That's one of the key questions for the Tigers, isn't it?
Before Sunday night's game against the White Sox, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Brennan Boesch is going to miss the remainder of the season with a thumb injury.
It's not a surprise. It's expected. It does put a burden on Ordonez to perform.
There has been a little bit of spark with Ordonez's bat lately after it appeared he was done. It wouldn't surprise me if he does well in the stretch and/or in the postseason.
This is a player they said was done in 2005 because of a severe injury that required radical surgery. They said he was done in 2009 when he couldn't pull the ball or get extra base hits. He was the one few Tiger hitters who came to life in September, and then he had a really good season in 2010 before he broke his ankle.
He's baseball's version of a cat. Ordonez has nine baseball lives. Has he used them all up yet?
If he hasn't, it would be of great benefit to the Tigers.