The Tigers may have let a chance at the division slip away by losing what should have been a very winnable series against Chicago. Now the Wild Card is on the line with three at home against the Orioles. A playoff team would take this series. Let’s see what happens.

Gausman has been pitching lights out the last month—1.82 ERA, 10.9 K’s per 9 innings. Let’s home Fulmer can last longer than 5 or 6, considering the shenanigans the bullpen has been up to lately.

Today’s Wild Lineup:

1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Maybin, CF
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Upton, LF
7. McCann, C
8. Aybar, 3B
9. Iglesias, SS

Victor has been slumping, and is 1-for-12 off of Gausman. Maybe the day off will help, otherwise look for a hole in the middle of the lineup. Mr. September Justin Upton continues to be hot; he has faced Gausman twice, and is 2-ror-2.

Well, you can’t win every game. But we do need to win series v. the White Sox.

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Cameron Maybin, CF

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH

5. J.D. Martinez, RF

6. Justin Upton, LF

7. James McCann, C

8. Casey McGehee, 3B

9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Shout out to coleman for the last min substitution yesterday. Traveling with the fam and the time difference got the best of me.

Though once I did recover, I was treated to following along (from a theme-park no less) a really entertaining game. JV is not going to get to 20 wins this season, but not for lack of effort. He went toe to toe with Sale yesterday, and in many respects was better than him. I can tell you that one beat reporter in Dallas expressed on the radio the other day that the Tigers scare him the most as an opening round vs. the Rangers; “Verlander is pitching like it’s 2011.”

So I’m following along on the At Bat app, and I see that J-Up is at the plate with two on. I immediately flip the video on (that app is the best app. period.) just in time to see him drill a no-doubter to right center. And I think that he expected it just as much as I did.

Orioles and Indians keep winning, so there is no time to stop and congratulate ourselves. These wins are Ws that we missed earlier in the year.

Kins still day-to-day.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. CF Cameron Maybin

2. SS Jose Iglesias

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Justin Upton

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia

9. 2B Andrew Romine

Well, I’ll do a little pinch-hit post here, and hopefully move the runner along. I like our chances with Verlander on the mound, and the Tigers have never seemed to be particularly intimidated by a legit Cy Young pitcher, Chris “All Jerseys Half Off” Sale.

Today’s Laborious Lineup:

1. Maybin, CF
2. Iglesias, SS
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Upton, LF
7. Jones, 3B
8. McCann, C
9. Romine, 2B

“Squander” is yesterday’s word of the day, as the Tigers left 12 on base, including 6 by Justin Upton, who picked an inopportune time to finally cool off.

Cleveland stayed hot, however, and now it’s 5 1/2. Norris pulls his van up to the mound for a big rubber game.

Today’s Let’s Try This Again Lineup:

1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Iglesias, SS
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Upton, LF
7. Collins CF
8. McCann, C
9. Romine, 3B

Same lineup as last night, that hasn’t happened much lately.

That’s was quite a game on any day, much less a high-stakes September playoff run game. With the Royals seemingly stealing the game from the Tigers in the bottom of the 8th, only to have the Tigers take it back in the top of the 9th.  Francisco Rodriguez looked unhittable in the 9th to get the win, after looking like a disaster and blowing the save in the 8th. It was like two different pitchers.

The real story of the game though was Miguel Cabrera, who had one of those Cabrera days we had gotten spoiled by in the past, knocking in 4. Upton continues to roll as well with two hits and another home run. My pick for today’s big bat though is JD Martinez, who is 7-for-16 against Ventura (.438). Let’s hope the Tigers come through unscathed: Ventura drilled both Collins and Kinsler when the two teams faced each other.

The Tigers have brought up side-arming lefty Joe Mantiply (who will be certain autocorrect bait) from AA Erie to add to the bullpen.

Today’s Lettuce Win Another Lineup:

1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Iglesias, SS
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Upton, LF
7. Collins CF
8. McCann, C
9. Romine, 3B

This is the sweep or get swept, and the season is changed series. Which is the real Anibal, the one last out or the one the two starts before?

Upton continues to play with a vengeance. If this continues, it defies my many decades of watching baseball. You can’t slump for literally months, then beat the cover off the ball the rest of the season. Pitchers are afraid to pitch to him now. Did not see that coming.

And JaCoby is replacing the spark that Oops Hurt Again Maybin provided. He should be back soon. The Tigers are close to full strength. If Kinsler re-ignites, these guys could score a few runs; he is the only one not really riding the new wave here.

Some great baseball minds were pondering why the Tigers can’t beat lefties. One big reason: Nick Castellanos. Nick inexplicably hit .207, .656 OPS against lefties. Oh wait, he’s out today! OK, Saltalamacchia has been even worse, .173, .574 OPS agains lefties (why even switch hit at that point?). Oh wait, Brad actually went against the Righty/Lefty thing and went with McCann tonight.

Today’s Let the Real Season Begin Lineup:

1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Iglesias, SS
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Upton, LF
7. Jones, CF
8. McCann, C
9. Aybar, 3B

Castellanos and Maybin out, but the Tigers seem to be fielding a major league lineup every day now. I like Aybar at 3rd tonight. I predict a bunt single and a key RBI.

Sorry for the late post, just flipped on the game. Very excited about this one.

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Jose Iglesias, SS

3. Victor Martinez, DH

4. J.D. Martinez, RF

5. Justin Upton, LF

6. James McCann, C

7. JaCoby Jones, CF

8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, 1B

9. Andrew Romine, 3B

Cle won, but Baltimore lost. 4.5 games out of the division, 1 game out of 2nd WC. Gotta keep winning.

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Tyler Collins, CF

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH

5. J.D. Martinez, RF

6. Justin Upton, LF

7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

8. JaCoby Jones, 3B

9. Jose Iglesias, SS

The roller coaster continues. Luckily the Rangers did their part. Would have been nice to gain another game against the lowly Angels.

1. Cameron Maybin, CF

2. Ian Kinsler, 2B

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH

5. J.D. Martinez, RF

6. Justin Upton, LF

7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

8. Casey McGehee, 3B

9. Erick Aybar, SS

I don’t think it’s the Angels; I think it’s the West Coast. Angels, A’s, Mariners, Interleague games with the Dodgers and Giants, it never works out well. The Tigers have the Angels at home, and with their ace on the mound, and with a series sweep in their luggage. And the Angels are 54-73. And…they just scored in the top of the first. Hmm.

Today’s Making the Tribe Sweat Lineup:

1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Maybin, CF
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Upton, LF
7. McGehee, 3B
8. McCann, C
9.  Aybar, SS