Some snapshots are so precious and so poignant they need no embellishment. All alone, they adorn the moment like a regal bow and ribbon to complete the perfect gift package.
When Todd Jones walked out to the mound Saturday after the Detroit Tigers had swept the A’s to reach the World Series, and after the blissful postgame celebration, he wasn’t thinking about a photo op. The thought never crossed his mind.
Jones, who has enjoyed a marvelous season as the Tigers’ closer, simply was trying to get away. Jones was seeking a safe haven from the sweet chaos of the clubhouse. He went to the mound, where pitchers naturally go.
Soaked in champagne, Jones walked out to the mound and plopped himself down as a member of the grounds crew groomed the infield. Jones gazed at the empty seats of Comerica Park, which only a brief time before were alive with a euphoric celebration the likes of which the stadium had never before witnessed.
The reflective moment was captured by Detroit News photographer Daniel Mears and became the centerpiece on a page commemorating the Tigers’ 6-3 victory Saturday.
“It was spontaneous,” Jones said Tuesday of his visit to the mound well after darkness–and solitude–had replaced the din of victory.
“I just wanted to go out and check it out. Just kind of enjoy the moment, let it sink in. I wanted to wrap my head around what just happened.”
More Top Picks Stimming In Autism What It Is And When To Worry
Jones is in his 14th season. He broke in with the Houston Astros in 1993 and spent the next four-plus seasons with the Tigers before being traded to the Twins. He has pitched for eight franchises–the Tigers twice.
In 2003, he made his postseason debut with the Red Sox. After sitting out the American League Division Series against the A’s, Jones appeared in one game in the AL Championship Series against the Yankees, pitching one-third of an inning.
Jones pitched in the first three games of the ALCS against the A’s and has three saves this postseason, tying a club record set by Willie Hernandez in 1984, the last time the Tigers won the World Series.
Jones, 38, returned to the Tigers this season as a free agent, one of several key components added during the off-season. He started the season on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.
He will finish the season–one way or the other–in the World Series. It is quite a fateful leap.
That’s a lot to comprehend, and that’s what Jones had in mind.
“I wanted some time away,” He said. “To think.” And savor the moment.
For Sean Casey, the defining moment came the next morning. For Carlos Guillen, time for reflection will come later.
And for some of the younger Tigers, it probably will come much, much later.
Casey, the first baseman acquired from the Pirates on July 31, instantly became a fixture in the Tigers’ lineup and clubhouse. He was knocked out of the opening game of the ALCS by an injury to his left calf but expected to be ready Saturday for Game 1 of the World Series.
“Oh, sure, I definitely had that moment,” Casey said. “The next morning, I was laying in bed. It was 7 o’clock. I thought, `I’ve been in the [majors] nine years, played 1,200-some games, so this doesn’t happen often.’
“I’m relishing and cherishing it. I laid there and thought, `We’re going to the World Series.'”
Casey hasn’t let the injury temper his delight.
“I’m not a self-pity kind of guy,” he said. “I’m very blessed to be part of this team and have this opportunity.”
In his first full season, Curtis Granderson has become a mainstay with his terrific play in center field and timely, eye-opening hitting.
For Granderson, the defining moment “is still happening.”
“When I got into the clubhouse and had a chance to see everybody, everybody hugging, to see the excitement on everybody’s faces, and get a chance to talk to the players individually about what we’ve done, what we’ve got coming up–a combination of all that,” Granderson said. “So it’s kind of still happening for me. It wasn’t just one moment when I sat back and did it.
“I’m enjoying it, but I’m not satisfied with it. Hopefully there’s more to come. I want to blow it out then. We want to be the best of the best. We’re not that yet. We’re one of the best. We want to be the final team remaining.”
Granderson wasn’t surprised by Jones’ moment.
“He’s been through a lot, he’s been playing for a long time,” Granderson said. “To get a chance to do this, at his age . . . what better way to do it?”
Guillen has been close to the World Series, twice reaching the ALCS with the Mariners in 2000 and 2001. He knows the disappointment of “almost” getting to the pinnacle.
For Guillen, there won’t be a defining moment until the Tigers win it all.
“No, we’re not done yet,” he said. “That’s [Jones’] style. Everybody has a different style.”
Justin Verlander, the rookie starter, hasn’t had that moment yet either. “But I definitely took it all in,” he said. “I wanted to soak all of it in. Todd has been in the game a long time and he’s never been in a World Series.”
More Top Picks Best Weighted Blankets For Toddlers
Therein lies the dichotomy between the older Tigers and the young Tigers.
“The young guys who haven’t been around long, they will look back in 10 years or so, however long their careers last, and think, `Wow, that was quite a moment,'” Casey said.
It is something Jones already knows well, and he’ll always have a snapshot to prove it.