The Tigers go down

I know I should put it in perspective. I do. I really, really do. After all, I was one of the thousands who picked them to finish fourth in the division, just a dozen victories above the abysmal Royals.

So, as a journalist, I know my job: put it in perspective. But not now. Not yet. Maybe by the end of this column. We'll see.

I can't do it because of the way the Tigers lost in this World Series to the Cardinals. The Cardinals did not win this series. Mark it down. The Tigers lost the series. The Tigers beat themselves. Plain and simple.

You want numbers? You want evidence? I got it. How about five errors by the Tigers' pitching staff - all of them leading to unearned runs for the Cardinals. Even before rook Justin Verlander threw away an easy toss to third last night - costing the Tigers two runs (yes, equaling the final margin of the Cards' victory) - the Tigs had set a record for errors made in a World Series with four.

Ouch. Here, Fernando Rodney can pinpoint a nasty slider on the outside corner, but he can't put the ball near Placido Polanco's glove from 20 feet away in Game 4, costing the Tigers - who actually hit that game - a golden chance to even the series.

Here, Tigers wouldn't have won Game 3 anyway, but Joel Zumaya could have made it interesting for all of us watching at work by throwing to Brandon Inge at third and not five feet out of his reach.

Oh, well, it allowed me to get more work done.

Are you kidding me? The Tigers made Paris Hilton look flawless. I know the cliche's getting old, but it still holds.

Everyone was favoring the Tigers entering the Series; had a feeling that might be a poor harbinger. A team that had been under the microscope all year, doubted by the experts until the eve of the Series, suddenly waighed down by the pressure of people actually pickin you?

It's like your boys expecting you to get the georgous girl's number? If it don't happen you're in the dogouse and your confidence is shot. That's what happened to the Tigers.

They lost this series; Cards didn't win. Yes, the record books will show the Cards winnning their 10th World Series, second all time to those Yanks. But those who actually watched the five games will know that the Cards were dealth a great dose of serendipiy.

From their friends, the Tigers.