CLEAR AS MUD MONDAY

THE LAST MONDAY OF THE REGULAR SEASON

THE TIGERS COLLAPSE COULD BE THE WORST…

The AL Central on July 8:

Today:

If the Tigers miss the playoffs after blowing that lead, it would be the biggest advantage blown by a team that did not win its division or league in modern AL/NL history, according to Stats Perform.

I don’t put their collapse as monumental as:

• The 1914 Boston “Miracle” Braves on July 4th were 26-40 losses. Over their final 87 games, the Braves went 68–19, a .782 winning percentage. They rallied from last place and overtook the favored New York Giants, eventually winning the pennant by 10.5 games. Then they swept Connie Mack’s heavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in the 1914 World Series, the first official four-game sweep in World Series history.

• The 1951 New York Giants, on August 11, were 13 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers in the National League pennant race. Over their final 62 games, the Giants went 50–12. With ten days left in the season, the Giants won their last seven games, as Brooklyn lost six of their final ten. The two teams finished tied, forcing a three-game playoff to determine the National League pennant winner. Game three ended with Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.” And you can hear in your head Russ Hodges exclaiming, “The Giants win the pennant!!! The Giants win the pennant!!!”

• "The Phold" of the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies. On September 21, the Phillies held a 6½-game lead with just 12 games remaining in the National League pennant race. World Series tickets were being printed. Over the next 10 games, the Phillies were swept seven games by the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Braves, followed by three more losses to the St. Louis Cardinals on the road. The 10-game skid dropped the Phillies into a tie for second place. Despite winning their last two games, the St. Louis Cardinals won the pennant by one game.

The Tigers could end up blowing the lead, and unlike the three scenarios I just described, they could still be a postseason team.

Tuesday, in Cleveland, it’s the Tigers vs. the Guardians for three.

The Tigers then head to Boston for three against the Sox in what could be an existential playoff battle. Meanwhile, the Guardians will finish at home against the Rangers.

Goodbye, Charlie

The Tigers designated Charlie Morton for assignment. On Friday, Morton allowed six runs in just 1.1 IP. He had a 7.09 ERA in nine starts, and the Tigers went 2–7 in those games. There’s a good chance that the 41-year-old Morton will be eligible for HOF voting in the same class as Clayton Kershaw.

The AL Wild Card Race

If the Tigers were a wild-card team right now, they would be tied with Boston, a game ahead of the Guardians and Astros.

BUT THE METS COLLAPSE WOULD BE WORSE

The Messed are killing their fans again. While many baseball fans may talk about the size of the Mets’ payroll (a phrase that borders on inappropriate), that to me is not the issue. It’s not the size that matters, it's how you use it (okay, that is even getting closer to just being the wrong thing to say).

(the rest is on the other side of the paywall)