What if?

Something to think about for what’s left of the off day and into Friday: Somebody said to me the other day that now that the Tigers are in a pennant race, they must look back at the trade deadline and have second thoughts that they didn’t do something bigger. I basically dismissed it. Even if you knew this race was going to be close down the stretch, I still don’t believe you give up Cameron Maybin in a deal for Alfonso Soriano — not if you believe Maybin is a star player in the making, and not if you can’t feel confident Soriano is back here next year. And if you play Monday morning QB on a Carlos Lee trade, you have to ask yourself how much trouble this team would be in with less pitching than they have now, and possibly without Craig Monroe if he had been included.

But I’ll left you folks debate that. Do you now wish the Tigers would’ve pulled the trigger on a big trade back in July? How much better would this team be right now with someone like Soriano, and how much worse off would they be down the road?

One more note: If you’re one of those fools who’s glad that Francisco Liriano is hurt, then I’d like to introduce you to Northern Colorado’s backup punter.