GDT: 7/6/08 - DET (43-44) AT SEA (35-52) - 4:10 p.m. ET

SEATTLE -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland doesn't like to make a big deal out of the schedule. To him, it's nothing he can change, so he can't really complain.

Still, even he won't be sad to say so long to the West Coast for the season when the Tigers leave town on Sunday.

"I think it's great that's it over with," he said, "but I don't mind it. It is what it is. This is a nice city."

Include a mid-May trip to Arizona, and the Tigers have made four trips out west in just over seven weeks. Once this series finale is complete, they'll have played 13 games in Seattle and the Bay Area -- Oakland and San Francisco -- compared to 14 in American League Central cities. And that doesn't even include the pair of three-game sets at Anaheim and San Diego.

"We've been out here three times plus Arizona," Leyland said. "That's tough. That takes its toll, but that's all part of it. If you talk about it enough, you'll complain about it. If you think about it enough, it'll bother you. That's the schedule."

Come Sunday night, though, it won't be a part of the Tigers' remaining slate. The only flights they'll have left longer than two hours are for a three-game series at Tampa Bay at the beginning of August and a pair of trips to Texas in August and September. As appealing as that sounds to the Tigers for the stretch run, the opportunity to post a .500 record on the West Coast would be a major reward for all their travel.

Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Mariners pushed Detroit's record out west to 9-12 on the season. For comparison's stake, the Tigers went 9-6 on the West Coast two years ago, not including the back-to-back wins they picked up in the first two games of the ALCS at Oakland. Though they can't finish with a break-even record on the West Coast thanks to Saturday's defeat, a win Sunday would give them the most wins the Tigers have picked up out west since the start of the unbalanced schedule that gave them more games against the AL Central and fewer against the other divisions.

Not all the Tigers, however, are itching to have the West Coast out of the way.

"I don't mind it," center fielder Curtis Granderson said. "The rest of the guys are different. Get me on a plane, I can sleep on a plane, no matter how long or short the flight. It doesn't bother me too much. I have friends over here, so it makes it easy for me to see them. I've enjoyed it."



Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Nate Robertson (6-7, 5.56 ERA)
Robertson had a rough outing Tuesday against the Twins, going four innings while allowing six earned runs on 11 hits in a 6-4 Tigers loss. The start comes following a stretch where he had allowed no earned runs in two of his last three starts. Robertson's next start comes against the Mariners. Robertson went 5 2/3 innings while surrendering four earned runs on four hits in a 7-4 victory over Seattle on May 30.


SEA: LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith (2-1, 3.05 ERA)
Rowland-Smith got his first Major League start on Tuesday and experienced mixed results. He sailed past the first three innings, but then gave up three earned runs before exiting with two outs in the fourth. The 62 pitches and 3 2/3 innings were both season-highs, and it will be interesting to see how the Australian responds to a second consecutive start with Felix Hernandez on the disabled list. He has communicated that he would like to be a starter eventually.


Tidbits

Brandon Inge, currently on the 15-day DL with a pulled left oblique muscle, went through full batting practice and infield practice without discomfort before Saturday's game. Leyland said Saturday that he expects Inge will be ready to be activated coming out of the All-Star break. Inge could be sent out on a Minor League rehab assignment next week to prepare for that timetable. ... The Tigers announced Saturday that they've flipped Justin Verlander and Eddie Bonine in the pitching order for next week's series against the Indians. Verlander will start Tuesday's series opener on his regular four days' of rest, putting him in line to pitch opposite C.C. Sabathia. Bonine will pitch on Wednesday instead of Tuesday as originally scheduled. ...Ivan Rodriguez's game-ending popout Saturday ended his hitting at nine games.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Mon., July 7: DAY OFF

• Tues., July 8: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (5-9, 4.34 ERA)) vs Indians (LHP C.C. Sabathia (6-8, 3.83 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Wed., July 9: Tigers (RHP Eddie Bonine (2-1, 4.30 ERA)) vs. Indians (RHP Paul Byrd (3-10, 5.53 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Thur., July 10: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (6-6, 4.60 ERA)) vs. Indians (RHP Kevin Slowey (6-6, 3.78 ERA)), 1:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Guillen, 3B
Cabrera, 1B
Thames, DH
Rodriguez, C
Renteria, SS
Thomas, LF
Raburn, RF

Seattle
Suzuki, RF
Lopez, 2B
Ibanez, LF
Beltre, 3B
Sexson, DH
Cairo, 1B
Johjima, C
Bloomquist, CF
Betancourt, SS

Live Blog Is Here



NOTE TO EVERYONE:
We can allow up to 10 users to post without permission (they will Automatically post without having to be accepted). If you navigate away from this page, you will have to be accepted again.

If you are a regular, you should have no problem getting accepted.

But it's on a 1st come, 1st serve basis.

If you want to open this live blog up in a new window CLICK HERE

Any questions, use the announcement thread.

NOTE (from catbox): Just for clarification - we can have infinite users but only 10 are unmoderated. Unmoderated users will have their posts show up instantly. Moderated users will have a slight delay before their posts show up. It should only be a second or two as the moderators will be watching closely.

67 degrees at Game Time Winds 5-10 mph

hopefully it won't rain! but that freakin' freight train will sure blow its whistle!

Live blog is up and running!

