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Max Scherzer is the Tigers' ace -- but only temporarily

Justin Verlander is a bit out of sorts. Max Scherzer's having his best year yet in Detroit. It takes more than a few months to become a team's ace, but Scherzer is definitely the team's best pitcher. Read my column.

Leon Halip

I don't think anyone would argue Max Scherzer is a better pitcher than Justin Verlander right now. I think most would suspect Justin Verlander will regain his form and return to typical Verlanderian domination -- probably sooner than later.

(Rob and John wrote about Verlander yesterday and Glenn wrote about Scherzer, so check that out).

I'm really interested in the nature of being an ace. I didn't cover it in the column -- though I hoped to I was having a few brain farts in putting together a good thesis. So maybe it'll be a blog post in the future.

Anyway, Scherzer's amazing and Verlander isn't. But that doesn't mean one becomes the ace and the other doesn't, or even that Scherzer is 1B to Verlander's 1A. Or the other way around. All it means, to me, is that Scherzer's having a great year and Verlander is human. It takes more than a few months of success or not-quite-looking-like-yourself to change that equation.

So anyway, check it out.