In case you haven’t heard the news, the Tigers have traded Justin Wilson and Alex Avila to the Cubs for two infield prospects, 3B/future DH Jeimer Candelario, and SS Isaac Peredes.

So far the Tigers have traded exclusively for infield prospects. I don’t have a problem with that; their minor league system is so weak that accumulating as many good prospects as possible is a good plan, regardless of position. That will all sort itself out.

What I don’t like is the Tigers getting rid of a very good relief pitcher, that only cost 2.8 million, and was under team control next year. One of the major reasons to sell right now for the Tigers is salary reduction, and this trade doesn’t do a whole lot in that direction. I have read some good viewpoints that point out that Justin might be overvalued—his numbers this season are almost the same as those throughout his career, but his success is magnified by his new role and his “saves” (which are overvalued), and in comparison to what he replaced. OK, I’m convinced. But even so it seems they could have worked out a better package, or waited until next season to move him.

As far as Alex goes, his performance has taken a dive in the last month. He is now once again the Alex we all knew. Still, you’d think the Cubs might have gone for Justin Wilson for the two prospects, and the Tigers gain nothing by getting rid of Alex this year (low salary, and his contract is up at the end of the season).

So I guess my overall evaluation of the trade? Eh, it’s OK. Ish.

Hicks is called up to replace Alex, Jimenez to replace Wilson. I expect to see Jimenez in the role previously played by Bruce Rondon. Shane Green, deservedly, is the new closer.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Jim Adduci, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Mikie Mahtook, CF
8. James McCann, C
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Michael Fulmer vs Severino

That was a good win last night: good pitching, clutch hitting (Victor woke up from a long slumber), and all against the best team in the league.

For those who think Justin Verlander is going to be traded (I don’t), this will be his farewell to the fans at Comerica.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Dixon Machado, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Andrew Romine, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Justin Verlander vs Lance McCullers

Jim Adduci is back from Toledo. Alex Presley to the DL with a side injury. Bruce Rondon still on the team.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Jim Adduci, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Mikie Mahtook, CF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Matthew Boyd vs Collin McHugh

Adduci back and batting 2nd.

I was hoping there would be a trade or something before tonight’s game, because I certainly don’t want to talk about the last game. Or the Keuchel vs Zimmermann matchup. But hey, we’ll see some good baseball this weekend, just like we did last week. And as a bonus we also get to see the Tigers!

That Game 100 though, it really felt like the last game of the season.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Nick Castellanos, 3B
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Mikie Mahtook, CF
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Andrew Romine, CF
9. Dixon Machado, SS

Pitching: Jordan Zimmermann vs Dallas Keuchel

Mikie Mahtook has been, improbably, the best hitter after the break, and moves up to 5th in the lineup. And yet he is not in the Faces of WAR? What is up with that? I demand a recount.

I was really hoping to see Adduci in right. They should be saving The Lettuce for the bullpen.

At least Miggy will get some pitches to hit, with the fearsome Mikie Mahtook batting behind him. Over the last two weeks he is hitting .381 with an OPS of 1.092.  (Mahtook, that is), although James McCann is closing in, and gets the start again at catcher.

Wait, what? That surprised me. McCann is on a quiet hot streak: .400 with an OPS of 1.024 for his last 25 AB. Plus, Alex Avila in the 2nd half: .111/.330, even worse than Miguel Cabrera (.217/.543).

Wonder how long Brad will continue to trot out a .217/.543 guy in the cleanup spot every night? I’m guessing all season.

Today the Tiger Season turns 100.

Tomorrow’s a day off. I wonder how many won’t notice?

Another good start by Anibal and he may work his way into the trade rumor rotation.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Presley, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Mikie Mahtook, CF
8. James McCann, C
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Anibal Sanchez vs Ian Kennedy

It’s a Fulmer start, so how about a good old-fashioned boring blowout game? Last night’s game was exciting and all, but, you know.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Nick Castellanos, 3B
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Mikie Mahtook, CF
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Andrew Romine, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Michael Fulmer vs Danny Duffy

In a rare knee-jerk reaction to last night’s game Brad bans all Alexes from today’s lineup.

The Adduci Sanction continues. He has been sent down to Toledo by the gods of bullpen replenishment, and has been replaced by Drew VerHagen, who has been brought up for relief purposes, after seemingly winning out on insisting he is a starting pitcher type of pitching guy. Presley and Mahtook continue to be good though; I say this every day, fully expecting it to stop, but…pleasant surprise there.

The Adduci Sanction…hmm…pulling out old IBM Selectric….It was a dark and stormy night. Adduci reflexively reached for his cell phone, even knowing before his hand moved that he had tossed it on a moving truck to throw off any tracking attempts. Still, as he crouched alertly behind the dumpster, he wished he knew the time. He had never worn a watch since his wrist was broken during that whole Wheelock situation, but one sure would be useful right now…

Oh wait…where was I?

