Justin Verlander has the same career ERA as Jack Morris did, 3.90. He has 10 more wins - with several starts remaining in the current season - than Morris did at age 27.
In his career, on a club with questionable offensive firepower much of the time, he is 27 games above .500.
He has rarely missed a start because of injury. Since 2006, the Tigers, overall, are 34 games above .500. They are only five games above .500 in decisions not involving Verlander.
Since the start of the 2009 season, Verlander is 32-17 - 15 games above .500. In decisions not involving Verlander over the same time period, the Tigers are nine games below .500.
It's not exactly like the Tigers' hitting attack is carrying Verlander, is it?
At the age of 27, Roy Halladay, went 8-8 with a 4.20 ERA during an injury-plagued season with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Verlander really struggled Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. His command of his fastball was awful. Yet, he still managed to pitch five innings, allowing just three runs in a band box ball park against baseball's most formidable team. He kept the Tigers in the game.
Yet, there are people out there, who evidently think Max Scherzer, based on a few good starts, is actually the Tigers' ace. Look - and I can almost guarantee you Max Scherzer feels this way - he can only hope to be as good as Justin Verlander some day.
They are probably the same people who in June were referring to Scherzer as a bust and Brennan Boesch as the next Ted Williams.
Yeah, there are times, considering the level of his ability is so high, you can't help but think Verlander could be even better.
It shouldn't, however, diminish what he has accomplished, which has been considerable.
Nor take away from the notion Verlander is the very least of the Tigers' problems.

Random Thoughts

- If only Demar Dorsey had gotten into the school, Donovan Warren not left for the NFL, Boubacar Cissoko not gotten in trouble with the law, Justin Turner not left the program and Troy Woolfolk not suffer a serious ankle injury, Michigan's football secondary would be terrific.
Michigan had many issues last season. I thought the secondary was the biggest one. Can't imagine how it won't be again in 2010.

- Hey, the San Francisco Giants are in contention for a postseason spot behind the 1-2 punch of Aubrey Huff and Andres Torres. No, that isn't haunting Tigers. Nah, not in the least...