Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1216 of 1503)

After acquiring the best player the Florida Marlins ever produced (Miguel Cabrera) and the National League wins leader in 2005 (Dontrelle Willis) in an offseason trade, many thought the Detroit Tigers were the club to beat in 2008.

Then young star Curtis Granderson got hurt. Then they lost seven in a row to start the season. Then they lost slugger Gary Sheffield for half of June. Then they lost 10 of their first 12 games. Then all of a sudden, they were in the cellar of the AL Central and everybody was left to wonder, “What has happened to the perennial World Series favorites?”

But after stumbling to a 23-32 record entering June, the Tigers started to play more like the preseason favorites. Detroit finished 19-8 in the month of June and started to move up the standings in the Central. Now entering the second half of the season, the Tigs are just 6.5 games behind the first place Chicago White Sox.

So are they back? One indication they are is that ace Justin Verlander has completed turned around his season. After starting the year 1-7, he’s now won five of his last seven starts with two no decisions, and is 3-0 in his last three outings. The club is also getting quality starts from 26-year old Armando Galarraga (7-3, 3.27) and although he’s been inconsistent, Kenny Rogers has lasted at least seven innings in seven of his last nine starts.

The Tigers’ pitching staff still a ways to go, but the lineup picked things up towards the All-Star Break and they’ve gotten production out of one-time role players like Marcus Thames (leads the team with 18 HRs). And don’t undervalue how much Joel Zumaya – who finally looks healthy again – brings to the bullpen. He just might be the key to Detroit’s revival.

Nobody should fall asleep on this club, because the Tigers look primed for a major second half.

– Apparently the All-Star Break didn’t kill any momentum for the New York Mets, who won their 10th in a row Thursday beating the Reds 10-8. Fernando Tatis and Carlos Delgado combined for six hits, six RBIs and three runs scored, while David Wright hit his 18th bomb of the year. The Mets are now deadlocked with the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

– The Detroit Tigers finally climbed over the .500 mark for the first time since April, knocking off the Baltimore Orioles 6-5. Kenny Rogers won his seventh game of the year, while Gary Sheffield (6), Brandon Inge (7) and Marcus Thames (18) all homered. Detroit has a lot of work to do to catch the White Sox in the AL Central, but now only sit 6.5 games back, which is remarkable considering how far back they were in May and early June.

– Troy Glaus hit two home runs and finished with two RBI and two runs scored in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. Cards’ starter Kyle Lohse is now a staggering 12-2 on the year with a 3.35 ERA after pitching seven strong innings of two-hit ball against the Pads. Jake Peavy was once again a victim of poor run support and took the loss. The 2007 uniamous Cy Young winner can’t catch a break. His ERA is still an impressive 2.66, yet he’s 7-6.

The Phillies are reportedly interested in Giants’ starter Matt Cain, A’s starter Joe Blanton and Rockies’ closer Brian Fuentes. But despite persisting rumors, the club is not interested in Blue Jays’ starter A.J. Burnett.

The Phils aren’t going to get Cain. Along with Tim Lincecum, the Giants view Cain as a potential ace and while teams continue to call, San Fran has been reluctant to talk trade. Even though they’re desperately in need of young position talent, the Giants want to keep the top of their starting rotation – Lincecum, Cain, Jonathan Sanchez – in tact.

Blanton, on the other hand, makes sense. Oakland GM Billy Beane is always looking for a deal and Blanton (5-12, 4.96 ERA) continues to disappoint. Philadelphia has plenty of Double A talent that they could part with and likely wouldn’t have to give up too much to acquire Blanton’s services.

Fuentes would appear to be another easy catch, although he’s stated that he wants to remain a closer – a role that he wouldn’t get in Philly with Brad Lidge on board. The Rockies want to deal him and it only seems like a matter of time before they do.

Boston Red Sox owner John Henry is a little peeved about comments made by outfielder Manny Ramirez during All-Star Game weekend. Ramirez is upset that Red Sox management has been unclear about his future with the team.

“I want no more [expletive] where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing,” Ramirez told the newspaper in regards to his future contract status. “I think I’ve earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want, this is what we want to do.”

The Red Sox have one-year options on the slugger for 2009 and 2010 at $20 million each. If they don’t pick up the option for 2009, he will become a free agent.

“I find remarks that we have been anything other than completely straightforward to be personally offensive,” Henry said. “Manny has been a crucial part of two world championships. I do not believe we would have won either without him. He has never played a more important role than he has thus far this year.”

But Ramirez also said this week that he wants to stay with the Red Sox.

“To be honest with you, I don’t know, I want to stay in Boston, but I want to sit down after the season with ownership and see what my future is going to be in Boston,” he told the Herald. “Let’s see, but the ball is in my court. If they don’t pick it up, I’m a free agent and I’ll go play somewhere else. We’ll see.

“It’s not to protect myself. I just want to know what my future is going to be,” he added. “I just want them to tell me, ‘We’re going to take it year by year,’ or, ‘We’re going to do this.’ That’s fine. Just so I know what’s going on with my situation.”

Even as nutty as Manny is at times, I tend to side with the player when I hear comments about team management not being straightforward about an athlete’s future. Teams have a tendency to wait until the absolute last moment to make a commitment to a player, which is understandable given the amount of money that is usually on the table. But a player has the right to know where he’s going to play in the future and if Red Sox management is being wishy-washy with their commitment, Ramirez has the right to be upset.

Of course once again, this is Manny Ramirez we’re talking about. Conventional wisdom usually flies right out the window.