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Detroit Tigers: Who is the Archrival? (POLL)

By Matt Pelc

Apr 8, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Grounds crew prepares the field prior to the Opening Day game between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Grounds crew prepares the field prior to the Opening Day game between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar (5) tries to apply a tag but loses the ball as Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) reaches second base on a double in the sixth inning at Target Field. The Tigers win 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar (5) tries to apply a tag but loses the ball as Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) reaches second base on a double in the sixth inning at Target Field. The Tigers win 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /

Minnesota Twins

First Game VS Twins: May 23, 1961

Ugh. The Twinkies may be down right now, but perhaps no other team has tortured the Detroit Tigers more than the Minnesota Twins. 1987, 2006, 2009, these years send shivers down the spines of Tigers’ fans when thinking of their rivals from the Twin Cities.

In what would turn out to be the last postseason series in Tiger Stadium history, the favored Tigers took on the Twins in the 1987 ALCS and didn’t put up much of a fight, losing in five games. This wouldn’t be the last time that the franchise and it’s fans would take Minnesota lightly.

Nearly two decades later, the Tigers appeared to be coasting to a divisional title until collapsing in the final few weeks of the 2006 season. Luckily they had the wild-card to fall back on, something they rode to their first World Series berth since 1984 (and the Twins were swept in the first round BTW, HA HA), but that was not the case three years later.

They say certain life events happen in which people remember exactly where they were. For Tigers’ fans, we don’t need to ask where you were on Oct. 6, 2009. You were watching the Tigers’ piss away an early 3-0 lead in the Metrodome to lose a tie-breaking 163rd game thus ending a season in which our team lost a 7.5-game divisional lead that was enjoyed on Labor Day weekend.

As Forrest Gump once said, “that’s all I have to say about that.”

This rivalry has lost some luster during the Tigers’ reign of divisional dominance with the Twins finishing in last place nearly every year, but when it comes to Minnesota, fans will never forget.

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