Owwie-oh, Maggilo

Magglio Ordonez was a shell of the hitter
he once was, but even that shell figured
to be useful against Texas' lefty starters.

Magglio Ordonez is out for the rest of the ALCS — and the World Series, should the Detroit Tigers go so far — with a fractured ankle.

He's 37, turns 38 in January. He's coming off easily the worst season of a brilliant career. He's a defensive liability. And now he's broken the same ankle two years running. I will be surprised if anybody, including the Tigers, offers him a contract this winter.

Of more immediate import — the Tigers are now without both Delmon Young and Ordonez, a pair of right-handed hitting corner outfielders who figured to be of importance against Texas' three left-handed starters.

The Tigers could readily replace either with Ryan Raburn without losing anything. But Raburn can't fill in for both.

Ordonez ain't what he used to be. But what he was still had some value in this matchup. That value is unlikely to be replaced by whoever the Tigers activate to fill his roster spot today.