Damn, this one hurts. I’m a Detroit Tigers fan. And my team has just completed a swan dive that would make Gene Mauch proud.

Detroit had a 7 game lead in the AL Central at the end of play on September 6. They had a three game lead with four to play. They had an early three run lead in the playoff game tonight against Minnesota’s grittier than gravel Twins. They had a one run lead in extra innings. They had bases loaded with one out in the last inning of the season, but failed to score.

Minnesota won 6-5 in 12. The season for Motown fans ends not with a bang but a whimper.

It was a magnificent baseball game, arguably as good as any playoff showdown ever. I wish I didn’t care so much. As riveting as the back and forth contest was, I would have enjoyed it more, were I a disinterested baseball fan getting one last regular season fix.

So it’s hard to write anything at all at this moment, let alone anything cogent.

To trot out an old shibboleth: This game had it all. Big homers. And Big Ks. Out of the ordinary inning ending double plays. Lots of managerial strategyriation. Some stunning mound work by both starters and closers. Fielding gaffes and boffo base running. Of course, the umps missed a couple, but it worked both ways. It would have been nice if the ump had seen the ball that nicked Brandon Inge’s jersey though with the bases loaded. It happens. Detroit threw a guy out at the plate to end an inning and he may have beat the ball.

I can’t  hate the Twins. They’re a group that never quits, that seems to find a way. Choose your favorite appropriate cliché.

Given all their injuries and their spotty middle relief for most of the season, it was a wonder Detroit opened up the lead it did a month ago. More astonishing is the comeback of the Twins.

So now I’m gonna go hang up my 1909 Ty Cobb throwback, sigh and utter the mantra as old as sport: Wait til next year.

– Seedy K