To the best of my knowledge, Fernando Rodney does not speak a word of Chinese. And Fu-Te Ni doesn’t speak Spanish.
        Yet there the two relievers were, on the Tigers’ last homestand, huddled along with Ni’s interpreter near the far corner of the noisy locker room, quietly discussing the fine art of pitching, with their limited English as the common ground.
        Ni would ask a question in Chinese. Ni’s interpreter, Fox, would translate that inquiry into English. Rodney, with gestures and with words, would respond. And Fox would then translate Rodney’s answer into Chinese for the nodding Ni.
        In my 40 years around big league baseball, I had never witnessed a scene quite like it.
        That conversation will never show up in a box score -- not directly, anyway. But to me, it was indicative of the attitude that prevails on this Tiger team.
        Elsewhere, unfortunately, the bullpen news was not so good.
        Star-crossed Joel Zumaya, who felt more pain in his shoulder when he tried to throw after receiving two cortisone shots last week, was reportedly slated to be examined Thursday by orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews.
        Andrews could recommend immediate surgery, or prescribe most rest.
        Zumaya reportedly has a bone fragment from the stress fracture his suffered last season floating around in his shoulder. Sooner or later, that is going to have to be removed,