Tigers related thoughts

I wonder if Todd Helton would be the answer for the Tigers at first base, although Casey is starting to hit better. I wonder what it might take to get him.

When Kenny Rogers comes back, how will that affect the rotation? Does he replace Miller, assuming he stays? Does Durbin get put in the bullpen, even though he is pitching rather nicely these days? What if Nate is able to come back after resting his arm? Here would be a good situation - Miller is able to pitch well, although we can't expect another outing like last time (7 innings, no runs), and stays in the rotation until Rogers is ready. Then move Miller to the bullpen until Zumaya comes back, then he goes back to Erie to continue to learn to be a starter.

Interesting step forward on the demolition of Tiger stadium, and I am really glad to see they are trying to salvage the front entrance and part of the field. That is a real nice nod to tradtion. I hope they can turn the front entrance into a sort of classy mini mall and then some condos or lofts around the site. If they could do something with the old train station - Corktown would explode.

This is amazing story on Verlander:

Sports Illustrated reports that the Tigers pitcher made a deal with a
classmate in 10th grade that would come back to haunt him:
"I wanted a chocolate milk that cost 50 cents, and I didn't have the money," Verlander told the magazine. "So I said, 'How about I give you 0.1 percent of my pro signing bonus if you give me 50 cents now?' He found a napkin, wrote it up, and I signed it.

"I forgot about it, but after I signed, he whips out this old napkin. I'm
like, 'Oh my God!' My bonus was 3-point-something million.
"Was a chocolate milk worth $3,000? I want to say yes. I was parched."

How many other players would have actually paid up for this - the other guy has got to be successful business man by now with that kind of thinking. And Justin needs to find a trustworthy business advisor.

And the minors get more stocked with the Gatorade High School Player of the year (I think), Rick Porcello. The last three years they have gotten some of the top talent in the draft well below where they should have been picked because other teams were worried about signing. Maybin, Miller, now Porcello. Thanks for spending the money Mr. I. Somebody posted on freep.com about how the Tigers didn't draft a catcher, and that might be a concern except Rabello seems to be doing pretty well. He will be sent back to Toledo in a few weeks to continue learning, after a nice run backing up one of the best ever. Maybe he is the future. But back to the point. The 5 pitchers in the first 6 picks shows Dombrowski's theory that pitching wins, and if you have great pitchers, you can win with them or trade for position players. Gotta like that plan.

And I liked Leyland's quote about Porcello:

When asked if he'll manage the Tigers long enough to see Rick Porcello -- their
No. 1 pick Thursday afternoon -- pitch for them, manager Jim Leyland said, "If
he's as good as they say, he might be pitching here in September. I hope I'm
here that long."

And I think a lot of us would hope a lot longer.

Later