Detroit Tigers Links: ’84 reunion at The Corner, who’s to blame for struggles & home cap #1

Jun 7, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander (right) clowns around with catcher Alex Avila (left) before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

At 1984 World Series champs reunion, former Detroit Tigers should visit Michigan and Trumbull – Joe LaPointe, MLive

"So why not have the 1984 Tigers return for a brief, evening visit on June 30 to the actual field where they fulfilled their dreams? Think of it as sort of a flip-of-the-script from that movie “Field of Dreams.”A new voice could intone: “If you tear it down, they will come back anyway.”The Tigers could televise such a visit on their scoreboard screen at Comerica and even get it on local television during live newscasts. Should the players show, the founder of the groomers group promises his 25-member crew will prepare the field well for a few tosses and maybe fungoes and grounders, too. Or, perhaps, just a perfect photo-op."

To this day, I have a recurring dream where Tiger Stadium still stands and the Detroit Tigers play a couple of series there each season. When I wake up, I’m a little sad that the dream was not reality.

Are the Detroit Tigers their own worst enemy? – Joe White, iSportsWeb

"But those expecting or hoping for change aren’t likely to see it. The Tigers are who they are, even with the new faces who were expected to change the landscape. Their fight is a 162-game battle, not a game-by-game crisis. They’ve been around the block long enough to know that the law of averages will play out and that the cream almost always rises to the top. Or at least it has lately.They’re comfortable with that, as uncomfortable as it is to watch. But press cruise control enough times, start getting heavy-eyed as the traffic comes nearer, and your chances of getting passed by a hungry young driver increases by the mile.Tread lightly, Tigers, because eventually ‘more of the same’ has a funny way of backfiring. Actually, scratch that, don’t tread lightly, get angry and stake your claim to what is rightfully yours."

One thing that comforts fans during this awful stretch is 2012. On June 13, 2012, the Tigers were 22-29, five games out of first place. Of course, they got hot when it counted and won the division, and would later advance to the World Series. You can’t really compare 2012 to this year, though. The teams in the AL Central are vastly superior in 2014.

Who’s to Blame for the Detroit Tigers’ Struggles? – Chris Burke, The Detroit Sports Site

"3. Torii Hunter: Hunter is playing the worst defense of his life and has an OBP of .290 — his meaningless eighth-inning walk Wednesday was his first since May 22. Alternating between the No. 2 and No. 5 hole in the lineup, Hunter has not been able to move runners up and certainly is not driving in runs frequently enough.2. Joe Nathan: Three of the losses in this stretch can be connected directly to Nathan — two blown saves plus a choke job in a tie game. Chamberlain’s blown save vs. Boston is partially on Nathan’s hands, too, because he forced himself out of action that night by nearly gagging away a four-run edge the night before.1. Justin Verlander: The ace no longer. Verlander’s velocity was up Wednesday night, and he still managed to surrender seven runs in a loss (again, some of that is on Ausmus). Verlander has lost four of his last five starts, and in those outings has coughed up 26 earned runs."

Brad Ausmus makes the top four. Interestingly enough, Jim Leyland took spot 1A.

Detroit Tigers Home Hat Ranked #1 By USA Today – Evan Jankens, CBS Detroit

"The ranking goes as follows:10. Boston Red Sox (alternate)9. Minnesota Twins (home)8. Los Angeles Dodgers7. San Diego Padres (alternate)6. Oakland Athletics (road)5. New York Yankees4. Milwaukee Brewers (alternate)3. Colorado Rockies (home)2. Chicago White Sox1. Detroit Tigers (home)"

Can’t argue with this logic one bit.