EVEN WEAVER LOOKS GOOD AGAINST THE NL:

Short Series Would Be Sweet for the Tigers (Thomas Boswell, October 21, 2006, Washington Post)

Everybody thinks Detroit, a team few thought had a chance just three weeks ago when it blew the American League Central Division on the last day of the season, not only will win the World Series that starts today, but quickly sweep away the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Tigers probably will. Their league is better, their pitching deeper and they have the home-field frostbite advantage. They won a dozen more games than the truly humble, and currently quite injured Cardinals. Besides, Detroit just snuffed the Yankees and Athletics like contract hit men straight out of an Elmore Leonard Motor City crime caper. Blow the safe, grab the swag, no witnesses, just that telltale Tiger smell of smoke left hanging in the air from all those 98-mph fastballs.

However, like efficient executioners, the Tigers better do their work quickly. Don't let the mark get his bearings. Right now, the Cardinals look like pigeons. They're still in recovery from their seven-game struggle with the Mets, a weird but thrilling series that left St. Louis physically battered and emotionally drained.

So Detroit needs to sap 'em twice over the head this weekend at Comerica Park, then maybe finish the job at Busch Stadium next week or in Game 6 back home, at the latest.

Detroit needs to grab its chance fast because the longer this Series goes, the more the Tigers are going to see of Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver and the less they're going to like it.

Here's a stat for you: the NL hasn't won a World Series game since 2003.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 21, 2006 8:33 AM