Sports: Last Place Tigers Count on Verlander

Tigers

The Detroit Tigers look to snap a four game losing skid as they open a three-game series Tuesday against the Royals in Kansas City.

Justin Verlander will look to stay hot as he starts for Detroit against Jonny Cueto for KC.   Broadcast time is 7:45 on WBCK.

Cubs Get Austin Jackson

The Cubs have picked up former Tigers’ outfielder Austin Jackson for their playoff run, getting him from Seattle for a player to be named. Jackson was hitting .272 with eight homers and 38 RBIs in 107 games this season.  He gives the Cubs' outfield depth and defense as the team tries to nail down its first postseason berth since 2008.

Lions

The Lions have activated running back Joique Bell off the physically unable to perform list and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata off the active/non-football injury list.  Bell has missed all of training camp while recovering from knee and Achilles tendon surgeries.  Ngata has been out with a hamstring problem.   The Lions released nine players Monday, including wide receiver Ryan Broyles, as the team works towards today’s roster limit of 75.   Broyles, a promising wide receiver, wasn’t able to overcome injuries he sustained in college and in the NFL.  In addition to Broyles the other eight that were cut are tight end Deon Butler, quarterback Garrett Gilbert, receiver Vernon Johnson, running back Desmond Martin, defensive tackle Roy Philon, cornerback Jocquel Skinner, cornerback R.J. Stanford and defensive end Erik Williams.   The Lions also pulled off a trade Monday acquiring pass catching tight end Timothy Wright from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for backup kicker Kyle Brindza.  Brindza converted all three of his field-goal attempts this preseason for the Lions, who signed him as an undrafted college free agent out of Notre Dame.  Detroit wraps up the preseason against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field on Thursday night.

Cousins to Start instead of RG3

Washington coach Jay Gruden has announced that former Spartan Kirk Cousins will be his starting quarterback for the season over Robert Griffin III.

RG3 was thought to have the job until he was held out of Saturday's preseason game because of a concussion suffered the previous week.   Coach Gruden says Cousins will give the team their best chance to win.

College Football

There are just 2 days until Jim Harbaugh makes his Wolverines coaching debut as Michigan opens the season Thursday at Utah.

The question of who starts at quarterback for Michigan remains. On Monday Michigan released its first official depth chart of the 2015 season. It lists fifth-year senior Jake Rudock OR junior Shane Morris as the team's first-string quarterback.  Michigan State plays the Friday night at Western Michigan.  The MAC’s 13 Head Football Coaches have voted in a 2015 Preseason Poll.   Northern Illinois have been selected to win the West Division, followed by Toledo and then Western Michigan.  CMU and EMU bring up the rear in the West. Bowling Green was picked to win the East.

Central hosts Oklahoma State on Thursday and Eastern hosts Old Dominion on Saturday.

US Open Opens

Rafael Nadal managed to win his first U.S. Open match since 2013, despite dropping a set along the way.  Top-ranked Novak Djokovic breezed to a first round win.  Serena Williams began her bid to complete a calendar-year Grand Slam, moving into the second round when her Russian opponent stopped playing because of an injury.   CoCo Vandeweghe beat fellow American Sloane Stephens in straight sets.  Venus Williams, at 35, the oldest woman in the field, won a tough three-set match on a hot day.

Deflategate Back in Court

A final decision on Tom Brady's punishment now rests in the hands of Judge Richard Berman after the Patriots quarterback and Commissioner Roger Goodell failed to reach an agreement yesterday. Berman says he expects to rule as early as today whether Brady must serve a four-game suspension to start the season for his alleged role in using underinflated footballs during the playoffs last season. Goodell upheld the suspension in July, and the NFL Players Association wants the punishment nullified.

Chad Curtis Civil Suit

Former MLB player Chad Curtis says the young women who accuse him of sexual misconduct at a Michigan high school are looking for a payday.

Curtis made the remarks Monday by video from a Michigan prison where he's serving a seven-year sentence for criminal sexual conduct.

He's being sued in federal court by the same women who say they were molested as students when he worked at Lakewood High School in 2011.

Curtis is representing himself in the civil lawsuit. Much of the hearing involved procedures for upcoming depositions. Magistrate Judge Ellen Carmody won't let him directly question the women. Curtis says the four women are liars who are seeking a "possible monetary windfall."

He played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and other teams between 1992 and 2001.

Tiger Tracker….brought to you by Michigan Tile and Carpet and by Moonraker West.

The Tigers have lost 9 of their last 10, including 4 straight to fall into last place in the Central Division, 20 games behind the Royals.   They’ve dropped a full 8 games out of the race for the final wild card spot, with Texas and eight other teams.  The Tigers have taken a pretty steep nose dive since trading three top players for younger players.   It may have taken the wind out of their sails at a crucial time in the season, but even with David Price and Joachim Soria pitching, they wouldn’t be much better off.  Price may have helped them a few more wins, but the hitting has been so bad that they haven’t even had a need for a closer in the bullpen.   Yoenis Cespedes might have helped them offensively, but would it have made much of a difference?   Probably not, but attitude and confidence are pretty much everything.   This team is sad right now.   And they’re playing the second best team in baseball tonight.   Go Lions.