Travis

Do you think Mo' is done? I mean, at 42, that's a hell of an injury and a timetable he's looking at. Smyly vs. Peavy tonight, hopefully the Tigers can get to Peavy and Smyly continues to pitch the way he has been. If you aren't going to beat other divisions' teams, you've got to at least beat up on your own.

I think this is [mostly] ideal for anyone with hopes for this Summer. Personally, I'd like an upgrade behind Jimmy. I know Joey Mac has been good, but I always feel like the wheels are about to fall off. For sentimentality sake I'd love to keep Abdelkader, but if I'm completely objective – Konopka seems like a major upgrade (though I am admittedly unfamiliar with him). EDIT: I also agree that Nyquist is capable of being a difference-maker on this team on a full time basis. Here is a thought that I just had while watching Flyers / Devils highlights, though. Didn't Parise say that his biggest goal is to be on a cup contender? What if the Devils advance and he begins to see New Jersey in a different light?

Yeah, I never understood why people were upset about the loss of Piche. He was invisible at Griffins games, he wasn't going to crack the Wings' line-up. Ever. I agree. White, while not getting the same timely goals as he did in years past, was a perfectly adequate replacement for Rafalski I thought. And more durable. I really liked them as a pair.

I don't imagine the Wings would have acquired him if they hadn't planned on keeping him around. That said, I don't know if they got exactly what they were hoping for, overall. I would imagine the Wings attempt to re-sign him as a replacement for Brad Stuart.

I think that $4.8 is way too much of a hometown discount for Nick, OP. I just worked through a line-up with a cap of $69.3 mil and got this: FORWARDS Zach Parise ($8.000m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Johan Franzen ($3.955m) Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Gustav Nyquist ($0.875m) Danny Cleary ($2.800m) / Paul Gaustad ($3.000m) / Todd Bertuzzi ($2.075m) Darren Helm ($1.000m) / Justin Abdelkader ($0.900m) / Patrick Eaves ($1.200m) Drew Miller ($0.838m) / DEFENSEMEN Nicklas Lidstrom ($6.000m) / Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) Ian White ($2.875m) / Kyle Quincey ($4.000m) Jonathan Ericsson ($3.250m) / Brendan Smith ($0.875m) Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) / Shane O'Brien ($2.000m) GOALTENDERS Jimmy Howard ($2.250m) Josh Harding ($1.000m) ------ CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter) (these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion) SALARY CAP: $69,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $68,308,712; BONUSES: $37,500 CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $991,288 New acquisitions are italicized. I disagree with you about Gaustad, Shaman (obviously). He's someone the Wings looked at during the deadline and is making $3.5 a year on his current contract. His face-off percentages are great and he adds some of that size and grit that Babcock had mentioned wanting. O'Brien is essentially a [insert size/grit here] filler - he himself could be interchangeable with a number of players of that style, but I had to pick one.

As more information unfolds it sounds as though a small skirmish broke out after Young said, according to the New York Post, "F---ing Jews! F---ing Jews!" about a panhandler wearing a yarmulke. Things got heated, Young ended up pushing a man to the ground but both parties returned to their rooms. Then, also according to the Post, after the man who received the push noticed scratches on his arm - he called the police. It doesn't make Delmon Young any less of an idiot, but it certainly doesn't sound as bad as initial reports might lead you to imagine. I'm still perfectly fine with the dismissal of Delmon Young. I've never been a fan of his off-field incidents and didn't like him as a Twin. His great performance down the stretch and lack of news on the 'getting in trouble' front had me feeling better about him; but the Tigers certainly don't need this.

Delmon Young arrested, faces hate crime charge in New York What a ******* idiot. Release him, too. Please. Why are you out at 2:30 when you should be getting ready for a game? Better yet, why are you 'highly intoxicated' and getting in fights? How dumb can you possibly be? This is a contract year for Young who is playing okay at best on a team that doesn't need anymore alcohol-related distractions. Please show Mr. Young the door.

The Detroit Tigers have given INF Brandon Inge his unconditional release, effective immediately. It's likely for the best. He has been a great team player and obviously a fan favorite (and enemy), but it's still a sad way to go. On Friday the Tigers will purchase the contract of Brad Eldred who has 13 HR and 35 RBI in 20 games with the Mud Hens. The Kansas City Royals, by comparison, have 13 HR on the year. Hopefully he can add some pop to the DH position for a team that, surprisingly, needs it.

Haven't been posting much, but it has nothing to do with Matt or the staff - they consistently do a great job. Nice work, Hockeytown reminding us all to thank them, too.

