I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention former manager and god of shortstopping (new word, really!) Alan Trammell was hired Monday to be the Chicago Cubs’ bench coach.

Good for him. I am convinced that Trammell should have gone this direction in the first place. He should make for an excellent coach, and I’m glad to see him back in the game.

“We are extremely happy to add Alan to the staff,” said Cubs general manager Jim Hendry. “His credentials on the field as a player, instructor and coach speak for themselves. He will be an invaluable person for Lou Piniella to lean on during the game, and he brings a special expertise in working with our infielders.”

“I think Trammell’s probably, as a coach in the big leagues, is probably one of the best coaches,” Tigers catcher Vance Wilson told the Detroit Free Press. “He’s so passionate about the game. He knows so much. Obviously, as far as being the manager, it didn’t work out. But as far as being in the game, the guy absolutely deserves and should be in the game.”

On a day Kenny Rogers wins his 200th game, the Tigers dominating bats were as much a part of the story in a 12-3 victory Sunday. (And, actually, I couldn’t find any Rogers pictures from today.) Three home runs in the first inning vaulted Detroit to eight for the game, including two dingers each by Chris Shelton and Brandon Inge.

For the series, the Tigers racked up 26 runs on 37 hits. Ten hits were homers, three were triples and eight were doubles. Yes, that’s 21 extra-base hits in three days. Unless I made a typo somewhere, I believe that’s .723 slugging for the series. While Chicago’s pitching has struggled a bit this year, those Tigers bats were way hot.

The eight homers tied a Tigers record set June 20, 2000, at Toronto, and matched the season high by a Cubs opponent. Atlanta hit eight against Chicago on May 28. (From the AP story)

But you can’t credit the Wrigley wind, as Detroit pitching held Chicago to three runs per game. Five of the nine runs came by solo homer.

Meanwhile, Rogers pitched eight innings, allowing just two runs (both homers) on four hits and a walk.

Rogers (10-3) became the fifth active pitcher with at least 200 wins, joining Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, David Wells and Jamie Moyer. (AP story)

Detroit has won 4-of-4, 8-of-9, 9-of-11, whichever you prefer. I’m going to miss Wrigley. A Brew Crew series in Milwaukee starts tomorrow.

One of the more interesting points to me has been the Tigers fans, not taking over, but definitely giving a strong showing at Wrigley Field. Obviously, as has been pointed out, there’s a lot of Michigan transplants in Chicago. As, unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of Michigan transplants everywhere, I wonder if we’ll see more of this over the course of the summer. That, coupled with the fact this is among the best starts in Tigers history, is starting to give me the feeling this is one of those magical seasons. But there’s a lot of baseball yet to be played, and Tigers fans are certainly experts by now on not getting expectations too high.

Detroit AP Sports Editor Larry Lage wrote about the Tigers turnaround in a column/feature today.

Leyland, who was signed by the Tigers as a minor-league catcher in 1963 and was one of their farm-system managers for 11 seasons, already has reached one of his goals by making the Motor City care about baseball again.

‘I think the organization has a pulse again,’ Leyland said. ‘But I don’t think we’re home free yet.’

…

‘It’s good to have a payback time,’ said former Tigers star Willie Horton, a special assistant to president and general manager Dave Dombrowski. ‘Baseball is about believing, and these guys walk around like they’re listening to ‘The Eye of the Tiger’ from the old ‘Rocky’ movie in their heads.’

And here’s an MLB.com story on Tigers fans at Wrigley.

Tigers fans made so much noise they had players guessing how many were actually in attendance.

Closer Todd Jones said he thought there were about 30-40 percent Detroit fans. Third baseman Brandon Inge said he thought it was more like 70 percent.

Whatever the numbers were, it was a bit of a shock to players.

Prior’s return a tough one

Not a big Cubs fan, but you hate to see a guy like Mark Prior try to come back from injury and play the home-run hitting Tigers. I really thought Chicago should have pitched him Monday. He’s had a tough start, giving up a pair of first-inning home runs and a walk, as well as committing a throwing error on a bunt by Vance Wilson.

Looks like a taxing day for the Cubbies’ bullpen is coming up.

Make that three home runs, as Shelton went long to center field. Way long.

And a two-run home by Vance Wilson, batting third and making Leyland look like he knows the future, knocked Prior out of the game down 8-1 in the fourth.

Kenny Rogers has a nice cushion as he seeks win No. 200.

Cal State Fullerton on ESPN

Fullerton is playing Georgia Tech on ESPN during the Tigers game right now. In this double elimination College World Series, a Fullerton loss bounces them from the tournament and robs you any chance of seeing Tigers draftee Lauren Gagnier. If you caught the extra innings game against North Carolina Friday, you saw the starter give up two runs in relief in a losing extra-innings effort.

UPDATE: Fullerton staved off elimination, 7-5.

WGN says Tigers have that swagger

Remember during Spring Training when Jim Leyland said the Tigers lacked for attitude and needed to get that swagger? The WGN announcers said the Tigers have it. While I think WGN was blacked out in Detroit, being in the Upper Peninsula and always enjoying the chance to hear the out-of-town view I watched the Cubbies’ broadcast. WGN color man (and World Series winning manager) Bob Brenley said the Tigers have the swagger only the best ballclubs carry with them. Not an overconfidence, just a knowledge they can and will get the job done, and the ability to do so when they smell blood.

New Tigers Blog

Detroit Tigers Thoughts. It has a piece looking at Humberto Sanchez today. Check it out.

Score early and often was the plan for the day. Detrot tagged the Cubs for four runs in two innings. Chicago manager Dusty Baker didn’t quite like the strategy and got some good relief pitching before falling, 5-3. Second City native Curtis Granderson reached base in his first four at bats, scored twice and drove in a run. Nate Robertson earned a quality start, allowing just two runs in seven innings. (And, I might add, got his first major league hit stolen by Chicago center fielder Juan Pierre). And Todd Jones looked a bit more like the guy who earned 18 saves this year than whoever’s been wearing his beard for the past two weeks. Actually, as uneventful as today’s save was, he didn’t look much more like Todd Jones, either.
With the win, Detroit’s won seven of its past nine and improved to a league-leading 44 wins, 20 games over .500 again for the year.