When everyone knows your name ...

From Shawn Windsor's Free Press column today:

For the first time in a generation, the Tigers head into the off-season stripped of their anonymity. In Michigan, at least, fans know their faces now, their names.

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From me:

It's funny to read that, but very true. I just talked with my mom yesterday and she said, "You know, Dad and I are really excited about next year. We've enjoyed the playoffs and actually know some of the faces and names now."

I've known the faces and names for a long, long time. It's fun to joke around once in a while about "Do you remember when the Tigers had <<< >>>?" And you can insert any of many names there. They have had some doozies on the team since 1989, the original meltdown year. People forget that the Tigers had only one winning season after finishing second in 1988. Sparky Anderson's last several seasons in Detroit were mostly losing seasons. 1993 was the only exception.

I talked to my Dad about baseball more during this post season than we had in the previous many, many years. Combined! It was an incredibly fun season, one that indeed started in Missouri, and unfortunately, ended in Missouri. Not the way we wanted, though.

Thanks to everyone for the memories!!!