It's frustrating to see their struggles, but I would much rather have them slump while the season is still young. Get hot in August.

Repeat offender, targeting the head, intent to injure. $2,500 fine and a "we're watching you".

Raffi Torres has long been a piece of s***. The dude needs to see a long term suspension once and for all. I was out tonight, but Bob McKenzie's Twitter blew up after this hit and everything he said was spot-on.

Well that's true, I can't hardly argue with the moves he's made. Honestly, I'm fine with Inge joining the team, and I don't mind that we'll likely lose Clete Thomas because of it. One could even say that he'll be the best defensive position player on the infield, and he's clearly been playing the bag well. That's not the issue, though, his plate production is - and has been - his biggest weakness and question mark. Realistically, it doesn't matter much if he hits at all given all the fire power this team has in 1-8 at the moment. Still, you don't want to give away at bats.

Chicago cheating bastards! Can't believe Cabby caught that. What a pro. Inge was pretty solid in Spring Training, but what it comes down to is production at the plate. Obviously, he is a defensive upgrade from any available options at 2B right now, but you can't have a void in the 9 spot.

I like The Sauce, but he's definitely not putting up Hudler numbers next season.

Obviously, Raburn at 2B isn't ideal. Then again, neither is Inge. I understand the support for Inge because he's been a good team guy throughout his whole career going from Utitiltyman to Catcher to 3B and now to 2B, but GoWings is right in that Raburn's bat (when operational) is probably worth more in WAR than Inge's glove. I am not a big fan of Raburn whatsoever, but his Spring wasn't a fluke. I think he'll find his stroke. As far as Thomas goes, it's not really a question of him vs. Raburn. His comparable counterpart is Andy Dirks - a younger, slightly faster OF with a better bat and a (Dominican) World Series ring. I wish the best for Clete as he's really handled the situation well, but he could also land significant time elsewhere in the majors and it'll probably be better for everyone. Also, this line-up. I mean come on. Right now the Tigers' line-up is lacking equally at 2B and DH (not that we need another bat) and VMart's return would get this team one step closer to being complete. And, since it's VMart, that's a huge step. I think more than his frozen rope RBIs, the Tigers miss his clubhouse presence. Not to say they need another good clubhouse guy, but Martinez has long been considered one of the best in that regard.

Thanks!

Regardless of allegiances, that's a really great promotion.

The short answer? A lot. I might like today's win the most as a testament to this team. Beating the Sox this weekend was great because A) I hate Red Sox Nation and B) it was done so in spectacular fashion; but today's win was just a solid team effort through and through against a tough team. Obviously, it lacked some of the sensationalism that this weekend's series did, but it's great to see them hang in there and strike when they had the opportunity.

Unlike years past, I don't think I'll be joining in on playoff beardom. I'll be graduating in May and getting married in June.

Wow. Just wow. I had the pleasure of going to yesterday's slugfest/beatdown/thrashing. And today's game? Just wow. After Punto broke the tie in the 11th I thought this game was over. Just wow.

In last night's Kings / Sharks tilt Ryan Clowe broke up a potential 3-on-2 by knocking the puck off of Jarret Stoll's stick - from the bench. The linesmen and referees missed it and there was no call on the play, but it's extremely obvious that he did it. Being a true stand-up guy, Clowe said afterwards, "I have no idea what you guys are talking about," he said. "I'll have to see the video or something; you'll have to show me on video." Video and reaction: http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nhl/story/_/id/7781833/san-jose-sharks-ryane-clowe-makes-unprecedented-bench-move

Agreed. The Sabres are my 'secondary team' so-to-speak - obviously they had a tough season with a lot of setbacks. I was really hoping to see them pull it out, but even if they had made the playoffs they likely would have been completely exhausted by the time they got there.

That streak is unreal. I actually thought to myself, in the bottom of the 8th, that it would be somewhat poetic for Valverde to blow his first opportunity of 2012. Didn't think I would be foreshadowing anything, though. Still a win is a win, a walk-off is great and Jackson, Avila, and Peralta all had really solid games.

Looks like Duane Below will be headed north for Opening Day after all, as Luis Marte has been placed on the DL having been injured in today's blowout loss to the Blue Jays. The Tigers have also placed Brandon Inge on the Disabled List retroactive to March 30, so Thomas, Dirks, and Worth will all be headed north as well. There is going to have to be a firm decision made there soon, though. I think it may be time for Inge to occupy some other role on the team. Like bench coach.