Atlanta — There were moments Friday night when it seemed like 2006. Or maybe 2012. Or even 2013, which was the last time the Tigers were World Series-good.
In part it might have been the air and atmosphere at Turner Field. October was only a few hours away and October in Georgia is a particularly splendid time, with golden sunshine during the day and crisp evenings making it feel like every best evening of weather you’ve ever known during baseball’s glorious October playoffs.
But something else spurred memories of some past Octobers when Jim Leyland’s teams did everything but win a championship for Tigers owner Mike Ilitch.