However, I only made it to two games this year and both were pretty freakin’ awesome.

First game – Jackson’s complete game 2-1 Victory over the Angels – http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=290606106
Second game – July 25th, White Sox. Granderson tied the game in the bottom of the 9th with a double, and then we walked it off in the 10th – http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=290725106

Sigh. I’m getting upset thinking about all the good games now.

1. Grandy’s catch and that moron announcer. That was hilarious.
2. Verlander not only finding himself again, but coming back even better. Can you say strikeout king?
3. Porcello proving rookie isn’t always an epithet.
4. Not only defying the “experts” by not finishing last, but actually being the team to beat in the Central.
5. Making Minnesota work for it in game 163.

ive been a tigers fan all my life.do u remember: those (68) sock it ti em tigers.the game was on at school i got on the bus the driver had it on the radio.i ran a half a mile from the buss stop to my house to see the last out and mickey jump into bills arms. do u remember: the (roar of 84) 35-5 best record in baseball.i slept in my car on a country road in clarkston waiting for my world seires ticket.we won 4-2 tram hit 2 out. do u remember (87) franks 1 run gem and larrys homer.i was at the bowling ally with head phones on dancing around like i was crazy when we won. do u remember the next 19 years of down time loss after loss i still listen and went to the games in hope of the tigers snapping out of it. do u remember : worst to first in (06) great season no one thought we had a chance to beat da yanks thanks kens pine tar .it was special for me cause i took my daughter to her first w.s. game( we lost but ill never forget)drove all the way down to the game and made it back to west branch before we slept in da car (i live in da u.p,) do u remember: (09) i got to see j.v. win his 19th game and ryan hit 2 out.the september oct. run for maggs. dont forget we lead all the way from may what a ride.with all our ingeries it seem like we didnt have a chance.we finished above 500 it truly was a good season.I CANT WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 1967 I remember listening to the games on the radio with my Dad and saw how heart broken he was when Dick Mc Aulife bounced into the season ending double plays. I had always enjoyed listening with my Dad, usually in our breezeway on a summer evening, when the game wasn’t on TV. My Dad died in 1986 and many of my fondest memories of him involved Tiger Baseball.

Flash forward to game 163 this year. My wife went to bed because she HATES the drama of lose and go home and as much as she loves the game she always hides.

But for the last 7 innings I had BOTH my 18 year old Daughter and my 23 year old Son in the family room watching every pitch and sitting on the edge of our seats. Sharing that couple of hours of Tiger Baseball with them, disappointing as it was, has now become not only my favorite moment of the 09 season, but a favorite of all time.

Baseball is so special because it involves generations. Just as I remember rooting for Bill Freehan and Mickey Loich in the sixties with my father, he probably remembered rooting for Hank Greenberg and Schoolboy Rowe with HIS Dad.
And some day in the future Vince and Stephanie will root for some now unknown player, and remember fondly the night the Tigers blew it in 09, and how they watched it with their Dad.

My favorite memory – Game 163