long delay between the NLCS where the Mets swept the Cubs and the first game of the series, six days later, was a killer- hurt the teams momentum and the pitchers were out of synch...
True Championship teams find a way to get past such things.
Tigers surprised that year, were the best team most of the season but were only average heading into the playoffs. Knocking off the Yankees pumped them back up, then a walk-off HR and sweep against the A's to send then to the World Series...then the wait.
Cardinals got healthy and hot right at the the end of the season, finished only about 5 games above .500, but were the best when it counted.
Royals rolled wire-to-wire and were determined to finish the job this year...have to admire a "team" like that.
As a Tigers fan we've been hearing about the up-and-coming Royals(division foe)for the last few years, that may have played a role in Mr. I(Tigers owner)spending the $$$ the way he did to to try to win ASAP. They've now become the Phillies, stuck with a high-payroll...mostly on guys past their prime, along with a depleted farm system to get them. Unfortunately they(Tigers)are not an organization like the Cardinals, etc. who simply reload, making them contenders year after year.
No, Tigers ownership simply went all-in....and lost.
They'll now be stuck in the mud for 3-5 more years, and then a re-build process...which tends to last for decades around these parts.
I was saying this before the series started, advantage Royals. Sitting too long is bad, the sweat gets cold.