"The struggles of Magglio Ordoñez have become a lightning rod for Tigers fans.

Folks remember fondly his years of being one of the team's primary run producers.

But what they see now is a 37-year-old outfielder who is primarily a singles hitter. And he isn't even doing that well lately, as his 0-for-5 performance during Sunday's 8-5 loss continued a woeful August in which he is 6-for-39.

With his batting average at .223, fans must wonder whether the Tigers can maintain their 2 1/2-game lead over the Indians in the American League Central with a vital cog sputtering."