I gotta admit, been thinking a lot about football season recently.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. SS Erick Aybar

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Justin Upton

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C James McCann

9. CF Cameron Maybin

The Tigers still have yet to stop the plague called Ortiz; I guess they never will. I feel for Justin Upton, who can’t buy a break. He scorched one to the 420 mark in dead center, and it went 419 feet and 9 inches. But who here would have put money on the Tigers pulling it out in extras even if he did tie it, raise your hands. Anyone? Bueller?

This sporadic solo home run offense isn’t exactly working, is it?

Maybe the return of Maybin can bring a spark; yes, he’s back! Of course he returns to a Sunday lineup with no V-Mart and a salty first baseman, but maybe he can get something going.

Today’s Game of Inches Lineup:

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

It was inevitable that Fulmer would eventually have a bad outing. Not that anyone else was particularly good either. The Tigers are on the verge of dropping out of the playoff race.

But there is good news. There is? Yes there is. There is a new Stroh’s beer being brewed in Detroit. A bunch of that might help while watching the rest of this series. That and a nice big umbrella.

Today’s Van Norrison Lineup:

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

Look who’s back, a new man no doubt. McCann has passed up Salty in the catcher’s batting race, by just sitting and watching.

Well, how about that, Matt Boyd pitched another good one, and the Tigers improbably came back after falling behind 3-1 in the 8th. What kind of odds could we have gotten for betting on that comeback? And with a go-ahead bases-loaded walk at that, after Brad Ausmus oddly pulled both Cabrera and Martinez for pinch-runners. Extra innings would have looked a bit anemic, wouldn’t it have?

Boyd is now 4-0 since the All-Star break, with a 2.10 ERA and a nice 1.019 WHIP. He and tonight’s pitcher, Michael Fulmer, give a lot of hope for the future of the rotation.

The past of the rotation takes the mound for Boston, as Kid Rick Porcello brings a flashy 16-3, 3.30 back to Comerica.

Today’s Lineup:

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

Another day for Upton as a late-inning pinch-runner.

Boyd pitched a gem last time out; then again, Sanchez did the same last night.

Things are starting to turn a little ugly as the fans, understandably frustrated with Upton, are starting to unleash the boos. Worst Tiger acquisition since Aubrey Huff?

Alex Presley called up from Toledo; hey, why not? Maybe Presley will leave the building. Bobby Parnell gets the DFA to make room for Presley on the 40-man roster.

Today’s Can’t Buy a Run Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Erick Aybar, SS
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. V Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Casey McGehee, 3B
7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
8. Andrew Romine, CF
9. Alex Presley, LF

Miggy’s back!

Upton gets a break.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. SS Erick Aybar

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Tyler Collins

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C James McCann

9. CF Andrew Romine

Tough loss last night, sometimes the other pitcher is just better.

JV on the mound tonight. Miggy with a biceps injury…things are getting lean. We really need Upton to hit for a bit.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. 3B Casey McGehee

3. DH Victor Martinez

4. RF J.D. Martinez

5. LF Justin Upton

6. C James McCann

7. 1B Jarrod Saltalamacchia

8. SS Dixon Machado

9. CF Tyler Collins

I was at Globe Life Park yesterday for as long as my three year old would let us stay; but it was long enough to watch Fulmer dissect the Rangers bats with surgical precision. There were quite a few hard hit balls (the Beltre single off the wall was spanked), and how that Choo ball stayed in the park while VMart’s found the wall is still beyond me, but let’s take a second to appreciate a real milestone in the kid’s career.

The fact that my brother and I called a handful of strikeout pitches (Odor’s swinging K on a high FB, and then a slider down and in come to mind), strengthens just how amazing the performance was. The Rangers hitters likely knew those K pitches were coming, and still were helpless against them.

Taking 2/3 from a very good Rangers team, with back to back shutouts to boot, is nearly enough to wipe away the pain for a 5 game losing streak.

Hey, it’s mid-August, and we are right in the middle of things. The AL East could swallow up three playoff spots, so let’s keep our eyes set on Cle.

Oh, and people can’t help but do a Kinsler/Fielder comparison down here. Safe to say that the move worked out for us. Pretty cool that Prince ended up with as many career HRs as big-Cecil. Prince’s retirement presser was a real tear-jerker; best of luck to what comes next for him.

Tonight’s game will be on ESPN.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. CF Tyler Collins

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Justin Upton

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C James McCann

9. SS Dixon Machado

You knew they would win one at some point on the road trip, but it was still a relief.  Casey McGehee had a career day, the Tigers left a buttload of runners on base (I mean butt in the sense of an old English unit of measurement, 1008 pints if you’re curious), when they weren’t getting picked off or thrown out (they only needed a runner out at 2nd for a cycle).  But Boyd pitched himself a game, and the Tigers now actually have a decent shot at taking the series.

Today’s Glass Half Fulmer Lineup:

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

I predict a big game from the two Macs and the Lettuce.

As we all looked forward with great anticipation to the return of JD Martinez to the lineup, I don’t think any of us expected he would be joining a lineup that looked like this. Dixon Machado is up to fill in for Jose Iglesias; Mike Aviles will take a stab at playing center, because hey, why not.

The less said about the Sanchez start last night the better. McCann had a good game and hit the ball hard every time up, including his 9th HR.

Today’s This is Not What We Had in Mind for the Pennant Chase Lineup:

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

I usually hate off days, but yesterday was a merciful one.

I’m counting on The Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi Currently in Arlington (that might be literally true) to sway the Tigers fortunes (or misfortunes, as it may be).

Again, as others have commented on, the Tigers do seem to have a lot of injuries, which could be a “that’s baseball” kind of thing. I’m not really comfortable with the injuries that start out as day-to-day things then end up as DL things, especially since they end up giving the Tigers a functional 23-man roster at times. Or with the whole coming back from injuries unready to come back from injuries thing.

A lot of baseball left. But less than there was last week.

Also: how about that Prince Fielder trade? I’m expecting Kinsler to come up big in this series; whether his reception is positive or negative, I expect him to feed off of it.

Anibal has had two nice starts. Do we dare wish for a third? He looks so focused in that picture.

Today’s Texas isn’t West Coast so Maybe, Just Maybe, Lineup:

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

McGehee has been doing a fine job filling in for Castellanos. Upton, on the other hand, has been faring less well filling in for…oh, damn, he’s a starter.

Seems like forever since we last won a game. The M’s are now only 1.5 games behind Detroit in the wild card race. Maybin to the DL, and Greene is day to day. Sky is falling.

Not really, still a lot of baseball left.

Streakbuster JV on the mound tonight, but opposite King Felix.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. CF Tyler Collins

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Justin Upton

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C James McCann

9. SS Mike Aviles