Richard Verlander Sr. told Celebuzz, “I  heard he has been on dates with a Sports Illustrated girl. I saw a photo — she’s beautiful. They make a good looking pair because he’s a good looking man too. I do know he’s on the dating scene. Justin is a fine boy and whoever he ends up with is lucky. He’s not only a great baseball player, he’s a great guy.”

The couple have been linked together since July and were photographed together in late September when the Tigers played the Chicago White Sox. Verlander’s grandpa isn’t the first family member to hint at their relationship. Upton’s uncle and Michigan Congressman (R) Fred Upton said he was rooting for the Detroit Tigers and Justin Verlander for family reasons. The fact that his niece is on the cover of SI and is dating the Tiger’s ace should help Congressman’s Upton reelection in November.

“This is a slightly twisted ankle. You know, swollen, but it doesn’t appear to be serious,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “But it’s obviously serious enough that he won’t pitch tomorrow. I wanted to tell you exactly how it happened so there wouldn’t be any speculation about his arm or anything,”

Scherzer is recovering from a sore right shoulder and was scheduled to pitch in the last regular season game to warm up his arm after sitting out his previous start due to the injury. The quality left hander averaged 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings, which is the most among Tigers franchise pitchers.

A teammate accidentally stepped on Scherzer’s ankle as the Tigers stormed the mound during the team’s 6-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals to earn a playoff spot.

On Saturday, Upton and Verlander further fueled romance rumors when Upton was seen at Comerica Park sporting a Tigers hat at the Detroit-Kansas City game. Though from Michigan, Upton is a noted Yankees fan. Upton and Verlander co-starred in a commercial together for the MLB 2012 video game earlier this year posted below!

Justin Verlander stopped by Conan to talk about winning the AL MVP and his love for taco bell!

Leyland reveled his dirty little secret when he told reporters: “I will wear these underwear until we lose. I can tell you that right now. And they will not be washed. And I don’t give a (expletive) who knows it.”

Along with his underwear, Leyland has worn the same pair of socks since that streak began, which now has holes in them.

“I told (Jim) Schmakel [Tigers clubhouse manager] if somebody threw them out, that would be the end,” Leyland said.

Leyland has good reason to be cautious, the Tigers have blown notorious leads in September during the last month of the MLB season… but now its only the competition smelling fear. The Tigers have a 14 game lead in the AL Central division.

Cabrera was discovered by police drinking a bottle of scotch on the side of the road after his car broke down. The 27-year old was en route to the Tiger’ spring training camp from his South Florida home and resisted arrest from police.

The DUI arrest marks Cabrera’s second public battle with alcohol in the past two years. In 2009, during a playoff race, Cabrera had to be picked up at a police station by Dumbrowski after police were called to his home for domestic violence. Cabrera had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit and scratches on is face. The following day, the Tigers lost to the Chicago White Sox and failed to make the post-season. Last January, it was reported Cabrera had a three month stint in rehab.

The time line of the projected sale means that Detroit Red Wings and Tigers owner, Mike Ilitch will not become a triple threat. Ilitch scored an exclusive agreement to negotiate the sale of the team, but the deal expired after one month without a deal reached.

Davidson and Citibank said if they could not find a buyer willing to pay an excess of $400 million for the Pistons, they may have to wait until the economy rebounds or sell the team to a foreign investor. The Pistons have already sparked the interests of Middle East investors, making many fans worry that the Pistons will have to relocate.

As owner of both the Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and possibly the Detroit Pistons, Ilitch has done a lot for the city. In 2009, after both GM and Chrsyler were bailed out by Congress, Ilitch did not charge a bankrupt GM for the Comerica Park Fountain sponsorship. Instead, Ilitch put up a sign saying, “The Detroit Tigers Support our Automakers.”

When asked about the fountain, Ilitch said, ” I wanted to help. I kept asking myself, ‘What can I do to help?’ I’ve always viewed GM, Ford and Chrysler as pillars of strength in our community, and I understand the ups and downs that a business must endure. To me, it’s a small way of showing our support and saying thank you for all the times they’ve been there for this community.”

Ilitch’s past support of the US auto industry is why many fans are angry and upset he would choose to give away a Honda instead of one of an American car. The Red Wings released an official statement saying:

“The Detroit Red Wings and National Hockey League both have a long history of working with a wide variety of corporate sponsors, including all of the local automakers. Corporate sponsors add tremendous value to the fan experience and the overall success of the franchise. We have strongly supported the Detroit three automakers over many years and look forward to continuing those relationships.”

I think the best way to sum up my feelings on this is in the words of blogger Itsalwayssunnyindetroit.com, “How much will Honda be kicking in for this new Wings/Pistons super combo arena? I’ll chime in with a guess of zero dollars and zeroty-five cents. This is a farce and a half. But ya know what, this promotion may make me decide to buy a ticket to this game. I hope I do win the car. I’ll gladly accept the keys and then chuck them in the Detroit River. You’ve made a lot of decent decisions, Mr. Ilitch. But this one, this one shouldn’t fly.”

Image via DetroitTigers.com

Legendary baseball manager Sparky Anderson has passed away at age 83 due to complications of demetia. Anderson was the first manager to win a World Series in both leagues (Detroit Tigers 1984, Cincinnati Reds 1975 & 1976). As a Detroit girl and Tigers fan this was very sad. As I was looking through YouTube, I found this PSA announcement from the 80s that sums up Sparky’s persona.

Illitch’s purchase of the Pistons would not only make him a dominant force in the sporting world but also in entertainment. Illitch owns Olympia Entertainment, which includes such facilities as: Fox Theatre and Cobo Arena.

While the Pistons currently play at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Ilitch has not made it a secret that he wants to move the team back to Detroit. The Pistons left the city in the 1970′s, and the Detroit Red Wings are also looking for a new arena. Detroit Mayor Daive Bing hopes they return, “We continue to be excited about the possibility of the Detroit Pistons returning to Detroit, which is nationally recognized as a destination for professional sports. The deal is not done, but we remain optimistic.” Bing is also a former NBA player.

Ilitch first expressed interest in purchasing the Pistons back in early August when current owner Karen Davidson reviled that the selling of the team meant there was no guarantee the team would be staying in Michigan.  Karen took over ownership of the team when her late husband Bill Davidson died in March 2009.

Bill Davidson and Mike Ilitch had an ongoing rivalry as business leaders in Detroit.  In June, The Palace filed a lawsuit accusing Ilitch Holdings of taking employees and proprietary information.