Oh yes, Miguel Cabrera has admitted he has been the victim of a body snatcher. Sorry, I meant to say Daniel Norris came out in the 1st inning in his rehab start, walked off by the trainer. Good thing that Boyd had a good outing, no?

Meanwhile trade rumors swirl. (If any of you are on the other side of the equator, they swirl in the opposite direction). The latest is a package deal with Kinsler and J Wilson to the Brewers, which made me go oh no, because that one could actually happen.

The Tigers are in salary hell right now—paying salary limit penalties, with a losing team—and all trades they make will have salary reduction as a primary goal. Wilson, is very cheap for what he gives and is under team control for another year. But if you want him, you also have to take ____, who we don’t want to continue paying. And the fact that Shane Greene is starting to look like a closer is probably figuring into the calculations.

There was actually even a rumor I saw that packaged Wilson and Zimmermann, to the Yankees (Oh, please!). The point is, this makes sense for the Tigers at this point, getting rid of someone they don’t want to trade, but only if you also take someone we don’t want to pay. The Marlins traded Cabrera to Detroit–but only if they would also take Dontrelle Willis off of their hands.

Of course the big rumor is Verlander to the Dodgers.

I still think there is ZERO chance Verlander is going to the Dodgers, without the Tigers paying a large portion of his salary, which they wouldn’t do, because that’s the whole point of trading him. The Tigers and Dodgers are the two teams with the biggest salary issues. They won’t be trading with each other. And if I am wrong, then you are all free to ridicule me mercilessly. (Verlander to the Yankees was supposedly a thing, with us swapping the overpaid Verlander for the overpaid Ellsbury, after JD was gone. But I suspect the unexpectedly good play of our outfield is making that look less necessary).

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Presley, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Donald Sutherland, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Mikie Mahtook, CF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Justin Verlander vs Jason Hammel

Today’s lineup courtesy of an obscure Invasion of the Body Snatchers fan group.

Miguel Cabrera and his clavicle are right back in the lineup.

The anti-Adduci conspiracy continues. Actually these outfield guys did well last night. J-Up and The Toledo Boys were the whole offense.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Nick Castellanos, 3B
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Mikie Mahtook, CF
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Matthew Boyd vs Adalberto Mejia

That looked like a good team playing baseball last night. The same team that the night before looked like they were auditioning for Bozo’s Big Top. Not sure what to make of them, so how about a nice article about Willie Horton. 

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Presley, C
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Alex Avila, C
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Mikie Mahtook, CF
8. Andrew Romine, 1B
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Jordan Zimmerman vs Kyle Gibson

Alex Avila gets to tell his grandchildren about the time he hit cleanup. Brand found another Alex to plug into the 2nd spot.

Still no Adduci. I smell a conspiracy.

Cabrera day-to-day with a bruised clavicle, which is a South American musical instrument very similar to the xylophone. Apparently he has been staying up until the wee hours of the morning trying to master this thing, hence the hitting slump.

The evil clown reared its head, it’s ghastly pateless red mane lighting up Kansas City.

Hopefully they left that bozo under the bus when they drove up to Minnesota.

Jim Adduci hasn’t done a whole lot, but still somehow has snuck back into the last spot on the Faces of WAR. Which says more about the Tigers than it does about Jim Adduci.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Avila, C
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Mikie Mahtook, CF
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Anibal Sanchez vs Ervin Santana

WAR schmar says Brad. Adduci rides the pine.

Despite a great game from Verlander, it looked like we were going to lose for certain anyway. And then Mikie Mahtook came through again! And then we lost anyway. Sigh.

We should have the starting pitching part down again tonight, with Michael Fulmer on the mound.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Nick Castellanos, 3B
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Mikie Mahtook, CF
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Andrew Romine, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Michael Fulmer vs Danny Duffy

Mikie has the hot bat, so he takes over the JD spot in the lineup. Surprisingly, The Lettuce has been planted in right field.

Well, apparently I jinxed JD last night by celebrating the fact that he was in the lineup. Seriously though, there were some anxious moments when he came out of Monday night’s game, and the trade almost fell through. JD, for his part, is already talking about wanting to come back.  Now that would be an ideal situation.

JD’s replacement looks to be (drumroll)…the long-lost Face of WAR himself, Jim Adduci, who finally makes his triumphant return. Yes, he has dropped off the face chart. But it’s only a matter of time. Warwick Saupold and James McCann, you’d better be looking over your shoulders!

An outfield of Upton, Adduci, Mahtook, and Presley could be quite formidable. OK, I don’t really believe that. But based on what they’ve done so far, who knows?

As a point of random interest, ESPN listed the four longest home runs hit on Monday. Three of them were from home run derby contestants (Charlie Blackmon, 451, Justin Bour, 446, and Giancarlo Stanton, 441). The other was from none other than Mikie Mahtook (445).

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Avila, C
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. Jim Adduci, RF
8. Alex Presley, CF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Justin Verlander vs Jason Hammel

OK, Justin, are you really the one who’s going to drop the win streak? I don’t think so.

Nick takes over JD’s spot in the lineup.