Tigers slugger Magglio Ordonez is just 27 plate appearances away from locking in $18 million in salary next season. Early in the season Ordonez struggled mightily. He opened his batting stance in early August and has begun to hit better. "It feels really good to be the same as I was before," Ordonez told MLive.com. "(Magglio's) seeing the ball better and is able to get through the ball better," Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon said. "It's hard to put into words how good it is to see him back. This guy really put a lot into working on getting it back, and it's a tough road. "What made it really tough was that this guy has never struggled." Ordonez has his average up to .285 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs in 109 games this season. The Tigers have a 6 1/2-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central.