THE TIGERS ARE GOOD NOW, I GUESS

Remember when everyone thought that the Tigers were going to disband after starting so slow? Remember that? Yeah? When they were bad and couldn't win a game and everyone thought they were going to go 0-162 and that Jim Leyland was going to be out of a job by mid-April? When signing Miguel Carbrera was the worst mistake since the Macarena and that Justin Verlander had peaked at age 24 or whatever? Remember?

Well that group of has beens just swept the Yankees at the Stadium, are only 1.5 games back at the end of April, and have everything going the right way.

"We're that light on the oncoming train," closer Todd Jones proclaimed after the Tigers finished off their three-game sweep of the Yankees on Thursday night to step onto the brink of break-even.

Two and a half weeks ago, they were the 2-10 cautionary tale of baseball, a collection of injured position players, ineffective starters and rehabbing relievers. It hasn't all been a masterpiece since, especially on the injury front, and they haven't won more than four games in a row. Yet by winning seven of their last nine and 11 of their last 16, they're close enough to erase the memory of their opening homestand.

The Twins are fresh off a riveting two game sweep (which is just Un-American) of the South Side Rats. Livan on the bump. Baby Jesus Joe Mauer swinging well. It's Friday night and you don't got shit to do.