GDT: 6/7/08 - DET (24-36) VS CLEV (28-33), 3:55 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- When Aaron Laffey is on, he has been one of Cleveland's stingiest starters this year. The Tigers' offense, on or off, has been at its best facing left-handed starters.

Something will have to give on Saturday.

Before the Rangers roughed him up for eight runs on 11 hits over five innings his last time out, Laffey was on a dominant stretch of starts, scattering three earned runs over 34 innings with 28 hits allowed and a .220 opposing batting average.

The big difference, and the split that gives the Tigers a major chance to rough him up, is the lefty-righty difference. Right-handed hitters have batted .294 (37-for-128) against him, compared to just .111 (5-for-45) against left-handed hitters. And while his stats have been strong, he has yet to face any of the top five teams in the American League against left-handed pitching.

The Rangers entered Friday ranked sixth with a .270 average off southpaws. The Tigers ranked second with a .295 average to go with a league-leading .469 slugging percentage off lefties.

That said, the Tigers missed out on their last chance to rough up a left-hander. Oakland's Dana Eveland walked seven batters over 4 1/3 innings, yet Detroit turned that into just three runs, leaving the bases loaded in the second inning and stranding two in the third. They squandered a similar chance later in the game against lefty specialist Alan Embree.

Even so, that only dropped Detroit's record against left-handed starters to 7-4.

Look for a Tigers lineup loaded with right-handed hitters. Brent Clevlen, recalled from Toledo after a breakout offensive season with the Hens, will have the first of what should be three consecutive starts, either in left or center field. Marcus Thames is expected to return to the lineup as the designated hitter. Brandon Inge is expected to start behind the plate after playing at third base Friday, wearing a wrap to protect himself from worsening his pulled left oblique muscle.

2008 Interleague Schedule
• May 16-18: at Diamondbacks
• June 13-15: vs. Dodgers
• June 16-18: at Giants
• June 20-22: at Padres
• June 24-26: vs. Cardinals
• June 27-29: vs. Rockies


Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Kenny Rogers (4-4, 5.54 ERA)
Rogers is now back in his customary spot between Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman, giving the Tigers a finesse left-hander between their two power right-handers for the weekend series against the Indians. It also allows Rogers to pitch on his normal four days' rest after tossing quality starts in his last two outings. He pitched into eighth inning Monday at Oakland for the first time since the 2006 World Series, allowing two runs but keeping Detroit in the game. Rogers owns a 17-16 career record against Cleveland with a 5.12 ERA, but he's 4-2 against the Indians since joining the Tigers.

CLE: LHP Aaron Laffey (3-3, 3.02 ERA)
Maybe it was the Texas heat or just the hot Texas bats that got to him, but Laffey had his first rough outing of the season Monday against the Rangers. In five innings of work, he gave up eight runs on 11 hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He served up two home runs, including a game-tying grand slam. In his first six starts, Laffey had shown an ability to consistently work himself out of trouble by getting double-play balls, but he didn't have as much success keeping the ball down in this one. He has never faced the Tigers.


Tidbits

Joel Zumaya pitched a perfect inning of relief on Friday in his second rehab appearance for Class A Lakeland. Fernando Rodney, meanwhile, gave up three runs in one-third of an inning in his second rehab outing for Toledo. He walked two batters and hit another while recording his only out on strikes before an RBI single chased him from the game. He threw 15 of his 29 pitches for strikes. ... Jhonny Peralta is 9-for-32 with three home runs and nine RBIs for his career against Rogers. ... The Tigers' 5-18 record against the AL Central is the worst record of any team within its own division this year.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FOX

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

(NOTE PITCHING CHANGE:)

Quote :

Leyland said right-hander Armando Galarraga will pitch Sunday in
Bonderman's spot in the rotation. Left-hander Dontrelle Willis will
start in Monday's series finale with the Indians in his second start
since returning from a hyperextended knee.

• Sun., June 8: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (4-2, 3.76 ERA)) vs. Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 0-0, 5.23), 1:05 p.m. ET

• Mon., June 9: Tigers (LHP Dontrelle Willis (0-0, 4.50 ERA)) vs. Indians (LHP Cliff Lee (9-1, 2.45)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Tue., June 10: Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson (3-6, 6.03 ERA)) vs. White Sox (RHP Jose Contreras (6-3, 2.76 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

Starting Lineups

Clev.
G. Sizemore CF
J. Carroll 2B
B. Francisco LF
R. Garko DH
J. Peralta SS
C. Blake 1B
F. Gutierrez RF
K. Shoppach C
A. Marte 3B

Det.
E. Renteria SS
P. Polanco 2B
M. Thames LF
M. Ordonez DH
M. Cabrera 1B
C. Guillen 3B
B. Clevlen CF
B. Inge C
R. Raburn RF

Kenny gonna shut them Indians Down

90 degrees at Game Time; Humid; Slight Chance of a T storm

I hope so. Bondo may be injured, see news in breaking news section.

I just read it!


Damn It!

Poor Bondo!

could anything else happen?

Stat of the day: Miguel Cabrera's batting average with RISP so far this year... .214.

Oooo poor Bondo, that just sucks

Go Inge!

Poor Bonderman. According to the announcers he has a blood clot.

2 outs. Basehit by Thames.

Maggs singles!!!

catbox_9 wrote:

Tired or Bored...?



Inning over.

TigersGirl wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

Tired or Bored...?

The second one

catbox_9 wrote:

TigersGirl wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

Tired or Bored...?

The second one

haha. Well I am the first one. I had to wake up early and go row... which was really difficult. lol

I got up at 11ish I think I was tired. I even went to bed early - like 12:45.

1 out. Basehit.


I woke up at 6:30. Got up and had to go erg, and then I had to get out on the water and we rowed down the detroit river. I got home, and now I"m tired. lol

casey blake hit by pitch. 2 on

There's a 6:30 in the morning now?

(Lineups added to the 2nd post)

I know, it's amazing. lol. I was like wow, It's saturday I really don't want to be up.

wtf! run scores. 2 on. 1 out.

Nice job cabrera

ground rule double. another run scores. guys on 2nd and 3rd. Can we go to the bullpen yet??

Well, that's game.

2 outs.

Geez. This makes me want to go study some more :puke2:

This makes me want to read.... maybe I'll do that.

I raburn.

Inning over. Thanks raburn!