Pieces fitting together for Tigers

On Thursday, it was the same story. The Cubs had one error, the home team zero. The Tigers' infield defense is sublime, with Brandon Inge and Adam Everett sealing the left side, and Miguel Cabrera joining Placido Polanco in nailing down anything hit to the right half.

But the trade for Edwin Jackson, the arrival of Rick Porcello, and the ability to patch up with either Zach Miner, Alfredo Figaro, etc., has allowed the Tigers to stitch together a solid rotation and keep just enough pressure off a bullpen that otherwise would by now have exploded.

Then notice the gaffe by Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly on Thursday. After running the bat-dragging Magglio Ordonez into an 0-2 hole in the fourth inning in which the second strike was a fastball that left Ordonez overmatched, Lilly followed with a change-up that Ordonez was able to lift into the seats in left. And you thought Joel Zumaya committed a head-shaker in throwing a bad change-up to Micah Hoffpauir Tuesday night.

This year: seven doubles, two triples. But he has 17 home runs. Not sure how that set of numbers can be constructed if you're Granderson, although Inge, who averaged just over 28 doubles from 2005-07, and who has nine in 2009, also sits with 17 homers. Bigger, apparently, is better for two batters who this season should each finish well above 30 homers.

Rodney has more the mindset of a set-up man. But with his fastball-change-up combination, he has stuff good enough to knock out batters.

Even when you figure this team, with all of its challenges, shouldn't win, the Tigers win. And they just might keep it up as they craft their unique blueprint.

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