There was a point last season, during the second half, when I must admit I wondered if the Tigers should give Jeremy Bonderman a long-term contract. As good as his fastball is - and the fact he probably has the best slider in the American League - aside, there seemed to be something missing. Too many big innings. He would pitch seven innings and six would be great, but he would give up a lot of runs in that one big inning and lose. Or he would struggle mightily in the first inning. They needed him a couple key starts during the second half - and he did not come through. But that changed during the postseason. He was really good in some pressure-packed games. I do not believe, either, that his problems have been the lack of a third pitch - the conventional thinking. He has a good changeup and a decent forkball (he has thrown both). This is more a mental hump he had to get over about getting out of jams. He seemed to do that during the postseason. And he has made a little more pro gress in that area each season. Bonderman is a tough kid mentally. He gets through the tough times. Given his talent and experience, the four-year, $38 million contract they gave Bonderman was a very good signing by the Tigers.

Random thoughts

- Are the Red Wings really playing Columbus again tonight? Yuck. Is Garry Bettman clueless or what?

- Kalin Lucas from Orchard Lake is the ideal Tom Izzo recruit. Not only is he talented athletically, but he has the attitude to fit the program at Michigan State. He is smart and he is tough - the prototypical MSU player, actually.

- I follow college football as closely as anybody I know, but I do not know anything about Middle Tennessee State. I wonder Phil Steele knows anything about Middle Tennessee State? The Motor City Bowl has to do better than that in the future if it wants to remain a viable entity.