Detroit Tigers Appear Destined for the 2011 World Series

The Detroit Tigers are looking more and more like a team of destiny.

They are currently on a 12-game win streak, the team's longest since 1934, and are doing it in spectacular fashion against their division rivals.

Just this afternoon the Tigers trailed the White Sox the entire game until Ryan Raburn and Alex Avila hit home runs in the ninth inning to erase a three-run deficit before winning in extra innings. Jose Valverde came on to strike out the side in the bottom of the 10th inning for his 44th consecutive save.

During their 12-game winning streak, Detroit has a collective .329 batting average and they are hitting .354 with runners in scoring position.  They're driving in 7.9 runs per game, have 55 extra-base hits, and have seven games with over 10 hits. 

They just seem to be clicking on all cylinders, and it's happening up and down the lineup.  Even Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez are getting in on the act.

Doug Fister has turned into a very solid option behind Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer has rebounded nicely after getting shelled by the Royals a couple starts ago. Rick Porcello has looked pretty good recently too.

In all the years I've followed the Tigers, I don't remember a time when they seemed so unable to do anything wrong for so long. 

With the rest of the American League playoff teams not exactly setting the world on fire at the moment, Detroit actually has a very legitimate chance at finishing with the best record in the AL.

Jim Leyland is making all the right moves, the starting rotation finally looks solid, Valverde is unbeatable when you dangle a save in front of him and every hitter wearing an Old English D is feeling like Al Kaline at the plate. 

It feels like destiny to me.