GDT: 6/20/08 - DET (34-38) VS SD (31-43) - 10:05 p.m. ET

SAN FRANCISCO -- Whether it's a Major League mound or the city where he grew up, Joel Zumaya is coming home this weekend. It's the place where his career fell into serious question last fall, so it's only fitting that's where it'll restart.

The shoulder surgery Zumaya underwent last fall was so unusual for a pitcher that he had no real idea what to expect as far as a return, other than an initial timetable by doctors that projected him back around early July. Zumaya knew the series in San Diego was on the Tigers' schedule, but he had no way of knowing if he could be back for it.

The more he progressed, the clearer his timetable became, the more he looked at San Diego with some intensity. By the time his rehab assignment took him to Triple-A Toledo a couple weeks ago, he had it in his sights.

"I'll be ready for San Diego," Zumaya said confidently last week.

Getting back in time for that was a major accomplishment. Bringing his old triple-digit fastball with him is arguably a medical marvel.

Zumaya's accident at home last October required a reconstruction of the A/C joint in his right shoulder -- a procedure only former Padres third baseman Ken Caminiti had undergone among modern Major Leaguers. Caminiti returned to throw at full strength, but making a handful of throws across the infield is far different from the kind of throwing that made Zumaya into a rookie success story two years ago.

It was enough of a risk, Zumaya admitted last week, that he briefly considered not having it.

"The doctors did not know how my arm was going to heal -- it was like a 50-50 chance," Zumaya said. "Just to realize what I've done, it's changed me a lot, staying strong and believing, because I did lose hopes after my surgery, and I never thought I was going to be here again. I had thoughts of retiring and just giving it up, and I'm here again."

Moreover, he'll return to the same eighth-inning setup role that he held when he was injured. It's a boost to a bullpen that has worked by committee to protect leads without Zumaya and, until a couple days ago, Fernando Rodney. With the Tigers having won 10 of their past 12, it only adds to the momentum of a team that's starting to believe it can come back.

No matter the success they've had coming into this series, however, their ultimate fortunes in key games will hinge in part on how well Zumaya and Rodney can protect leads in the late innings.

"We've been waiting for months to have Rodney and Zumaya as our late-inning guys like we did [before]," manager Jim Leyland said, "and that's what they're going to be. If they don't do it, then we won't win."

Before the Tigers formally bring back Zumaya, they brought back outfielder Clete Thomas in a swap of outfielders. Thomas, who had been on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right ankle suffered when the Tigers were in the Bay Area two weeks ago at Oakland, was activated after Wednesday's game and will be in uniform for Friday's series opener.

Thomas gives the Tigers another left-handed bat off the bench and a late-inning defensive option in left field. However, he'll have to settle for being the second-biggest return for the Tigers this weekend. The fact that the Tigers and Padres will play out the rematch of their 1984 World Series, too, becomes a footnote.

With Zumaya back, the Tigers can finally look toward the future this season without hesitation. So, of course, can Zumaya.

Interleague record: 106-96 overall, 6-3 in 2008

2008 Interleague schedule
• May 16 at Diamondbacks: Lost, 4-3
• May 17 at Diamondbacks: Won, 3-2
• May 18 at Diamondbacks: Lost, 4-0
• June 13 vs. Dodgers: Won, 5-0
• June 14 vs. Dodgers: Won, 12-7 SWEPT SERIES
• June 15 vs. Dodgers: Won, 5-4
• June 16 at Giants: Lost, 8-6
• June 17 at Giants: Won, 5-1
• June 18 at Giants: Won, 7-2
• June 20-22 at Padres
• June 24-26 vs. Cardinals
• June 27-29 vs. Rockies


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Eddie Bonine (1-0, 10.13 ERA)
Bonine expects to have at least 20 family members making the trip from his home near Phoenix to PETCO Park for his second Major League outing. He gave up six earned runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings in his big league debut last Saturday against the Dodgers, but he backed up his reputation as a strike-thrower by throwing 53 of his 77 pitches for strikes. He induced just four swings and misses from Dodgers, but that's not his game. Still, he'll have to limit the Padres to fewer than the five extra-base hits he allowed Saturday.

SD: RHP Greg Maddux (3-5, 3.31 ERA)
Leyland said Wednesday he has never seen another pitcher make the adjustments over the course of a career that he has seen from Maddux since he was a hard-throwing youngster with the Cubs two decades ago. More recently, however, Maddux had an uncharacteristic outing his last time out. He uncorked his first wild pitch of the season, hit his first batter of the season and made a rare throwing error in taking a loss. Maddux allowed two earned runs, but threw away a comebacker for only his 13th error since 2000, which led to a three-run home run later in the inning when he hung a changeup to Ben Francisco. Maddux is 0-1 in two career starts against the Tigers, but he has allowed just three runs over 12 innings in those outings.


