Alex Avila's slump a major mess, but Tigers can't replace him right now

No, I don't believe Alex Avila's circumstance -- his dad, Al, happens to be the Tigers assistant general manager -- has a thing to do with him remaining on the roster as he slogs through one of the uglier slumps a former All-Star Game starter has endured.

Like it or not, Jose Valverde is Tigers' best closing option

Valverde has been back in town six weeks. They have been six nervous weeks for fans who do not trust the Tigers closer to finish a game without some degree of trauma. And yet here are his numbers: Sixteen games, eight saves.

Tigers might need Nick Castellanos' bat to help secure playoff spot

Nick Castellanos might want to consider a weekly, rather than monthly, apartment lease at Toledo. You could make a case for the Tigers calling their top prospect to Detroit. Soon.

Tigers closer Jose Valverde proves he’s still got it

Valverde has six saves and a 0.75 ERA. Against his pitches opposing batters are hitting .077. Because of Valverde’s knack for handling the ninth, Tigers manager Jim Leyland now has a bullpen that is more functional, more efficient, more trustworthy.

Alex Avila’s protracted slump creates dilemma for Tigers’ brass

Replacing a catcher is different from making a staff change at another position. That’s because a catcher works as an extension of a pitcher. It is the biggest reason why Avila’s bosses, so far, have refrained from sending him to Triple A Toledo.

• Photos: Tigers honor 1968 world champs
• Photos: Twins 3, Tigers 2

Justin Verlander can't be the Tigers' ace all the time

Count a certain white-haired scribe among those who sometimes fail to acknowledge Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander is one of us. Because he spins no-hitters and wins Cy Young and MVP awards, the baseball world tends to expect infallibility each time he pitches.

• Photos: Tigers 7, Twins 6

Tigers may have no choice but to send down Alex Avila

If he doesn’t pull out of this spiral, and in a hurry, the Tigers will be left with no practical choice but to return Avila, 26, to Triple A Toledo for a head-clearing stint that might put him back on track.

This is why the Tigers refused to dump Rick Porcello in a trade

Porcello has had one bad start in 2013. He has four consecutive quality starts (six innings or more, three or fewer earned runs allowed) after winning Friday night’s pitching fest that saw the Tigers tip the Rangers, 2-1.