In honor of the late, great Joe Falls, it's a Fish Fry Friday.
The bloodletting has begun. On Thursday, the Tigers started shedding salary, sending centerfielder Cameron Maybin packing for the Los Angeles Angels.
In exchange for Maybin, the Tigers got minor-league right-handed pitcher Victor Alcantara. A starter, Alcantara, 23, had a 4.30 ERA at Double-A Arkansas this past season. He's not considered a top prospect.
There's only one reason the Tigers made the trade. It was all about the money. Maybin is set to make $9 million this coming season. The Tigers had a team option on Maybin. If they bought him out, it would have cost them $1 million. Instead, the Tigers got a prospect and saved the million bucks.
Maybin, 29, had a very good season for the Tigers and was a catalyst. In 2016, he posted his career-best offensive season, hitting .315 with an on-base percentage of .383. Maybin mattered when he played. The Tigers were 51-38 when he started and they were 34-9 when he scored a run.
None of that matters for the 2017 Tigers. The game plan is reducing that $200 million payroll that didn't produce a playoff spot for the second straight season.
Who will play center field for the Tigers next season? The answer is cheap. The Tigers aren't going to go out and spend any money on a player. It could be Anthony Gose, JaCoby Jones or Tyler Collins. All three made less than $525,000 this past season.
The Maybin trade is the start of an offseason GM Al Avila promised would be about slashing payroll and tightening the Tigers financial belt.
JD Martinez's ticket out of town could be next. He's set for a big payday after next season. The Tigers might try to head that off at the pass now.
Lions could be road kill
The Lions have a tough match-up against the Vikings in Minnesota on Sunday.
The Viking (5-2) started the season 5-0 but is currently on a two-game losing streak. They still lead the NFC North.
The Lions (4-4) will need more than the one touchdown they had last week in Houston in order to beat the Vikings.
Many though the Lions needed to be the Texans on the road in order to keep their playoff hopes alive because of the tough task of trying to beat the Vikings.
Instead, the Lions will face a team for the second straight week that is undefeated at home. Minny is 3-0 so far.
QB Matthew Stafford has to play big and make some big plays, beat a solid defense.
Stafford has a 103.4 passer rating, the highest in franchise history through the first eight games.
But on the road is the problem. In his last two road games, at Houston and at Chicago, Stafford has one TD and two picks and a QBR of less than 90.0 in each contest.
Another issue for the Lions has been playing defense against tight ends. the defense has given up 50 catches for 515 yards and eight TDs. Vikings have a former Pro Bowler in Kyle Rudolph, who has 29 receptions, 247 yards and three TDs in just eight career games against Detroit.
World Series strong for MLB
MLB still has its national pastime muscles. It flexed them in the World Series TV ratings. The Cubs-Indians series was a win-win for MLB and Fox.
Game 7 of the World Series Wednesday night - an8-7, 10-inning thriller won by Chicago - scored a 25.2 rating. For comparison, Game 7 of the NBA Finals with LeBron James and Steph Curry did just a 18.9 TV rating. MLB's Game 7 topped 40 million viewers, making it the most-watched baseball game in 25 years. Overall, this World Series had a 14.9 rating, making it the highest-rated WS since 2004.
In addition, Game 7 was the most-watched program outside of the presidential debates since the Super Bowl in February.
Baseball captured the eyes of America, fans wanting to see history in the making as the Cubs won a World Series for the first time since 1908. It pure magic - compelling and heart-stopping.
I watched every pitch of all seven games. I couldn't turn away.
Parker's Pro Pick: Vikings 31, Lions 17.