Tidbits

The Tigers will likely wait until Friday to announce their roster move to make room for Zumaya on the 25-man roster. Most likely, they'll have to clear a roster spot by sending down a reliever. ... Leyland is hoping to have Brandon Inge back behind the plate after sitting him out of the series at San Francisco to rest his sore left oblique muscle. Inge had been alternating starts at catcher with Ivan Rodriguez, who played the entire three-game series against the Giants. ... Just five current Tigers have faced Maddux in their careers, but Miguel Cabrera is 8-for-19 off him with four doubles, a home run, seven RBIs and three walks.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Sat., June 21: Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson (5-6, 5.46 ERA)) at Padres (RHP Cha Seung Baek (1-2, 4.84ERA)), 10:05 p.m. ET

• Sun., June 22: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (3-9, 4.55ERA)) at Padres (LHP Randy Wolf (5-5, 4.16 ERA)), 4:05 p.m. ET

• Mon., June 23: Off-day

STARTING LINEUPS

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .249
:placido: Polanco, 2B .316
Guillen, 3B .303
Ordonez, RF .301
Cabrera, 1B .283
:thames: Thames, LF .250
:edgar: Renteria, SS .269
:pudge: Rodriguez, C .271
Bonine, P .000

San Diego AVG
Gerut, CF .267
Gonzalez, Ed, 2B .302
Giles, RF .300
Gonzalez, A, 1B .293
Headley, 3B .333
Hairston, LF .227
Greene, SS .228
Barrett, C .172
Maddux, P .043

71 degrees; Partly Cloudy at Game Time. Winds Light


GO TIGERS!


SWEEP SD

Maddux will be gone by the 4th inning.


Tigers are gonna score lots of runs for Bonine


Bonine gonna shut the Padres Down!

Maddux!!!

Oh yeah, Go Tigers Two games in a week I have to root against one of my favorite non-Tigers.

Maddux. I hope all the runs you give up are unearned though! C'mon Padres defense - make errors like crazy!

Maybe the Padres will make 5 or 6 errors.


Tigers will be scoring Friday Night


Bonine gonna pitch big

gs78 wrote:

Maybe the Padres will make 5 or 6 errors.


Tigers will be scoring Friday Night


Bonine gonna pitch big

5 or 6 errors works for me! Or maybe we'll just win 1-0. San Diego is the best pitcher's park in baseball and the Padres have the worst offense known to man. I'd say the over/under should be 5.5 runs by the Padres this entire series.

Either Way; It will be a clean sweep for the Tigers

At least Miggy has been good against him, so one base hit comes, then a walk, then a three run shot by Miggy.

Stat of the day: Greg Maddux' home ERA this year...1.70.

Gonna be higher after the Tigers are finished with him

gs78 wrote:

Gonna be higher after the Tigers are finished with him

Or lower if we score 10 UNearned runs off him

Tigers: 18
Padres: 0

Padres defense makes 5 errors and Maddux goes 6 strong (throwing 45 pitches) allowing 10 runs none of which are earned. Black pulls him because he doesn't let Maddux throw more than 50 pitches for some reason

Padres "relief" pitching proceeds to give up 8 runs in 3 innings - all of them earned.

Bonine loses his perfect game in the 3rd when Maddux walks. He loses his no-hitter in the 6th when Maddux doubles. No other Padre reaches base.

catbox_9 wrote:

gs78 wrote:

Gonna be higher after the Tigers are finished with him

Or lower if we score 10 UNearned runs off him

Tigers: 18
Padres: 0

Padres defense makes 5 errors and Maddux goes 6 strong (throwing 45 pitches) allowing 10 runs none of which are earned. Black pulls him because he doesn't let Maddux throw more than 50 pitches for some reason

Padres "relief" pitching proceeds to give up 8 runs in 3 innings - all of them earned.

Bonine loses his perfect game in the 3rd when Maddux walks. He loses his no-hitter in the 6th when Maddux doubles. No other Padre reaches base.

I'm still mad at the Padres for shuffling the rotation - Maddux was supposed to pitch tomorrow I've got $60 tickets for tonight's game but I'm not going I'll be at the next two since my dad is going. We've got fancy tickets for the Verlander game though

catbox_9 wrote:

gs78 wrote:

Gonna be higher after the Tigers are finished with him

Or lower if we score 10 UNearned runs off him

Tigers: 18
Padres: 0

Padres defense makes 5 errors and Maddux goes 6 strong (throwing 45 pitches) allowing 10 runs none of which are earned. Black pulls him because he doesn't let Maddux throw more than 50 pitches for some reason

Padres "relief" pitching proceeds to give up 8 runs in 3 innings - all of them earned.

Bonine loses his perfect game in the 3rd when Maddux walks. He loses his no-hitter in the 6th when Maddux doubles. No other Padre reaches base.

:haha: So don't take this the wrong way... buuuut:

Well Im out for now, Ill be on at about 11.

FSN is still broadcasting the Shock game with Minnesota that's in overtime.

laprimamirala wrote:

FSN is still broadcasting the Shock game with Minnesota that's in overtime.

Yeah, why the are they doing that? Who the cares about the Shock?

bobrob2004 wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

FSN is still broadcasting the Shock game with Minnesota that's in overtime.

Yeah, why the are they doing that? Who the cares about the Shock?

Most of the players on the Shock do and umm....that's it.

LIVE BLOG IS OPEN! JOIN US THERE OR POST HERE!

The blog is in post 3!

My typing is not showing up...

gdennis59 wrote:

My typing is not showing up...

Fixed

We're still blogging!

I'm so confused.

cdurbfan22 wrote:

I'm so confused.

When the game is over, so is the blog.

Blog is closed but this thread will remain open until tomorrow.

You can read the entire blog by looking at the 3rd post.

bobrob2004 wrote:

cdurbfan22 wrote:

I'm so confused.

When the game is over, so is the blog.

I understand that.
Wow, you guys must think I'm an idiot, especially with everything I've said tonight.

Gameday wasn't working properly, so I had no idea what inning it was.