For starters

Baseball-reference.com posts the "game scores" for starting pitchers, but until yesterday I didn't know what to make of them. The stat was created by Bill James and while reading the terrific Bill James Gold Mine, I came across this note: In the major leagues as a whole in 2008, the winning percentage of teams with a Game Score of 50 or above by the starting pitcher was .683 --- an 111-win pace.

An explanation of Game Score follows, from baseball-reference.com: Start with 50 points. Add 1 point for each out recorded, (or 3 points per inning). Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th. Add 1 point for each strikeout. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed. Subtract 1 point for each walk.

So, I wondered how the Tigers have fared so far this year when their starters have posted 50 or better. The answer, entering Sunday's game, was 24-5 (.828).

By pitcher, with starts in parentheses, it was Justin Verlander (12) 6-2, Edwin Jackson (12) 6-2, Rick Porcello (10) 6-0, Armando Galarraga (11) 3-1, Zach Miner (4) 2-0, Dontrelle Willis (5) 1-0.