Like stripes on the fur coat of a tiger...

▪▪ When I first heard about the Tigers' various roster moves late last night, I wasn't in much of a condition to comprehend the shuffling. Thankfully, Billfer, Kurt, and Danny Knobler are around to explain it to me.

Wil Ledezma's starting on Wednesday in the Bronx because Mike Maroth isn't ready yet, while Colby Lewis and Brent Clevlen are back down to the minors, making room for Alexis Gomez and Andrew Miller (who was pitching for North Carolina back in June)? Do I have that right? It should all be clear to me after another cup of coffee.

▪▪ So this Miller kid must be pretty good, eh? (Paging Captain Obvious... ! Did I mention I have a headache?) From Omaha to New York in a couple of months. That's a reality TV show I might have watched. Jim Leyland says he wanted Miller up here, and I have to say, it could be interesting to bring that kind of power left-handed arm out of the bullpen late in the season (and post-season).

▪▪ At The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Billfer also makes the case for Marcus Thames. Let's hope Leyland reads DTW regularly.

▪▪ They're feeling a little Kenny Rogers envy in Cleveland, apparently. Where would the Tigers be right now, had he signed with the Indians instead?

▪▪ Useless stat of the weekend? (Not these stats.) In the ninth inning of Cleveland's 4-3 win over Detroit on Friday, reliever Rafael Betancourt tugged the bill of his cap 130 times. That Jacobs Field press box must be an exciting place...

▪▪ Proving that Weavers were apparently never meant to play in Detroit, the Lions cut tight end Jed Weaver yesterday. Jed is a cousin of former Tiger Jeff Weaver.

▪▪ This is Tigers-related, isn't it? At some point next year, Shawn Green - now of the New York Mets - will likely break Hank Greenberg's record for career home runs by a Jewish player.