Cubs = Tigers food

♦ Finally, the Tigers kick Chicago around the horn, from left field to right, and up over the wall. A combined score of 26-9? Eight home runs yesterday? Okay, it was the Cubs, not the White Sox. And from most accounts, Wrigley Field sounded like Comerica Park West at times. But maybe they took notice down on the south side. And two of the recent thorns in the Tigers' paws got pulled over the weekend, with Todd Jones notching a 1-2-3 save on Friday and Chris Shelton hitting two homers on Sunday.

♦ No truth to the rumor (started by me, just now) that Dmitri Young called the Tigers' dugout from California, asking if he could come in to pinch-hit.

♦ Hey, at least the Cubs didn't get stomped like the Twins did by this Tigers dynamo back in April.

♦ I've been watching a lot of baseball recently, studying it for my blog and magazine writing. And I think it's increased my knowledge of the sport, which leads me to insightful observations like this one: Mark Prior didn't look very good yesterday. I think he's still hurt. Think that could score me a gig on "Baseball Tonight"? Maybe I could sub for Tino Martinez.

♦ But for Tigers fans, wasn't it fun to see the other team's pitcher knocked around like a pinata? I loved how Prior refused to look back when Shelton drove his first home run to centerfield, only to finally peek over his shoulder once the ball went into the bleachers. Dammitdammitdammit... okay, how far did that one go?

♦ And while I'm at it, Roberto Novoa didn't exactly make the Tigers regret trading him, did he? Four home runs? A double to Kenny Rogers? U-G-L-Y.

♦ Even "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" was embarrassing for the Cubs. Gotta love Ari.

(Photo by Jeff Roberson/ AP)