Tigers going nowhere with or without David Price

DETROIT – In honor of the late, great Joe Falls, it's a Fish Fry Friday. ...

It's hard to imagine that David Price will come back from this upcoming nine-game road trip with the Tigers.

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Odds are that Price, the stud lefty, will be dealt at the MLB's trade deadline next Friday.

Of course, the Tigers (47-48) wish they could hold onto Price, who becomes a free agent after the season. In reality, the Tigers can't afford to let another former Cy Young winner walk out the door with nothing.

That's what happened with Max Scherzer after last season when he bolted for the Washington Nationals and a mega bucks contract.

The Tigers just aren't good enough to compete for a World Series. And it's not just because of Miguel Cabrera's absence.

The Tigers' pitching is horrible, ranking next-to-last in the AL with a 4.37 ERA. Detroit's pitchers have allowed 450 runs, only Boston has allowed more (458). Opponents are batting .267 against Tigers' pitching. It's highest in the league.

That's why the Tigers have to get something for Price. The Tigers can't afford to re-sign him. Otherwise, they would have done it already. It would be a mistake to hold onto him just because.

Gage's Hall of Fame Induction

Baseball writer Tom Gage's special day is Saturday in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Gage, the former The Detroit News writer, will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame's writer's wing.

Back in December, Gage was informed that he was voted in by his peers.

Gage, who has covered Tigers since 1979, beat out the late Furman Bisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy in one of the closest races in the past decade.

Gage had 167 votes. Bisher had 161. Shaughnessy finished third with 134 votes.

Gage, 66, will be added to the writer's wing in a ceremony at arguably sports' best hall of Fame.

"I'm floored by the honor," Gage said after learning the news. "I've been at this a long time and I'm really humbled."

Former Detroit News columnist Joe Falls was inducted into the HOF in 2002.

Gage is a great addition. I worked with Gage closely for nine years at The News. In fact, I was the person that nominated him. He was a worthy candidate.

Baseball fans in Detroit were blessed to read Gage's coverage of the Tigers for more than 36 years.

Bonds' HOF Question Continues

Barry Bonds - arguably the best hitter this generation has seen with or without steroids - got great news on Tuesday.

The U.S. Department of Justice has called off the attack dogs. After nearly a decade, federal prosecutors dropped their criminal case against MLB's all-time home run king.

Basically, the government said it will not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appellate decision that overturned Bonds' obstruction of justice conviction.

Hence, Bonds can now finally go on with his life. Hopefully, that means Bonds' Hall of Fame will improve.

The two, however, aren't really related. His legal matters in the courtroom wasn't the reason baseball writers weren't voting for him.

Bonds had been convicted of making false statements about receiving steroids or human growth hormones from his trainer, but it was the steroids themselves that clouded his legacy.

However, Bonds' future as a Hall of Famer could be made clearer later this year.

Mike Piazza, the former Los Angeles Dodger and New York Mets catcher, was always rumored to have been involved in steroid use but, like Bonds, he never tested positive.

Last year, 70% of Hall voters thought Piazza was Cooperstown-worthy. He got 384 of the required 412 votes.

Piazza's vote total has steadily gone up, giving fans reason to believe that maybe some the baseball writers have soften their stance against players associated with PEDs.

I have voted for Bonds from his first year of eligibility and will continue until his name is removed from the ballot.

If Piazza finally gets in come January, it will be nearly impossible to deny Bonds down the road.