Now The Fun Begins

Rob Sanford

Yes, yes...it's nice the Lions are back in business with a promising season ahead. But here it is...early August and the Tigers are in the midst of a real pennant race. So lets not get too carried away with the Honolulu blue and silver yet.  As I've said many times....I just don't feel you can judge a team after the first 40 games of the season. I'm more in Jim Leyland's camp that suggests the date should be August 1st before you can make a determination on whether your team is real or not. By then the bloom is off the rose....all the young pheeenoms are back to earth....and the injury situation is known. I think the Tigers have to win the division, or Jim Leyland is gone. I'm not that  sure about Dave Dombrowski.

For the chronic belly achers who can never remember the good moves Dombrowski has made....how about Victor Marinez??? Prior to Sunday,V-Mart hit .522 with runners in scoring position since 7/17....and is tops in the American League for the season with .398. I call that production under pressure. Without other recent pick ups made by Dombrowski...like Jhonny Peralta...the club would not enjoy the same spot it currently finds itself.

Just like in past years, I don't like having the White Sox and Indians within hailing distance. We have seen this all often, letting a team hang around just long enough to win. I have waited for the Tigers to "get hot" and reel off 7 or 8 wins in a row and get a comfy distance, but they haven't been able to do that in recent years.

As for the trade.....Seattle pitchers Doug Fister and David Paul for Charlie Furbush, Casper Wells, 3rd base prospect Francisco Martinez and a player to be name later...I guess I'm luke warm. If you read my blog earlier....you will find a prediction that Casper Wells or Andy Dirks would be included in any trade, plus a pitching prospect. Fister...who will now be the team's 5th starter...is in the top 20 in ERA's in the American League...and has the worst run support of any pitcher in the league. That could explain in part his record of 3-12. As for reliever Pauly, he's 5-4 with an ERA of 2.15. Let's hope the move can push the team "over the top."