| Curtis A. Clark. 14th July, 2006 - 2:39 pm
 The second half of Major League Baseball?s 2006 season is shaping up to be one heck of a race in the A.L. Central. With the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox currently sitting 2 games apart in the division, with the top 2 records in all of baseball, the pace of the race is at a torrid fervor. People expected a good pennant race in the AL before this season started, just not with the Tigers in it.
For Detroit to continue its Cinderella season they will need to use the pressure being put on them from last seasons World Series Champions to keep their edge. The Tigers are hardly proven. While having the best record in baseball, along with the majors best pitching staff (at least in terms of numbers) makes them a serious threat, they are not battle tested. Untested teams tend to be very susceptible to a slump in the second half. If Detroit cannot stay on the top of their game they may fall victim to just that, and slightest slump will open the door for the Chicago White Sox.
Nothing major, just a bad week or so, but enough to give the White Sox an opportunity. That is why Detroit will have to post a wining record against Chicago in the second half of the season. In the first half Detroit was dominated by their Midwestern rivals. Losing all but just 1 games from them in the first few months. If Detroit could have mustered a better showing they would be comfortably out in the lead by 4 games or so. Instead their biggest regular season test resides within striking distance with a significant psychological edge.
That is not to say Detroit does not have a good chance at the regular season crown, but it is to say they are just as likely to fall off with their wealth of inexperienced players. Most of the Tigers have never been to the playoff and even fewer have won there. This race is their chance to earn their stripes as a winning MLB team.
Winning though bring us back to the Chicago White Sox and how they push Detroit. Chicago understand exactly what it takes to win a regular season crown as well as a Worlds Championship. It is a good thing that they are their to push the Tigers, scary, but good. Chicago ensures Detroit will not get relaxed, because they know if they do a proven winner like Chicago will jump on and past them.
Detroit can stay on top of its game by continuing to perform it they have all year. With solid pitching from starter to closer, timely run scoring, solid defense, and a manager that is as unpredictable as he is motivating. If any part of that successful first half formula doesn?t show up in the second half Detroit will be looking up at Chicago and perhaps the wild card leader.
This season has been a shot in the arm for a desperate franchise as well as a city that has seen its other 2006 title contenders, the red Wings and Pistons, fall short in disappointing fashion. Add to that the departure of two of the cities sports heroes, Big Ben Wallace and The Captain Steve Yzerman, and the Tigers are needed now more than ever.
So a race it is, one to signal the emergence of a new baseball contender, one for a city in need of team to cheer for, and one for Major League Baseball, who lately always seems to need a good story.
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