Rob Parker: Justin Verlander's big start and LeBron James

Justin Verlander makes his first start of the season on Saturday. And for some Tigers' fans, it might be the biggest start of his career.

On the surface, that sounds overdramatic. After all, it's a June regular season start against Cleveland Indians, not Game 7 of the World Series.

Still, the third-place Tigers (31-29) need Verlander to return to Cy Young-caliber form. He hasn't been good in quite some time, however.

"I am looking forward to him pitching well," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told the media. "There is still a little bit of a strength-building process, it is his first start.

"His pitch count is over 90 so there is not a lot of restriction. If he throws well, we will roll with him."

Last season, JV struggled. He was 15-12 but had a bloated 4.54 ERA. He also averaged less than seven strikeouts a game for the first time in his career.

In the spring, before he got hurt, Verlander was hit hard in Florida.

The Tigers' starting rotation is already filled with enough question marks. At times, it's scary, in fact. They need Verlander to be a rock.

David Price is the only dependable starter right now. That's not a recipe to win a World Series, which has to be the Tigers' goal. Just making the playoffs isn’t good enough.
Verlander needs to be the X-factor this season.

Unlike years gone by in the AL Central, the Tigers aren't a lock to win it. They aren't as good and the rest of the division is much improved.

Coming into Friday night's game, Tigers' pitching staff is ranked 16th in MLB and 10th in the AL with a 3.86 ERA.

With Anibal Sanchez up and down (4-7 with a 5.16 ERA) and Shane Greene struggling big time (4-6 with 5.82 ERA), the Tigers need another arm they can count on.

The last thing the Tigers need is for JV to get shelled in his first start. A good effort will, no doubt, give fans hope for the rest of the season.

LeBron Has Already Won

Make no mistake about it. LeBron James is off the hook.

James is in the NBA Finals for the fifth straight season and he won't get the blame if the Cleveland Cavaliers ultimately lose to the Golden State Warriors.

His supporters won’t let anyone take King James’ crown even if Golden State ultimately takes the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

It certainly looks to be headed the Warriors’ way after they blew out the Cavs, 103-82, in Game 4. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 2-2.

The game was too lopsided affair for the Cavs to just can shake off and move to the next game.

Cleveland may have the best basketball player on the planet, but they go through the weak Eastern Conference. This team isn’t really good enough to beat the Warriors.

Losing stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to injuries doesn’t help either. Those are huge losses.

This team was assembled in hopes of winning Cleveland's first championship since Jim Brown in 1964.

Before Thursday's game, overreacting media members and crazed James fans were painting this picture that if James won the title without Irving and Love, it would be the greatest feat known to man.

LeBron was getting mad love for averaging 41 points in the first three games. Plus, the Cavs squeaked by with two victories.

Oh yes, the James' supporters were spinning a magical tale that if he won here, it would prove that he's better than Michael Jordan.

They argue that, somehow, James' three titles (if he beat Golden State) would be better than Jordan going 6-for-6 in his Finals appearances.

That’s silly.

The bottom line remains that James is staring 2-4 in NBA Finals straight in the face. And in pro sports, where there's a short menu - wins and losses - you are what you record says you are.

Watch how quickly the talking points will change if Cleveland loses. Facts be damned, in the eyes of supporters, James did enough to not get blamed.