September 10, 2011. “Verlander is headed for a 25-win season,” ButterscotchSundae.com.

Twenty-five wins.

They might as well give him the Cy Young now.

And let the MVP talk commence.

November 15, 2011. “Verlander a unanimous choice for AL Cy Young,” Kansas City Star.

There might be no more obvious choice in this year’s awards than Detroit ace Justin Verlander as the American League Cy Young winner. The bigger question is whether his dominance will result next week in being chosen as the league’s Most Valuable Player.

November 21, 2011. “Tigers’ Justin Verlander Wins AL MVP Award,” ABC News.

Detroit’s Justin Verlander became the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to win a Most Valuable Player award, adding it to the Cy Young Award he won last week.

Perry Mason is clearly a Major League Baseball sage. Should we fear him or praise him? Maybe a little of both.

In other news, I added another picture to my Take 25 Portraits of People I Love project. I also took a portrait of my dad’s girlfriend’s dog, Lola:

I woke up yesterday morning to Lola staring at my face. She is a startlingly small chihuahua who is somewhat less solemn than this picture would suggest. She also has the roundest noggin I’ve ever seen on a canine.