have had the same growing pains in the last few years,Detroit will be back in the playoffs,where they go from there no one knows.The Experience they gained from last year will do nothing but help.

Answer 8

I think it was a little bit of everything, but at the same time you can't count the Cardinals out.
1. The Cardinals was that they had experience, a few of them had been in 2004 WS and Eckstein, Spiezio, and Encarnacion had WS rings with other teams. Almost all of the Cardinals had postseason experience before 2006.
2. The Cardinals had a bit of a chip on their shoulders.
3. The Cardinals may not have had as much pressure on them, since no one expected them to win.
4. The Cardinals didn't rely entirely on multi-million-dollar stars. Yes, they had Pujols, Rolen and Edmonds who commanded big contracts, but the majority of their players made an average salary or less in the MLB.
5. Everybody contributed. Rookies did fabulous jobs and all-stars lived up to their expectations. Jeff Weaver was completely turned around by Dave Duncan.
6. Smart managing. The Cardinals management knew what they were doing and had been there before, although I'm not saying that the Tigers management was unwise by any means.
7. Determination. The Cardinals were determined to win and knew they could.
8. Tigers' errors. The Tigers had a few errors which contributed. The Cardinals had 2 errors, but they fortunately only contributed one run.
9. The week long layoff might have affected the Tigers, but the Cardinals had worked hard also.

A lot of factors contribute to the WS, but don't entirely count the Cardinals out. You can't back into a WS win.

Answer 9

They didn't. I'd say that they had their World Series championship by defeating the Yankees.

This was reminiscent of 1987, when the Tigers won the east by a game (and there was no reason that George Bell couldn't have climbed that fence and brought back Lemon's HR) but then couldn't get out of the LCS. They had already won their World Series by winning the division.

These things happen. It had nothing to do with inexperience (how many Twin's players had that experience in '87?), nor with the week off. Their errors didn't help, of course.

Answer 10

They didn't choke. They gave what they had, and the Cardinals were just the better team. You can talk about the errors, the week off, and lack of experience all you want, but when the rubber hits the road, they are professionals. Professionals get the job done under the most unfortunate of circumstances. This year, it was the St. Louis Cardinals that were the most professional. When it counted most, they met the challenge and succeeded.

Answer 11

The Tigers didn't absolutely choke... they just kinda didn't play their best. The St. Louis Cardinals did a fabulous job and are the true champions. The Tigers did have a great season but they froze up because they were afraid of the cards!! (kidding) But they weren't experienced.. That's a tough question I guess to answer.