That’s It, Good Season

Here’s the thing. I was never supposed to “cover” the Phillies in these 2009 playoffs for Bugs & Cranks. When the email chain first started circulating among us writers asking what team we wanted to follow for the postseason, I initially jumped on the Detroit Tigers. I had a bit of a connection there after all. Their manager was Jim Leyland, who during my formative years as a baseball fan had skippered my Pittsburgh Pirates to three consecutive division titles. When it comes to my respect and awe for Leyland’s knowledge of the game, it is still 1991 and I am still eight years old. In addition, the Tigers count several players on those last great Pirates teams as members...