What did we learn from the Tigers - ChiSox series?

That the picture of Marcus Thames taking out the Palehose's Tad Iguchi may just end up being the iconic image we all remember from this marvelous season.


Matt Millen needs to sign Marcus Thames, ASAP. I haven't seen that good of a body block from a Lion in years. Maybe in decades.

That the talking heads at the Worldwide Leader don't watch the teams they are talking about, unless it's the Yankees, BoSox, or Mets. Steve Phillips did an amazing about face during the 8th inning of the Worldwide Leader's broadcast yesterday. He's no longer in favor of a Joel Zumaya for John Smoltz trade, the same trade he was pimping as a brilliant idea only three weeks ago. If Phillips had spent any time at all watching the Tigers, and the abilities of Zumaya, he would have thought the proposed trade was as ludicrous as all Tiger fans did.

As much as I ragged on our own Rod Allen, I enjoyed the broadcast of Mario Impenba and his "Pardner," the man that's scared of "Motorsickles," much more than the dry as toast Worlwide Leader broadcast crew. It's good that the Tigers are finally getting national exposure. It's bad that we are now inflicted with Steve Phillips and his ilk from the WWLiS. I tease beacuse I love, Mr. Allen.

The shorties hate Ozzie Guillen, and will win in a battle of wits.

Ozzie Guillen was booed by a bunch of 6- and 7-year-old YMCA day camp kids when they walked past the visitors' dugout before the game.

A shocked and puzzled look came across Guillen's face after the chilly reception.

"Enjoy the moment kids, it won't be too long," Guillen fired back sarcastically, as the pregame parade of youngsters continued.

According to the Marlboro Man, Kenny Rogers has a "Scared" muscle.

Kenny Rogers needed some time to regroup in the fifth after he got his glove on a line drive hit at his face. The ball bounced away, and Rogers scrambled after it, only to make an error on the play.

What was hurting him?

"I think his scared muscle," said Leyland, who'll never profess to be Dr. Leyland.

I have to say, if I had a 100 MPH line drive coming directly at my melon, my "Scared" muscle would have been my sphincter...

The actions of AJ Cheaterynski after Craig Monroe's grand slam confirms what we already knew. That Cheaterynski was, is, and always will be, an asshat.

The Tigers still need a bat, preferably lefty (Abreu), or powerful (Soriano). The middle of the Chisox lineup scares the Jebus out of me. The Tigers were able to keep Thome, Konerko, Dye, and Crede in check, but over the long term, that's a punishing lineup. A lineup that even good pitching won't always be able to stop, and you'll have to sometimes out slug. Just another reason that the Tigers need to pick up a bat. A damn good bat.

Todd Jones continues to scare the Jebus out of me as well, but results are results. A 395' fly out counts the same as a K, you don't get extra for style points. Still, I'm not convinced of the long term viability of the Rollercoaster as closer. 102 MPH fastballs that move are much more convincing.

From watching the managerial decisions of both the Cigarette Smoking Man and Jay Mariotti's best pal, this series meant more than they were letting on to the media. From Guillen using Bobby Jenks in a non-save situation to keep Thursday's game close, to Leyland not sitting Pudge, which he normally does on the day game after a night tilt, the actions were those a manager would make in the playoffs rather than in a late July matchup.

That the 10 remaining games between the Tigers and ChiSox will be, as "Caputo" likes to say, epic.