Unknown territory...

It's humbling to see the Tigers heading into the postseason with a four-legged limp, in the midst of a five-game losing streak to the Blue Jays and Royals in which they allowed no fewer than seven runs in a game.

But on Tuesday night, when they dig into the batter's box on perhaps the most famous baseball diamond in the world -- Yankee Stadium -- that bitter taste will be gone. Nineteen years of futility will be erased. And the start of a great run could begin.

Don't count on it, though.

Think about it. If the Yankees had been watching the Tigs as intently as I have for the past few days, would they be worried? Not with that land-mine of a batting order looming.

Damon. Jeter. Rodriguez. Giambi. Matsui. Sheffield. Cano. Posada. Williams. Ruth. Mantle.

OK, maybe not the last two, but you get the picture. They're more stacked than the Girls Next Door. They're all stars. They're all All-Stars.

Obviously, the Tigs would have preferred to be home at CoPa hosting the A's. But does that ensure they'd advance?

No. There's more parity in the AL than people think. Yes, the Yankees have more big names and much, much more experience. That's why they're favored. But when you break it down, each American League team has a good chance to be playing deep into October, when the frost begins to bite and the drama intensifies to the point where it makes me want to pee.

I began this short blog Sunday after the 12-inning loss. I finished it Monday evening, less than 24 hours before the first pitch. In that time, my natural optimism has influenced me more, and it's allowed me to make a more "Rog" decision. I'll unveil it in the morning, when I'll honor the 19 years of idleness in Detroit with 19 reasons the Tigers could roar all the way to the World Series.