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Detroit Tigers Links: Drew Smyly's impact in the bullpen & more trade ideas

Drew Smyly's impact in the bullpen, Nick Castellanos is Detroit's best trade chip, and Babe Ruth versus Barry Bonds. These stories and more in today's Morning Prowl.

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports


AL Central Standings

W L PCT GB STRK
Detroit 42 32 .567 0 Won 2
Cleveland 39 36 .520 3.5 Won 1
Kansas City 35 38 .479 6.5 Won 1
Minnesota 34 38 .472 7 Won 1
Chicago 31 42 .424 10.5 Lost 1

(updated 6.24.2013 at 8:12 PM PDT)


Tigers links:

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers' fourth-best starter, needs tweaking, not All-Star Game
Detroit Free Press, Drew Sharp

Justin Verlander isn’t a pitching cyborg.

Drew Smyly: Old School Relief Ace
FanGraphs Baseball, Dave Cameron

The Tigers bullpen has been a running punchline for a while now, and if you were to identify a flaw on their team — besides corner infield defense, anyway — you’d point out their shaky ninth inning options when being asked to hold a lead. analysis and commentary.

Prospect Nick Castellanos Is the Detroit Tigers' Best Trade Chip
Yahoo! Sports, Matt Durr

With the trade deadline a little more than a month away, it will come as no surprise when the Detroit Tigers are buyers on or before July 31.

Transitional Trade Idea
Motor City Bengals, Grant Stoye

With Jhonny Peralta set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, it might make sense for the Tigers to attempt to acquire Iglesias from the Red Sox to man the position for the forseeable future.

Around the AL Central:

MLB Final Score/Recap: Cleveland Indians 5, Baltimore Orioles 2
Let's Go Tribe

Ubaldo's pixie dust, the bullpen, and Michael Brantley's bat carried the day.

Elsewhere in baseball:

Young Dodger fan pledges to give money from viral video to injured Giants fan Bryan Stow
Big League Stew, Mike Oz

When the video of Casey Johnstone talking about being the only Los Angeles Dodgers fan at his Bay Area school published to YouTube, the goal wasn't to make the 10-year-old into a viral video star.

Who was better? Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds?
HardballTalk Craig Calcaterra

This is a fun exercise from David Laurila of FanGraphs. He asked ten major leaguers -- some players and some coaches -- who they thought was "better," Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds.

Set-up guys who would be worthy All-Stars
SweetSpot Blog, Tommy Rancel

Each year Major League Baseball attempts to market the All-Star Game as one that counts; so much so that home-field advantage in the World Series rests on the outcome of the mid-summer exhibition.