There comes a point in a pitching career when you find out if he is good or exceptional. That point has arrived for the Tigers’ Jeremy Bonderman. He is still young. Just 23. Yet, he has 3 1-2 seasons in the major leagues under his belt. Bonderman throws consistently in the mid-90s with his fastball, sometimes hitting the upper 90s. His slider is a devastating pitch, in the high-80s with a late and sharp break. I have talked to a couple scouts who said they consider it the best slider in the major leagues. I do not believe that to be an overstatement. If the Tigers are going anywhere, Bonderman has to be their ace. Justin Verlander is too wet behind the ears, and Kenny Rogers just does not have enough stuff. Hitters tend to figure out him out the second or third time they see them in a given season. That is why he has a track record of struggling so much in the second half. The sign of an true ace is winning the night after his team has lost. Or stopping losing streaks. And doing so against the better teams, not just the chumps. That scenario presents itself for Bonderman tonight at Comerica Park against the White Sox. How he responds will say a lot about him. It will also say a lot about the Tigers chances in the long run.

Random thoughts

- Do the Tigers ever get Joe Crede out? Against the Tigers, the guy is a combination of Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson and Pie Traynor.

- Hmmm. It was interesting that Jim Leyland used Omar Infante at DH Tuesday instead of Craig Monroe.

- The Tigers are not the only team to benefit from an influx of young talent. Rookies Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester have saved the Red Sox bacon this season.

- The Yankees are incredible. They have won four straight games since the All Star break with an underwhelming pitching staff, Alex Rodriguez playing perhaps the worst baseball of his career and with lightly-regard prospects such as Melky Cabrera and Andy Phillips leading the way.