Quentin Berry, HE'S The Man!

In this afternoon's tenth inning, QB singled through a drawn-in infield to plate Ramon Santiago and give the Tigers a 2-1 walkoff win, and a series win over the Cardinals. 

Minor league rosters are dotted with players like Quentin Lonell Berry, who never became big-league stars only because they never got the chance.

QLB was drafted by the Phillies, but buried in the minors while Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, and Raul Ibanez patrolled the Phillie outfield. The Padres and Mets, whose knack for appraising ballplayers might explain why the Pads have this season's worst record so far, and why the Mets in general suck, let him get away. At Carolina, the Reds' Double-A team, he was behind Jay Bruce, but who were these guys named Gomes and Stubbs? (The Reds finished third in 2011 with them in the outfield, without Berry.)

The big league club is loaded with talent. Someone is owed a lot of money. The GM's wife likes Player X, but not Player Y. Player Z reads books that don't have pictures in them. All reasons why players who deserve the opportunity to prove themselves big leaguers never get it.  "Full many a flower is born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air" -- Thomas Gray. Or Yogi Berra, I get them mixed up ...

Scherzer Fans Twelve

And he didn't walk any, which is just as good. 

Scherzer this season has been one of baseball's most baffling pitchers. He's averaging eleven and a half strikeouts per nine innings, but has allowed 90 hits in 78 innings. With that many hits per nine, you can't be walking people. No runs in eight this afternoon lowered his ERA to 5.17. 

But he stood the Rox on their heads, and that foreshadows more mound success.

Quentin Berry had five singles in five at bats. He's hitting .333 and remains baseball's best-kept secret. 

The first four in the lineup are, in fact, over .300. QB, Jackson at .323, and Cabrera and Fielder who've been there all year.

So see? Get Jackson and Fister back, get Max back in his groove, and good things will happen. Just wait until Andy Dirks returns. The printing of playoff tickets can resume, full speed ahead. 

And out favorite Tiger?

Rugburn struck out on three pitches pinch hitting in the eighth, standing there comme la maison au bord du chemin.