Tigers fever spreads across Michigan amid playoff push

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Detroit Tigers fever is in full swing in West Michigan.

The Tigers have become one of the hottest teams in the MLB. With less than a week remaining in the regular season, they are in position to earn their first postseason appearance in a decade.

“It’s been nothing short of phenomenal, in terms of how fast they rose. I mean, nobody ever expected them to sniff the playoffs but it’s great,” Lou Brown, owner of Legends Sports & Games, said.

Brown said he has heard plenty of talk about the team from customers at his sports trading cards and memorabilia store in the Shops at Centerpoint in southeastern Grand Rapids.

“Really, it is the buzz; people really get excited about sports,” Brown said. “We saw it with Michigan last year, that was unbelievable. We’re seeing it with the Lions and now the Tigers.”

He also said all the buzz translates to what items people are looking for at his store.

“People are buying more of the key players from the Tigers,” Brown said. “(Pitcher Tarik) Skubal is phenomenal. He’s been a big part of it.”

Fifteen current Tigers once wore a jersey for the West Michigan Whitecaps, the Tigers’ High-A affiliate.

“Parker Meadows, Colt Keith, (Spencer) Torkelson, and on the bump obviously Tarik Skubal,” Whitecaps Vice President and General Manager Jim Jarecki said.

Jarecki said it has been thrilling to watch those players lead the Tigers to the cusp of the postseason.

“We always say once a Whitecap, always a Whitecap,” Jarecki said. “And to see these guys seeing the success they are right now, and the best thing about it is they don’t care right now. The excitement is they’re not supposed to be there, so they’re just playing and having fun.”

Jarecki said when the Tigers are doing well, it means good things for the Whitecaps, too.

“We see a lot more Tiger apparel, we see a lot more Tiger hats, T-shirts, it’s more the enthusiasm there,” Jarecki said. “We see the benefits from that because it is a Tiger town, it’s a Tigers market.”

People are also optimistic that the Tigers’ current playoff push is the start of something good.

“I don’t think this is a fluke. I think that they’re here to stay,” Brown said.

“You’ve got guys for the next four, five years. It’s going to be fun with the Detroit Tigers,” Jarecki said.

The Tigers will round out their season by finishing up a series against the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday and Thursday, and then taking on the Chicago White Sox starting Friday.

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