Like Stripes On the Fur Coat of a Tiger - 10/04

 Scott Boras would like to remind everyone that no one was going to Detroit Tigers games before Pudge Rodriguez (ahem - his client) came to town.  And you know, he has a point.  I wouldn't have a Pudge Rodriguez Tigers t-shirt to wear if Pudge hadn't signed with the Tigers.

Any more talk of not picking up his client's option, and Boras might drape a bedsheet over his head, turn on a video camera, go heavy with the mascara, and scream "Leave Pudge alone!"  

 Meanwhile, Samela packed some serious aging make-up on a picture of Pudge at Roar of the Tigers.  (What, she didn't use make-up?  Photoshop?  Stop confusing me with techno mumbo-jumbo.)  And if that's how Pudge is going to look when he gets older, he might want to consider some Botox/HGH cocktail.  

 Just out of curiosity, do you like what you've seen from Yorvit Torrealba in the Colorado Rockies' last two games?

 Our main man Curtis Granderson will be a studio analyst for TBS' playoff coverage tomorrow.  I think he'll be great, but he can't be any worse than Frank Thomas.

Here's my imitation of Thomas talking about Josh Beckett last night: "You know, I've faced Josh Beckett many times... Josh Beckett is a great pitcher."  Hey, thanks for that insight, Frankie.  I couldn't have figured that out from watching the game myself.  He's definitely The Big Hurt - on my ears.

 Where does Magglio Ordonez's 2007 season rank in the history of the Detroit Tigers franchise?  Tiger Tales answers that question, Sabermetric-style.

 Let's play a quick game of "Yes or No": If the Seattle Mariners were looking to trade their left fielder, Raul Ibanez, would you be interested?  Or is he a little too old (36) for you?  (via Ben Maller)

 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Mark Bradley would like to see Nate Robertson in a Braves uniform.  He doesn't mention who would go to Detroit in exchange, but I think we could all offer a near-unanimous suggestion.  (via MLB Trade Rumors)

 It's now official: Infielder Michael Hollimon and pitcher Dallas Trahern, both of whom played most of last season with Double-A Erie, were named to the Team USA squad that will compete in the International Baseball Federation World Cup.  The tournament will take place in Taiwan from November 6-18.

 Could Mike Maroth be the Rodney Dangerfield of baseball?  That guy gets no respect, I tell ya.  Of course, going 0-5 with a 10.66 ERA after you've been traded doesn't help with that.  Maroth's performance earned him the "Special Bi-Leagueal Cy Yuk" award from ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.  (The runner-up?  Jose Mesa.)

 Non-Tigers/AL Central item: If you were the Minnesota Twins, would you trade Matt Garza for Jason Bay?  (via MLB Trade Rumors)