Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson and Justin Verlander are all off to terrible starts for the Tigers. Verlander is the most puzzling because his stuff still has looked great. But, in his 4 starts he is 0-3 with a 7.03 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Nate Robertson has just been truly awful so far this season. He has started 4 games this season and he is 0-2 with a 7.48 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP. Kenny Rogers is starting to look his age on the mound and that’s not a good thing for the Tigers. He has started 4 games this season and he is 1-3 with a 6.33 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. The Tigers are now 6-13 on the season which has them in last place in the American League Central, 5.5 games behind the White Sox. The Tigers need Verlander, Rogers and Robertson to get back on track because the Tigers bullpen still appears to be weak.

Jacque Jones, Marcus Thames, Gary Sheffied and Placido Polanco are all below the Mendoza Line right now. Polanco has been bothered by a bad back so far this season and that might explain some of his problems. But if it’s bothering him as much as it appears that it is he needs to shut it down for a while because he’s hurting the team right now. Polanco has played in 14 games this season and he is 8 for 54 (.148 avg, .469 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 4 RBIs. Gary Sheffield has been complaining about his shoulder again and that could be why he is slumping right now. He has played in 15 games for the Tigers this season and he is 10 for 52 (.192 avg, .672 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 1 homer, 2 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Jacque Jones and Marcus Thames were supposed to be a powerful platoon in left field but that hasn’t been the case so far this season. They are a combined 13 for 70 (.186 avg) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs. The Tigers need all of these guys to play up to their abilities or they might have trouble scoring runs and I never thought that could be possible with this lineup.

The Tigers have lost minor league lefty Macay McBride for the entire 2008 season. McBride will undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left elbow soon. The Tigers would have likely given McBride another chance at some point this season if he was healthy.

The Detroit Tigers have placed lefty Dontrelle Willis on the 15-day disabled list with a hyperextended right knee. Willis has started 2 games for the Tigers this season and he is 0-0 with a 7.20 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP. Willis has only allowed 1 hit in 5 innings this season but he has walked 9 batters without striking out anyone. The Tigers have recalled righty Armando Galarraga to replace Willis in the rotation.

The Tigers have signed 30-year old lefty Casey Fossum to a minor league contract. Fossum pitched in 40 games (10 starts) for the Devil Rays last season and he was 5-8 with a 7.70 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. He has now pitched in 203 games (120 starts) in his major league career and he is 37-52 with 2 saves, a 5.46 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. The Tigers might need help for the pitching staff but signing Fossum won’t give them much.