Relive one of the most highly anticipated seasons in Tigers history day by day as it actually happened.
Former MLB All-Star and Gold Glove winner Andy Van Slyke, now the first-base coach of the Detroit Tigers, takes you into the dugout, the clubhouse, and onto the field throughout the 2008 season to give you a rare inside look at the most highly anticipated season in the Tigers' storied 108-year history-day by day, game by game, as it actually unfolded.
This book combines Van Slyke's insightful, introspective, sometimes humorous diary from the dugout and the playing field with veteran baseball writer Jim Hawkins' view from the press box in real time as the games actually occurred. Each entry is made without the benefit of hindsight, not knowing what the next game or the next day would bring. Stand beside Van Slyke in the first-base coach's box and sit beside him in the dugout to feel the emotions rise and fall with each win and each loss, as the Detroit Tigers, preseason favorites to win the 2008 American League pennant with their franchise-record $139 million payroll, deal with the daily grind of the 162-game season.
Tigers Confidential
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By FinFan
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Being a Tiger fan, I was really looking forward to reading this book and getting some inside information on behind the scenes events. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. For the casual fan who doesn't read much about the team, this book could be interesting. However, for the avid fan who reads about the Tigers daily or more often there is not much new to discover. The book is not that long and is a quick read for those who want to re-live the 2008 season. It was a season of unfulfilled expectations so you may not want to re-live that season.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By D. Howe
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was pretty much a summary of the 2008 Season. It had comments from Andy Van Slyke of how they where feeling bad about losing. There was no Untold Inside story at all. It was just saying how hard they were playing and how they couldn't win. I'm a huge Tiger's fan and this book was a little boring to me. It is not long so it was a quick read. But nothing special here.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It seems like every season in major league baseball, there are surprises - good and bad - that have the "experts" shaking their heads in disbelief. Such was the case for the 2008 Detroit Tigers, who seemed to have loads of talent; yet never put the pieces together to play well enough to contend for their division title. Instead, they performed poorly all season long; primarily due to a horrendous pitching staff that was either too old, too banged up, or too over-rated to get the job done.
Andy Van Slyke's engaging and honest perspective of Detroit's 2008 meltdown is a well-written story of how an entire team can become mired in a season-long funk; and how frustration can turn otherwise fine ballplayers into a confused and ineffective squad, game in and game out.
Clearly, the success of a baseball team hinges on many "small" variables that often go unnoticed by the casual observer; if the players work as a cohesive unit, usually they take care of these "little things" to win on a consistent basis; and everybody's happy - from the players and management, to the media, and of course, the fans. On the other hand, when enough "little things" don't get handled well, the results are usually unfavorable; such was the case for the '08 Tigers.
To their credit, the team seemed to accept the responsibility for their collective failure, and have performed solidly for the past couple of season. This is a storied franchise with great fans who understand the nuances of the game; surely, most of them will find this inside perspective one that is compelling, amusing at times, poignant at times, but always informative and entertaining.
Andy Van Slyke's engaging and honest perspective of Detroit's 2008 meltdown is a well-written story of how an entire team can become mired in a season-long funk; and how frustration can turn otherwise fine ballplayers into a confused and ineffective squad, game in and game out.
Clearly, the success of a baseball team hinges on many "small" variables that often go unnoticed by the casual observer; if the players work as a cohesive unit, usually they take care of these "little things" to win on a consistent basis; and everybody's happy - from the players and management, to the media, and of course, the fans. On the other hand, when enough "little things" don't get handled well, the results are usually unfavorable; such was the case for the '08 Tigers.
To their credit, the team seemed to accept the responsibility for their collective failure, and have performed solidly for the past couple of season. This is a storied franchise with great fans who understand the nuances of the game; surely, most of them will find this inside perspective one that is compelling, amusing at times, poignant at times, but always informative and entertaining.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
MOTOR CITY FELINES OVERRATED
THE 2008 TIGERS WERE OVERRATED AND UNDERWHELMING. THEIR VAUNTED HITTING WAS ERRATIC AS WAS THE PITCHING AND FIELDING. THE AUTHOR ANDY VAN SLYKE WAS ALSO THE FIRST BASE COACH. Read more
Published 15 months ago by COOL JEWEL
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!
I have no idea if this is true, but I am convinced that this book is the reason that Andy Van Slyke is no longer a coach for the Detroit Tigers. Read more
Published on September 26, 2010 by Alan Buelow
5.0 out of 5 stars
interesting reading
Any Tiger fan would appreciate this book, showing how frustrating it is when your team goes into a funk. You appreciate youyr team a lot better when they start to win.
Published on April 16, 2009 by Irwin L. Friedman
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