I must admit the Tigers player that causes me to shake my head in both wonder and bewilderment the most is Ivan Rodriguez. He is such a great ball player, yet he has been disappointing on many levels the last 2 1-2 seasons. He strikes out a lot and doesn’t walk. How can a player that good hitting in the middle of the lineup drive in so few runs? And he did act up in 2005, which helped cost Tigers icon Alan Trammell his job as manager. Yet, there is still no better defensive catcher in baseball. Period. At times, the guy can do any thing with the bat, too. Last season he did defer to manager Jim Leyland when it came to dropping from third in the order and playing first base and even second base. So here it is, and Pudge hits a three-run homer to win a game Sunday. So he is hitting .381. At 35, it is expected he will slow down and the Tigers certainly haven’t been in a hurry to sign him to another long-term deal. But he seems motivated. The last time Pudge was in this position, he put the Florida Marlins on his back and carried them to the world title. Don’t be surprised if he has a similarly big season - despite his age. Special players do special things - especially when their survival mode kicks in. Pudge is playing for a new contract. That can only help the Tigers.
(Pudge has a $13 million club option for next season. The Tigers can buy out his contract for $3 million.)

Random Thoughts

- It’s funny how the Phil Mickelsons and the other top golfers seem to cower at the sight of Tiger Woods in a major on Sunday, while grunts like Zach Johnson are the ones that beat him sometimes. Weird.

-Honestly, the Flames haven’t been that good this season. Still, if there was an opponent the Red Wings didn’t want to see in the first round, it was Calgary. It will be interesting to see if Brad Stuart shows for the Flames during the playoffs. He is immensely talented, but hasn’t been that good when it matters in the past.

- ESPN The Magazine got it right. The Pistons, Tigers and Red Wings do belong among the best 18 franchises in all of professional sports. And, yes, the Lions belong at the very bottom. I think a lot of it has to do with ownership. Mike Ilitch and William Davidson are self-made business people who just won’t accept failure. It doesn’t matter if William Clay Ford fails. And it never has. He has been set for life from the minute he was born.