Here are a couple of random items to round out the week:

The Detroit News‘ Lynn Henning hosted an online chat this afternoon and I was able to sneak in a question:

Me: Lynn, recent injuries notwithstanding, how did Jeff Larish’s star plummet so dramatically? He was viewed as a home-grown power bat until last year. Does [...]

Here’s how the Tigers-Yankees-Diamondbacks trade is covered in today’s edition of the Arizona Republic. The story appears above the fold but, not surprisingly, below the Suns-Mavericks game story. Here are some other Phoenix-focused opinions on the deal:

The Republic’s Nick Piecoro (who, by the by, has one of the best team blogs out there): A long, [...]

On the next-to-last day of the 2009 season, with the Tigers’ fate still undecided, we continue our series on the Tigers’ and Blue Jays’ battle for the A.L. East crown on the next-to-last day of the 1987 season.

American League East Standings: October 3, 1987

Team
Record
Pct.
GB

Detroit
96-64
.600
–

Toronto
96-64
.600
–

In game two of the final series, Jack Morris and Mike [...]

As the Tigers and Twins wrap up the biggest series of the year with the division title hanging in the balance, we continue our look back on the last great race in Tigers history: 1987 and the seven games against the Toronto Blue Jays in the season’s final 10 days. Today: Game 4, the final [...]

As the Tigers and Twins square off for the biggest series of the year with the division title hanging in the balance, we continue our look back on the last great race in Tigers history: 1987 and the seven games against the Toronto Blue Jays. Today: Game 2.
Part 1 – October Surprise: Tigers and Jays [...]

This is Part 2 in our series on the Tigers and Blue Jays’ pennant fight in 1987. Part 1 appeared yesterday.

American League East Standings
September 24, 1987

Team
Record
Pct.
GB

Toronto
93 – 59
.612
–

Detroit
92-59
.609
.5

At the outset of the first series the Tigers sat only a half-game out of first place. The game-one pitching match up featured two of baseball’s best [...]

Happy 51st to perhaps the classiest guy ever to wear the D.
Today’s also the birthday of two former Tigers pitchers:

Bill Slayback, a member of the 1972 A.L. East Division champs, turns 61. A seventh-round pick in the 1968 draft, he pitched three years in Detroit posting a 6-9 record and 3.84 ERA in 42 [...]

The Gist: Armando Galarraga threw a gem, Matt Joyce went deep and the Tigers eeked out a one-run victory, 3-2 over flame-throwing D’backs rookie Max Scherzer. It wasn’t a lot of offense, but the Tigers got enough and were able to overcome some untimely walks issued from the bullpen. The play of the game, at [...]

You probably heard that Gibby is now the bench coach for Bob Melvin out here in Arizona. I haven’t seen much ink about Gibson since he arrived at Diamondbacks camp in Tucson.But today I stumbled on this photo of old #23 giving the baserunning spiel to a young D-backs player.
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