Detroit Tigers

MLB players have a grueling schedule -- 162 regular season games in 180 days.

So, how does super model Kate Upton make it work with her Detroit Tigers BF Justin Verlander?

Check out the clip ...

Baseball great Kirk Gibson's son hasn't taken a swing in the majors, but he's still hitting home runs ... on the beach with his smoke show GF.

Cam Gibson -- who was drafted by his pop's old squad, the Detroit Tigers last summer -- and girlfriend Mackenzie Miller were in Maui this weekend ... and both flaunted their assets.

Unlike his dad's famous clutch World Series homer -- no one would say it's "impossible" these 2 hooked up. Hard bodies attract hard bodies ... aka #AbsGetCakes.

Hey, Justin Verlander ... SUCK IT UP -- that's what Uber is telling the Detroit Tigers ace after he bitched to the world about holiday price surges -- and threatened to jump to the competition.

Verlander fired the first salvo with his Instagram post ... "@Uber I used to love you and now your ridiculous surge charges are causing me to take my talents elsewhere. #lyft."

Now, Uber is responding, telling Verlander ... "Surge pricing encourages drivers to get on the road when demand is high. As soon as things even out, pricing will lower." In other words: too bad, so sad.

They didn't even mention the fact JV is it he middle of a 7-year, $180 million contract -- and is probably the last person who should be complaining about a little extra coinage.

Kate Upton's sending a message to her baseball star boyfriend -- get on your game or your gonna lose me ... to a guy who dresses up as a dragon for a living!

We got Kate BOUNCING (if you know what we mean) through LAX ... on her way back from Orlando, FL -- where, If you missed it, she got a marriage proposal from the Orlando Magic mascot over the weekend.

Thing is ... Stuff the dragon kinda snaked Kate's bf, Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander -- waiting until he walked away from their seats to pop the question..

Watch the vid (especially if you're Verlander) ... Kate says the proposal was a "huge honor" -- and definitely did NOT say she's turning down the dude who plays dress up.

Justin Verlander and Kate Upton are back together, and no one's happier than a boat load of teenage boys in Tampa.

Sure, sources tell us the boys in this video shot today were definitely cheering more for getting a peek of Kate in-person (primo material for any hormone-filled boy) -- and probably never noticed the Cy Young winner.

But still ... the Detroit Tigers ace and the supermodel were spotted all over each other -- partying on a boat for Tampa's annual pirate-themed Gasparilla festival.

Justin sported the traditional buccaneer eye patch as a costume. Kate's costume -- just looking hot.

Detroit Tigers star -- and World Series failure -- Delmon Young has pled "guilty" to aggravated harassment after shouting an anti-Semitic slur at a panhandler earlier this year ... and tackling another person to the ground.

Delmon was arrested for the incident in NYC in April -- when he was approached by a Jewish-looking panhandler (whatever that means) outside a hotel, and shouted, "F**king Jews! F**king Jews!"

Delmon was confronted by another person on the street after shouting the slur, and the baseball star tackled the man ... who then called 911. Cops showed up and arrested Delmon for aggravated harassment.

Delmon has now pled "guilty" as part of a plea deal -- in which he was sentenced to perform 10 days community service, and participate in a hate crime program at the Museum of Tolerance in NYC.

The Detroit Tigers don't want a repeat of their devastating 2006 World Series loss, so they made a major change in how they do things -- and that change is eating more chicken.

TMZ spoke with a Tigers clubhouse rep who tells us a chef comes in and cooks for the players every day and the menu is pretty expansive -- we're talkin' hamburgers, jambalaya, Chinese food, eggs, fresh fruit, soup, Kobe sliders, mac and cheese ... the works.

But the biggest item on the menu is chicken and lots of it. The rep says chicken breast is always available for breakfast and there's always a baked chicken for lunch too, as a healthy option.

The rep says the major difference between the Tigers' menu during their failed 2006 Series run and this year ... "more chicken."