Detroit Tigers Links: Max Scherzer, Mark McGwire share bond & Grading Detroit's hitters

Tigers links:

Max Scherzer, Mark McGwire share emotional bond over death of Scherzer's brother
Detroit Free Press, Bob Nightengale
Max Scherzer is quickly climbing my list of favorite people ever. Such a touching story.

Was Jim Leyland's "epic blunder" really a blunder?
Baseball Nation, Rob Neyer
Hmmm. That's a tough one. Oh, wait, no it's not. Leyland did the right thing.

Grading the Detroit Tigers at the Break: Everyday Hitters
Motor City Bengals, Matt Snyder
They all get gold stars in my opinion. Except for the ones who get blue stars or red stars or green stars.

The Further Ramblings of Detroit's Village Idiot
TigerSnark
Rogo's articles like this give me great joy.

ESPN.com writer has Detroit Tigers' solution for bullpen needs, depth via trade with Seattle
MLive.com, Josh Slagter

Dave Cameron suggests the Tigers acquire five players from the Mariners, including closer Tom Wilhelmsen and outfielder Michael Morse.

Elsewhere in baseball:

Picking the All-MLB team for the 2013 season to date
SI.com, Joe Sheehan

Now that we're halfway through, let's take a different tack: an all-MLB team for the first half, based solely on what the players have done so far this year.

Study: 124 current MLB pitchers have undergone Tommy John surgery
Big League Stew, Mark Townsend
This is crazy.

In defense of the All-Star Game (and even the Derby)
The Hardball Times, Jerry Beach

The Home Run Derby was still hours away from starting Monday night when I decided I was mad at it.

Matt Harvey models his dating after Derek Jeter and his family motto is "dirty martinis and music"
HardballTalk, Aaron Gleeman
So this is amazing: "That guy is the model," he says. "I mean, first off, let’s just look at the women he’s dated."

More Roars

•Trade deadline 2013 coverage

•Tigers GIFS | On Twitter: @TigersGIFS

•Tigers minor league scores and coverage