Your 2011 Detroit Tigers!!!

[Flipper]

Tigers get Fister and Pauley for spare parts and prospects (hopefully the PTBNL isn't LHP Drew Smyly). I really like that deal. Glad they didn't get Ubaldo...every pitcher that has thrown 500 ip for the Rockies has broken down shortly thereafter.

Heck of game today...Verlander throws a one-hitter, Jared Weaver is every bit the punk his brother was and Carlos Guillen stuck it in his ear. Scherzer is coming around, Porcello went 5-0 in July and Verlander is fricking sick this year. Fister gives them a dependable 4th....I smell pennant.

[Flipper]

Verlander is having an awesome year....15-5 w/l....9k per 9 innings....a k/bb ratio of just under 5 and a .87 WHIP. I haven't seen a Tiger SP have this kind of year since Lolich in the early 70's

[Redwingtom]

In my lifetime, I can't ever remember a pitcher where you went into every game he pitched feeling like he could throw a no hitter!

[Warthog]

In my lifetime, I can't ever remember a pitcher where you went into every game he pitched feeling like he could throw a no hitter!

Every pitcher going against the Indians has a chance right now...

[VDub26Falcon]

Unless that pitcher is named John Lackey!

[Redwingtom]

Tigers have just picked up Delmon Young from the twinkies for two minor leaguers. Apparently he walked into the clubhouse and the players didn't know about the deal and were upset that a twins player was in their locker room...LOL

Young also thought the deal was a practical joke when told about it.

Young will bat 3rd tonight against his former team...Maggs, rumored to be released or optioned will remain a tiger and is batting 7th. Will Rhymes was sent to Toledo to make room.

[Flipper]

Maggs needs to pull a hamstring or someting so he can go on the 15 day DL....that way we can have him back for Sept and if he gets hot, he can go on the playoff roster. Going forward, an OF of Young, Jackson and Boesch could be pretty good offensively, but Young is a terrible OF and Boesch is below average everywhere but left. Jackson will be worn out by the 5th inning covering those gaps

[Flipper]

Verlander does it again...he's now 18-5...17-3 in starts following a loss. You have to feel badly for Jose Valverde. He's 35/35 on save opportunities this year...which would garner him some Cy Young consideration in most years, but Verlander has completely overshadowed him so far.

[Redwingtom]

With 4 more wins than Weaver now, it's his to lose.

[hammb]

Verlander has been the best pitcher in the league all year. Now the useless era and win stats are starting to reflect that.

[Flipper]

After a horrible July, catcher Alex Avila has posted an OPS of 1.344 for August.

Since going 2-3 in April, Verlander has gone 17-2. He has a chance to win 20 games by September 1st

[Redwingtom]

Considering what the Tigers got...or didn't get for that matter...from the catching position last year, I personally think Avila is the MVP this year.

And I don't think it is a fluke either. This guy has one of the quickest sweetest swings I have seen in quite awhile. Lefties, righties...doesn't matter to him, he's got a great eye at the plate and rarely has a "poor" at bat. He is .300 vs. lefties and .303 vs. righties. He also throws out runners at a solid rate compared to other catchers. And he has only been catching since mid-way through college.

[hammb]

I agree...Avila is a long term stud. Maybe not this great every year but he'll be starting for awhile. Glad to see they stuck with him this year, last year is definitely the outlier when looking at what he's done in the minors and so forth.

[Redwingtom]

Avila comes through again with the clutch hit to score the first run in a 2-1 nailbiter.

[Flipper]

JV goes for #20 today.

With the Betemit, Fister and Young trades, I'm gonna go out on a limb and declare Dave Dombrowski the winner of the deadline/waiver trade market. All three of them have been contributers...Fister is pitching like our #2 right now.... and they cost us nothing but prospects and a couple of spare parts