Major League Baseball Set to Begin Playoffs
COSTELLO: Good morning, Detroit, Michigan. Could it be a better day? The weather doesn't matter. So, it's mostly cloudy and 54 degrees and going to rain later. Who cares? The Detroit Tigers play the New York Yankees today and then, of course, the Lions play this weekend. I'm sure they'll take the Dallas Cowboys. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. The Major League Baseball season, let's start with the post-season, shall we? It begins tonight after one of the most thrilling days of the regular season ever. The Tampa Bay Rays, the Texas Rangers, and my tigers go face-to-face in the Bronx to face the New York Yankees. And what about football? The Buffalo Bills and my Lions, three and zero. Joining us now for a little pregame sports columnist from "Wall Street Journal" Jason Gay. Welcome, Jason.</s>JASON GAY, SPORTS COLUMNIST, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Thank you for having me.</s>COSTELLO: It was such an exciting weekend. Let's start with the Rays and Rangers because the Rays just had an amazing end of the season.</s>GAY: Incredible. I mean, I think people are still recovering from Wednesday night, probably the craziest night in Major League Baseball history. Four teams competing for playoff spots. Red Sox and the Rays, that flurry at the end, the red sox losing in Baltimore -- shocking, shocking.</s>COSTELLO: It was shocking but sometimes when a team has a hot streak like that, they kind of pitter out in the playoffs. Let's face it, the Texas Rangers are good.</s>GAY: Truthfully, I think the Rangers are a little more scared of the Rays than they would be of the Red Sox. The Rays, here's a team that has had a huge hot streak and firing away. I don't know if they want to play them as much as they wanted to play Boston.</s>COSTELLO: We'll see.</s>COSTELLO: Let's talk about the Detroit Tigers, because I can't wait to talk about the Detroit Tigers. When they clinched their division, Jim Leyland, the manager of the Tigers, was so emotional. Let's play a bit of what he said after that game.</s>JIM LEYLAND, DETROIT TIGERS MANAGER: It's tough times for people in Detroit, we know that. And, believe me, it's not something that we don't think about, because we do. I come from a big family. My dad was a factory worker. I know all about stuff like that, worrying about getting laid off. I have a great appreciation for that, and it means so much to me. But I think during times like this, a sports team can uplift your spirits, and I hoped we lifted the spirits of the fans in Detroit, because they deserve it.</s>COSTELLO: It makes me cry. I mean, he's very emotional. I know Detroit is a little sick of everybody feeling sorry for it, but I think that, you know, that the Tigers have uplifted the city. I think every game has sold out for them this season.</s>GAY: Detroit has been a fantastic story in baseball and also now in football. The Tigers, you know, very hot teams going in to play New York. Justin Verlander, no team in baseball wants a piece of Justin Verlander right now. Very tough series for the Yankees.</s>COSTELLO: Very tough. Just a bit more about Justin Verlander because he had this amazing season. He could actually win the Cy Young and most valuable player.</s>GAY: Yes, it's an -- it's a regular debate whenever this happens when you have a superstar pitcher like Verlander, do they deserve both consideration for best pitching. I mean, he is a lock to win the CY Young that will be a unanimous vote. But is he also worthy of consideration for Major League Baseball? Some folks feel we should only give that to position players, the hitters, people in the line-up every day. But Verlander is going to get a lot of votes.</s>COSTELLO: Yes I think so, and I can't wait to hear what it takes if he faces CC Sabathia tonight.</s>GAY: That's right. That's right.</s>COSTELLO: So that should be a great matchup and a great game. I'm sorry Yankees fan, I'm hoping the Tigers win. Let's turn our attention to football now. Because you wrote quite an enjoyable column in the "Wall Street Journal" saying, that it will be the Bills and the Lions in the Super Bowl.</s>GAY: You know, this is an incredible circumstance. The Bills and the Lions are both 3-0. The Lions have not been 3-0 since 1980. Ok, Matthew Stafford, the quarterback wasn't born the last time the -- the Lions were in this position. You know both of these teams are quality teams. This is not just some sort of flight of fancy, some joke. The Bills, of course, an unbelievable upset win on the Patriots last week. The Lions 3-0, going now to play a huge game in Dallas on Sunday. It could be 4-0 for the first time since 1980. I mean, this is a remarkable turn of events for this franchise.</s>COSTELLO: Well, but couldn't it be that in the case of both teams that their weaknesses have not been exposed because in the game last week with the Lions in the first half of that game, they looked pathetic.</s>GAY: Well, both of them are kind of living on the edge. I mean, the Lions had to come back from a 20-point first half deficit against Minnesota. The Bills, of course, came back with 21 points against the Patriots. They're not going to be able to do that week in, week out. I think you're entering a critical part of the schedule, especially the Lions. You've got the Cowboys, you've got the Bears coming up after that. If they can sail through that, I think you're really looking at a quality playoff team.</s>COSTELLO: Well, I think it's -- I just think it's fun to root for different teams. It's not the same old teams winning every week. So --</s>GAY: I -- I agree. I think it's great. I mean for most Americans, we're used to watching the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.</s>COSTELLO: And complaining about it.</s>GAY: Yes, now we're watching them in October, what's not to like?</s>COSTELLO: I know, Jason Gay, thank you so much for joining us. Jason Gay from the "Wall Street Journal." "Morning Headlines" coming your way, next. It's 46 minutes past the hour.