Like Stripes On the Fur Coat of a Tiger - 12/28

 First, Magglio Ordonez wins the DIBS Player of the Year Award.  And now, just before 2007 ends, Maggs can add the Detroit News Sportsman of the Year Award to his trophy case.

In Lynn Henning's accompanying feature article, it's mentioned that Jim Leyland gave Ordonez a baseball inscribed with "The best single-season performance I've ever seen" after the final game of this season in Chicago.

Leyland, by the way, was the Detroit News' top sportsman last year.

 The Detroit Free Press has recapped the past season by posting their Top Tigers Stories of 2007.  As you surely would've guessed, their #1 choice is Justin Verlander's no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers in June.

 At Take 75 North, Matt takes a guess at the pitching rotations for each of the Tigers' minor league teams next season.  He has Rick Porcello pegged for West Michigan. (Get your Whitecaps tickets now!)  Matt also thinks Charlie Furbush is the next most promising starter in the organization, and deserves a promotion to Lakeland for 2008.

 Calling it "the single most egregious voting inconsistency in recent memory", Joe Posnanski compares Lou Whitaker's numbers to Ryne Sandberg's and wonders why only one of the two second basemen is in the Hall of Fame. (It's the ninth item on his "random thoughts" list.)

Speaking of Posnanski, did you get your personalized bookplate for The Soul of Baseball from him this holiday season?  Quite the hot item, apparently.  The one I received came with a note that said "Looks like Christmas came early in Detroit."  Indeed.

(via The Daily Fungo)

 Curtis Granderson has posted photos from his trip to South Africa at his MySpace site.  As he did last year through Europe, Granderson was working as a goodwill ambassador for MLB International.  The Grandy Report has posted the photos nicely for you to scroll through.  It doesn't look like a film crew came along with Curtis, which is too bad.  Filming his clinics and tours could've made some good television.

 The Tigers will have to look elsewhere for a back-up catcher.  Miguel Olivo signed a one-year deal yesterday with the Kansas City Royals.  The terms of the deal weren't announced, but Olivo made $2 million this past season with the Florida Marlins, and likely wasn't looking for a pay cut.

** UPDATED at 12:00 p.m.