“I have hope because I like the approach to the project and the intensity of that approach.”

… the Free Press earlier reported the Marlins had scouted Tigers lefty Mark Redman. Marlins righty Brad Penny, whom GM Dave Dombrowski obtained while he was in Florida, could be the pitcher the Tigers target in any deal with the Marlins

The St. Louis Cardinals, still in search of another bat for the pennant race, are showing some interest in trading for Bobby Higginson. The Cardinals would only take Higginson if the Tigers assume a large part of his contract, but it’s possible that the Tigers would do that.

Bocachica has some tools, including power and speed, but never has hit consistently or become a polished defender. He hit .215-4-9 in 65 big league at-bats in 2002, and has career totals of .231-6-18 in 132 games and 208 at-bats in the majors.

“I pitched the way that Jose Lima knows how to pitch,” Lima told reporters at the third-base railing as he finished a postgame autograph session. “I zipped a lot of people’s mouths. I know that I can pitch, and I know it can still be Lima out there. I’m taking it one start at a time.”

Tigers prospect Eric Munson seems to be improving lately. He has raised his average to .241, which isn’t great, but he is drawing a fair number of walks (54). His power numbers are solid (19 HR, 54 RBIs) and his .860 OPS is encouraging. Munson may figure into the Tigers’ DH picture next season. . . .

Ross is a sleeper, and we should be hearing more about him over the next few months. As you mention, he is putting up intriguing power/speed numbers this year at Double-A Erie. He’s hitting .289/.353./.540 through 79 games, with 15 steals to go with his 16 homers and 21 doubles. He isn’t extremely patient, drawing just 26 walks so far in 328 plate appearances, but he doesn’t strike out excessively, which gives him a good chance to control the strike zone at higher levels. At age 21, he has lots of development time left. His walk rate was a bit higher in A-ball than it has been in Double-A, and in the long run, I don’t think plate discipline will be an insurmountable problem for him.

Ross was drafted in the fourth round in 1999, out of high school in New Mexico. At 5-11, 180, he isn’t a big toolsy physical monster that makes scouts sweat. But he has good athletic ability, works his tail off, and shows sound baseball instincts. I like him quite a bit.

He committed 48 errors at Dayton, and the Reds also didn’t believe that his footwork and actions were a natural fit at shortstop. He has made 26 errors in 95 games at second, and some scouts believe his ultimate destination will be center field. An aggressive switch-hitter with power potential from the left side of the plate, he’s hitting .245-7-44. He has made some strides with his plate discipline, drawing 64 walks, but his 104 strikeouts point to his need to make more contact. If he can do that, he’s a potential leadoff hitter. Espinosa has good speed, though he’s still a work in progress on the bases as well, having been caught 17 times in 43 steal attempts.

Dombrowski could have handled things differently. He could have courted Higginson early, and won himself the most important possible ally on this team. He could have explained quite clearly to the veteran players what direction he thought this team had to go in, and asked for their support even as he tried to trade them.