[pmayjr]

The name is Pete- But it's all good. That's very true about if the Tigers, and the Chi Sox for that matter, if both teams don't slump- The Twins don't make the playoffs. At the beginning of August, even after going on that huge run for 2 monhts, the Twins were still 10 games back of the Tigers. But to even have a chance, to even get that close, it was because of Morneau.

And the rebuttle to the Tigers/White Sox slump argument is the Red Sox and the Blue Jays tanked as well, so the Yanks pretty much coasted into the payoffs. The Yankees still had Damon, had Giambi, had A-Rod (who eventhough slumped still hit 30 bombs and put up decent numbers), and they traded for Abreau and Lidle. So I still believe without Jeter, even with injuries to Matsui and Sheffield, they still would've won. And while those guys didn't play for most of the year, they were still close to 1st the whole way until the Red Sox tanked. Some of that had to do with Jeter, but still that lineup had so many weapons I still think they win the Divi.