What is Dombrowski going to do about Craig Monroe? He is killing us today, and he’s strangling this offense. Today he has grounded into a double play (after a single and immediately before a double), and he has struck out with the bases loaded.

Something must be done about the DH situation. Having a guy with a .270 OBP in there will kill your team sooner or later. Craig Monroe has never been a good baseball player, despite what the fans say about him.

But Monroe is an RBI man. Look, he got one today (at least through six, there’s still time for more). Man, he knows how to bunt.

Yes, I’m rattling your cage.

Hey, forget it for today! What a game by Verlander!

I am always knocking Jim Leyland, so I’d like to take this opportunity to praise him for taking Verlander out of the game after the 8th inning. He was at 97 pitches, and it was a chance for a complete game shutout. I don’t know if Verlander opted out of this one on his own or what, but you don’t see pitchers doing that very often. My guess is that Leyland made the call, and it was a smart one. The guy is a rookie, and he’s looking at a larger workload this year than he’s ever had before. Kudos for Leyland for using his head here and not doing what pretty much every manager in baseball would have done. We’re going to need Verlander later on in the summer. Maybe in the fall.

I was thinking the same thing. This is a guy who’s never thrown 150 innings, much less 200. No sense wearing that arm out if we don’t have too.

Dan’s comments lead me to try to spread a trade idea I’m trying to get into the public consciousness. Trade one of our lesser used pitchers (Colon, Grilli) to the Blue Jays for Frank Catalanotto. We get a lefty to play left field; Monroe becomes our fourth outfielder, and the Jays get somebody to fill their fifth rotation spot. (Towers was just sent to Syracuse)

Everybody wins, and nobody loses too much.

we don’t win because Monroe is still on the team. I want him gone. There are reports today that Dmitri Young is headed toledo to do a rehab stint so we will be “blessed” with his garbage brand of baseball again soon.

I think Monroe would work fine as a fourth outfielder. I’d rather have him holding that position than Alexis Gomez.

As for Dmitri, the reports I saw say they’re in no hurry for him to get back, and that he’ll have to show his swing is back before they’ll promote him to Detroit. Dmitri with “his swing back” isn’t a bad thing as long as it doesn’t cost Thames at bats.

Interesting idea…I’d love to have the Cat back, but they’ve got him cranking in a platoon over there in Toronto pretty well, I doubt they’d do it.

Yeah, they are doing well with that platoon, and they’re now nipping at the Yankees’ heels. Also, Grilli and Colon together probably wouldn’t be enough to get a decent hitter.

I’ve been trumpeting Craig Wilson, who I think fits perfectly, but he jacked his arm yesterday, so forget that idea. I’m not sure why the idea of Abreu has been summarily dismissed. That would be great, and Phillies, whether they like it or not, are out of the race.

Geoff Jenkins’ name has been bandied about, but the Brewers still think they have a shot. With Sheets and Ohka due back soon, they might be right.

We’re going to need someone though, because we can’t count on Monroe/Gomez, and we can’t count on the pitchers keeping this up. I think they’re great, but not this great in the long run.

So let’s get a hitter, right-handed or left-handed. A good hitter.