Rob Parker: Ngata's absence a concern for Lions

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

We get another look at Lions tonight in Jacksonville. They play the Jaguars in their third preseason game.

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The Lions enter the contest with a 1-1 record. And despite the loss last week, the Lions' first unit on both offense and defense have looked good.

Then again, what does the preseason even mean? In 2008, when the Lions went 0-16, they were 4-0 in the preseason and looked as if they were in store for a great regular season.

The one real concern this training camp is that Haloti Ngata has yet to practice for the Lions.

This isn't rest, a cautious attempt by coach Jim Caldwell to save a veteran some wear and tear. Ngata simply can't go. He's been sidelined with a hamstring issue that resulted from non-football activities.

Caldwell won't even say that Ngata will for sure be ready for the opener in San Diego. That's a bummer.

For sure, it's not ideal for the defensive tackle who was brought here to replace Ndamukong Suh. Those are big shoes, indeed. And if the Lions are to reach double digits for the first time in back-to-back seasons in team history, the defense is going to have to be very good again. It needs Ngata.

Tigers' silver lining

As the Tigers finish a season to forget, there is at least one silver lining fans can take away from 2015.

Maybe, just maybe Justin Verlander can be counted on as the No.1 starter at the top of the rotation.

JV's one-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night was a sight for sore eyes.

With no money to go out and sign a big-time pitcher for the 2016 roster -- if they had the loot David Price would have been signed, not traded -- the Tigers might not have to if Verlander has, indeed, returned to form.

In his last seven starts, JV has an impressive 1.38 ERA, allowing two runs in just one of those starts. Plus, he has struck out 49 and walked just eight.

It's promising, but is it here to stay? No one knows, but 2016 isn't as bleak as it once looked.

MLB's steroid hypocrisy door is now open

The hypocrisy is mounting. The winds of change have to be on the horizon.

Last Sunday, the New York Yankees looked the other way and honored Andy Pettitte by retiring his number and giving him a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.

That's right.

Move over, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. Yes, there's a PED-user amongst the greatest players immortalized in Yankees' history.

Yes, the Yankees are embracing a player tainted by the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Better yet, the plaque doesn't even mention Pettitte's transgression.

PED use was supposed to be a death sentence, an ill that baseball wouldn't be able turn the other way for. Yet, the Yankees apparently are good with it.

Funny because they sure took time to finally warm up to Alex Rodriguez this season. Then again, it was hard to ignore a player that helped get that team to first place.

By honoring Pettitte, the Yankees have opened a door that can only be good news for Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire and others caught up in the steroid era of baseball.

The Yankees' stance is an opposite view from BBWAA writers who have failed to put any players connected in the steroid era in the Hall of Fame so far.

The idea that Pettitte gets a pass because he was honest and admitted his mistake when he was caught is nonsense.

Either you used PEDs or you didn't. There is no degree, no level that allows you to escape and others must pay the price. It's becomes a game of favoritism. After awhile, fans will see through that and want equal treatment to all involved.

For sure, the Yankees are stepping out there, opening a door that they might not be able to close.

"It's a recognition of how impactful he was on us," Yankees' GM Brian Cashman to ESPN New York. "Listen, everyone makes mistakes.

"Everybody has debits on their ledge, so to speak. But he got less than most people walking this planet."

 This is only a great giant step if the Yankees treat all their former players in the same manner. If this is just to make Pettitte feel good, it's wrong.

If it's good enough for the Yankees to honor a past hero with issues, MLB America just might have to follow their lead.