Sooner or later, it comes down to pitching. Always has. Always will.
        The Tigers are currently in first place in the Central Division because Justin Verlander has five wins, 60 strikeouts and an 0.85 ERA in his last six starts, because 20-year-old Rick Porcello is the second youngest pitcher in major league history to post a 5-0 record and an ERA of 1.50 or lower in five consecutive starts, and because the Tiger pitchers lead the league with a 3.90 ERA -- compared to 4.90 last season.
        Do the math.
        Meanwhile, Jim Leyland, who doesn’t appreciate it when people in the media try to manage his team, is getting increasingly irritated by the all of the speculation  over when Jeremy Bonderman, now on rehab assignment with Toledo, will again take his rightful place in the Tigers’ starting rotation -- and whom Bondo will replace.
        In Baltimore on Thursday night, the Tigers’ manager, who was mad at his team, took it out on the press, tossing them all out of office after somebody asked what Leyland felt was one too many questions about struggling Armando Galarraga’s status on the staff.
        By the way, Bonderman will throw again for the Mud Hens on Sunday night.