July 6, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15		R	H	E
Detroit	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		2	8	2
Seattle	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	6	0

Detroit AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Granderson, CF 4 0 1 0 2 1 4 .298 Polanco, 2B 7 0 1 0 0 0 7 .313 Guillen, 3B-1B 6 0 0 0 1 1 3 .286 Cabrera, 1B 6 0 1 0 1 0 2 .282 - 1-Hollimon, M, PR-3B 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .261 Thames, DH 6 0 0 1 0 3 3 .259 Rodriguez, C 7 0 4 0 0 0 0 .290 Renteria, SS 7 0 0 0 0 2 5 .254 Thomas, LF 5 0 0 0 1 1 2 .295 Raburn, RF 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 .229 - a-Joyce, PH-RF 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 .222 Totals 50 2 8 2 9 9 26 a-Walked for Raburn in the 6th. 1-Ran for Cabrera in the 15th. BATTING 2B: Polanco (18, Rowland-Smith), Cabrera (20, Burke). HR: Raburn (4, 5th inning off Rowland-Smith, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Granderson; Polanco 2; Cabrera 2; Rodriguez 4; Raburn 4. RBI: Raburn (10), Thames (36). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Thames; Polanco 3; Granderson 2; Renteria; Guillen. S: Granderson. SF: Thames. Team LOB: 14. BASERUNNING CS: Rodriguez (1, 2nd base by Rowland-Smith/Johjima). FIELDING E: Polanco (6, throw), Thomas (4, fielding). Outfield assists: Thomas (Betancourt at 2nd base). DP: 2 (Renteria-Polanco-Cabrera, Renteria-Polanco-Guillen).		Seattle AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Suzuki, RF 6 0 1 0 1 0 0 .302 Lopez, 2B 5 0 1 0 0 1 0 .301 Ibanez, LF 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 .279 Beltre, 3B 4 0 0 0 2 1 1 .247 Sexson, DH 6 0 0 0 0 0 4 .215 Cairo, 1B 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 .218 Johjima, C 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220 - 1-Reed, PR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293 - Burke, C-P 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .218 Bloomquist, CF 4 1 1 0 1 0 2 .255 Betancourt, SS 6 0 1 1 0 1 3 .269 Totals 48 1 6 1 5 4 14 1-Ran for Johjima in the 8th. BATTING 2B: Betancourt (22, Robertson), Ibanez (25, Robertson). TB: Suzuki; Lopez; Ibanez 2; Cairo; Bloomquist; Betancourt 2. RBI: Betancourt (29). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Betancourt; Sexson; Bloomquist; Burke. S: Lopez. GIDP: Sexson; Betancourt. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING CS: Suzuki (3, 2nd base by Dolsi/Rodriguez).
Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Robertson 9.0 4 1 1 2 1 0 5.19 Zumaya 2.0 0 0 0 2 3 0 2.16 Dolsi 2.0 2 0 0 1 0 0 3.16 Lopez (W, 3-1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.60 Jones, T (S, 16) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.08		Seattle IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Rowland-Smith 5.0 5 1 1 3 2 1 2.92 Lowe 1.0 1 0 0 2 1 0 4.24 Corcoran 2.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.75 Batista 1.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 6.27 Green 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 3.00 Jimenez, C 4.0 0 0 0 2 3 0 0.00 Burke (L, 0-1) 1.0 1 1 1 0 0 0 9.00
WP: Jimenez, C, Burke. IBB: Beltre (by Robertson), Beltre (by Robertson). HBP: Bloomquist (by Jones, T). Pitches-strikes: Robertson 99-60, Zumaya 37-26, Dolsi 37-21, Lopez 16-10, Jones, T 8-5, Rowland-Smith 87-56, Lowe 38-22, Corcoran 21-13, Batista 19-10, Green 20-10, Jimenez, C 57-34, Burke 18-11. Ground outs-fly outs: Robertson 12-13, Zumaya 1-2, Dolsi 5-0, Lopez 1-2, Jones, T 2-1, Rowland-Smith 5-7, Lowe 1-1, Corcoran 2-2, Batista 1-1, Green 3-0, Jimenez, C 3-6, Burke 1-2. Batters faced: Robertson 32, Zumaya 8, Dolsi 8, Lopez 4, Jones, T 3, Rowland-Smith 22, Lowe 6, Corcoran 6, Batista 4, Green 5, Jimenez, C 14, Burke 4. Umpires: HP: Marvin Hudson. 1B: Mike Winters. 2B: Brian Knight. 3B: Hunter Wendelstedt. Weather: 64 degrees, cloudy. Wind: 5 mph, L to R. T: 4:12. Att: 29,083.

Sounds like that was a hell of a game

was it EVER!

Well, we can really say that the tigers came back and won in the LATE innings!!

Word of advice: Don't let your backup catcher pitch in a game.

Tigers split the series!

Catchers aren't the best pitchers....

If i were a Mariners fan, I be pissed! And unless there was a death in Rhodes Family , his ass should be released.


Minor Injury BS Suck it up!

I would have been soooo mad. I would have been freaking out like OMG, no way! He's a catcher not a pitcher!!

Of course, it was good for us!

Hopefully the Tigers will win the division by more than one game

Can't blame the White Sox and Twins fans being pissed if we win it by one game.


I be calling Bud Selig personally if it were the otherway around