Time to leave Florida!

Subject: Time to leave Florida! Fri Mar 28, 2008 2:45 am

Tigers say farewell to Florida in style
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

LAKELAND, Fla . -- Dressed in flashy suits, $100 shirts and, here and there, silk ties worthy of GQ's cover, the Tigers late Thursday afternoon strolled for the last time in 2008 out of Joker Marchant Stadium's clubhouse.

They were flanked by loud fans as the team boarded a bus for Tampa and a charter flight to Houston where the Tigers will play a two-game series before Monday's season opener against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park.

"It looks like they're ready to me," said manager Jim Leyland, whose team ended its Grapefruit League season with an explosive 14-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I like some things I'm seeing, obviously."

Thursday's game struck a sweet chord for a team that hasn't had the merriest of spring camps. The Tigers, who this week saw their bats catch up to opposing pitching, blasted the Phillies with 18 hits, including home runs from Placido Polanco and rookie outfielder Clete Thomas, who could end up as Leyland's final position player on a 25-man roster that likely won't be set until this weekend.

Kenny Rogers made sure pitchers played a role in Thursday's farewell to Florida. He gave up three hits and two runs, all in the third inning, but pitched to only nine batters in the other three innings of his four-inning set.

"Kenny was good," Leyland said. "When he feels good, he can finish his pitches."

The game, for one afternoon, made the Tigers forget about a bullpen yet to be resolved; an Opening Day outfield minus Curtis Granderson; a couple of relief pitchers on the disabled list and another stranded in the Dominican Republic with visa issues.

Leyland felt better about his team even before Thursday's game, which was played in glorious, 78-degree sunshine, before a crowd of 8,830, capping a record year of attendance at Marchant Stadium (126,124).

"I like what I've seen the last couple of days," Leyland said. "This team will be ready Opening Day, no doubt in my mind. I see at-bats picking up.

"We'll be ready, trust me. The last few days we've picked up the concentration level. We'll be ready to play."

Gary Sheffield, the designated hitter whose previously injured shoulder is 100 percent and whose bat has recently caught fire, had similar thoughts.

"I had the same feeling with the '97 Marlins," said Sheffield, who played that year on Florida's world championship team, also was managed by Leyland. "Everybody's been excited from Day 1. The way we're coming out of camp is very good."

Asked if a bullpen still in a state of flux might dampen things, Sheffield shook his head.

"We've got guys who can perform, who can step up," he said. "It shouldn't be a concern."

Tigers reliever Zach Miner, who might inherit the seventh-inning spot once occupied by the injured Joel Zumaya, agreed with Sheffield. He said the Tigers bullpen has enough talent and bravado to finish games.

"I see a lot of guys who are very capable of getting done what guys with bigger names would get done," Miner said, referring to Denny Bautista, Aquilino Lopez and Yorman Bazardo.

Miner took a last glance at the Tigers clubhouse and said: "I'm excited. It's been a good spring, for the most part.

"But I know a lot of guys are happy to get out of here."

Subject: Re: Time to leave Florida! Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:37 am

Quote :: "It looks like they're ready to me," said manager Jim Leyland, whose team ended its Grapefruit League season with an explosive 14-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I like some things I'm seeing, obviously."

Thursday's game struck a sweet chord for a team that hasn't had the merriest of spring camps. The Tigers, who this week saw their bats catch up to opposing pitching, blasted the Phillies with 18 hits, including home
runs from Placido Polanco and rookie outfielder Clete Thomas, who could
end up as Leyland's final position player on a 25-man roster that
likely won't be set until this weekend.

Kenny Rogers made sure pitchers played a role in Thursday's farewell to Florida. He gave up three hits and two runs, all in the third inning, but pitched to only nine batters in the other three innings of his four-inning set.

"Kenny was good," Leyland said. "When he feels good, he can finish his pitches."

Yes!!! If this was any indication of things to come, they are more than ready, and our oldest players are showing they are FAR from being washed up!!!

Quote :: Tigers reliever Zach Miner, who might inherit the seventh-inning spot once occupied by the injured Joel Zumaya, agreed with Sheffield. He said the Tigers bullpen has enough talent and bravado to finish games.

"I see a lot of guys who are very capable of getting done what guys with bigger names would get done," Miner said, referring to Denny Bautista, Aquilino Lopez and Yorman Bazardo.

I think our bullpen will be a lot better than people think! I really like Denny Bautista, Aquilino Lopez and Yorman Bazardo.