touchdown in nine-plus quarters was disappointed with its effort.We

Five of ESPN.coms MLB beat writers who cover teams battling for wild-card berths were asked to make a case for why their team will be playing a do-or-die playoff game in October. Below, Katie Strang argues for the?Detroit Tigers?against fellow writers Eddie Matz (Baltimore Orioles), Andrew Marchand (New York Yankees), Mark Saxon (St. Louis Cardinals)?and Adam Rubin (New York Mets).For more on the other contenders, check out Wild-card Wednesday. Strang: After missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2010, the Detroit Tigers appear primed to secure a postseason berth in 2016 because their key offensive contributors are swinging the bats well at precisely the right time. Look at the clubs big boppers -- Miguel Cabrera, J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton, who are all crushing the ball in September. Factor in that second baseman Ian Kinsler is also scorching hot this month (.314), and his fellow infielder Nick Castellanos is aiming to return within the next week, and the Tigers have one of the most potent lineups in baseball. Beyond that, the Tigers are in the midst of 17 consecutive games against American League Central teams, providing them ample opportunity to make up ground against divisional opponents.Marchand: If the Tigers dont make the playoffs, it is all on them. While the majority of the wild-card contenders are in the AL East beating each other up, the Tigers only have to just worry about becoming complacent as they face a much easier road.Matz: When it comes the wild card, gaining ground on divisional opponents matters not. What does matter is winning, and given that seven of those 17 AL Central games are against an Indians squad thats owned Detroit this year (11-1), well -- good luck with that.Saxon: You lost me when you started spouting facts and evidence. Im just not a big fan of aging, slugging teams with no athleticism and iffy relief pitching in October.Rubin: The Tigers fatal flaw will be their rotation. In a seven-start stretch that also included an absence for a lat issue, Jordan Zimmermann has a 4.94 ERA. Beyond that, three kids in the rotation are unproven. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Core Black/White . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Cheap Yeezys Fake . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. http://www.yeezys350cheap.com/fake-yeezy-350-white-wholesale.html . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Yeezy 350 v2 2019 . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Fake Yeezy 350 v2 Zebra .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The only title Alabama likely has on the line this week is of the statewide variety, and thats typically more than enough.The top-ranked Crimson Tide enters Saturdays Iron Bowl against No. 16 Auburn with its spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game already reserved. Since the only other unbeaten team in the Top 25 is No. 14 Western Michigan, a win probably isnt even mandatory to make the playoffs.That doesnt diminish the games meaning to Tide players and fans.It might have been cool to look at from the outside, but from the inside its still going to be a highly contested game and definitely a lot on the line for both teams, Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen said. Its still an important game for us.This one seemed destined to have the Western Division title and playoff hopes potentially on the line for both teams, just like the 2013 game the Tigers won on a 109-yard return of a missed field goal. Auburns loss to Georgia two weeks ago diminished the big-picture stakes somewhat.The game between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan has clearly usurped the pre-eminent role in terms of national title implications.Alabamas just trying to remain above the fray that has swept up every other Power-5 conference contender along the way with at least one loss. The Tide, meanwhile, has skated along to 23 consecutive wins.Alabama (11-0, 7-0 SEC, No. 1 CFP) enters the week as a 17-1/2-point favorite over the Tigers (8-3, 5-2, No. 15), who may be without injured quarterback Sean White and tailback Kamryn Pettway.The next one for `Bama is against No. 13 Florida in Atlanta for the SEC title.Thats for folks outside tthe team to talk about, mostly.ddddddddddddWe dont really worry about hype too much, Alabama tailback Damien Harris said. We just worry about doing whatever we have to do to be the better team.The Tide might have gotten jolted awake after a game against FCS Chattanooga that was still 14-3 after 40 minutes before winding up a 31-3 victory . It left coach Nick Saban telling a TV interviewer at halftime that he was embarrassed by the performance.Even a defense that hasnt given up a touchdown in nine-plus quarters was disappointed with its effort.We didnt play good that last game, linebacker Ryan Anderson said. It felt like we gave up 21 points last game. I was embarrassed.Center Bradley Bozeman called the performance kind of a wake-up call for us.Thats not typically needed leading up to the Alabama-Auburn game.Game notes Offensive linemen Korren Kirven and Cam Robinson are better than we expected after shoulder injuries late in the Chattanooga game, Saban said. He said both will play. Tailback Bo Scarbrough is expected back after missing the last two games with a sprained knee, and Saban said he could have played last weekend. ... Receiver ArDarius Stewart, who was held out of the last game for disciplinary reasons, is set to play in this one. ... Alabama announced Monday the Tide will face Duke in the 2019 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. The Tide is 4-0 in the event and will open against Florida State next season.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '