GDT: 7/11/08 - DET (46-45) VS MINN (51-41) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Many projected starting lineups popped up in publications and on Internet message boards prior to the season. Chances are, few mirrored Detroit's lineups in recent weeks.

Those predictions probably didn't include youngsters like Matt Joyce, Clete Thomas, Michael Hollimon and Jeff Larish.

They also probably didn't feature role players like Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago.
But those players have consistently found their names on the lineup card. It has worked, too. The Tigers' combination of star players and role players has helped them turn around their season. A win in Friday's second game of a four-game set with the Twins would bring them to a season-best two games over .500.

Don't look for manager Jim Leyland to change his style.

He enjoys utilizing his entire roster. He's managed that way for 37 years and doesn't envision himself doing it any other way.

"I'm going to play everybody," Leyland said. "I'm going to play everybody and use everybody. That's what I'm going to do, try to keep everyone as fresh as possible. ... I think everybody should have a chance to be a hero."

Teams have their consistent stars, the players who always have large media crowds at their lockers, microphones in their face and camera lights in their eyes.

Leyland enjoys his lesser-known players receiving similar attention.

"Have the press talk to somebody else once in a while," Leyland said. "Other guys are making a contribution; let the press go to their locker. I think it's good tonic for your ballclub. I think it's nice to keep the spotlight on somebody else. You know it's going to be on [star players]. It's always on those guys. It's great to see [bench players] have a big night."

A majority of the mixing and matching has occurred in the outfield. With star right fielder Magglio Ordonez on the disabled list until after the All-Star break, Leyland has interchanged four players at the corner outfield spots. Joyce, Thomas, Raburn and Marcus Thames have all seen significant playing time.

Detroit's versatility improved Thursday with the return of utility man Brandon Inge, who will serve as the backup catcher and occasional third baseman. Leyland said he won't factor Inge into the outfield situation.

But Inge, like everyone else, will see his fair share of playing time. It's his manager's style.


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga (7-2, 3.27 ERA)
Though Galarraga battled command of his fastball for most of his outing July 5 at Seattle, he tossed five scoreless innings before Jeff Clement's solo homer put some damage on his ledger in the sixth. He left with a lead that eventually slipped away, but his third straight no-decision nonetheless extended his unbeaten streak to eight consecutive starts since his last defeat May 28. One of those no-decisions came two starts ago against the Twins at Minnesota on June 30, when he gave up three earned runs and one unearned tally on nine hits in six innings. He lost twice to the Twins in May.


MIN: LHP Glen Perkins (5-2, 4.27 ERA)
Perkins is fresh off a start where he outdueled All-Star Cliff Lee of the Indians. The Twins lefty went seven innings, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits and one walk. Minnesota prevailed, 4-3, while Perkins secured his fifth win. Perkins is 1-0 against Detroit in two starts this season, going a total of 14 innings and allowing only three earned runs.


Tidbits

Leyland said shortstop Edgar Renteria, who strained his left hamstring running to first base in Wednesday's game, should be available to play Friday night. ... Leyland also touched more on Carlos Guillen's defense at third base. "Let's not forget, this guy was our shortstop in the World Series two years ago. This guy's a player." ... He also sees Thomas posting good power numbers later in his career. "He's going to start hitting home runs once he learns to pull the ball. I don't want him to do that right now, though. I like what he's doing. He's got real good pop." ... Joyce hit a home run for the second straight game. He has seven home runs in 83 at-bats. ... Curtis Granderson has hit safely in 17 of his past 19 games, hitting .417 in that span.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next


• Sat., July 12: Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson (6-7, 5.19 ERA)) vs. Twins (RHP Scott Baker (5-2, 3.32 ERA)), 3:55 p.m. ET

• Sun., July 13: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander, (6-9, 4.24 ERA)) vs. Twins (RHP Nick Blackburn (7-4, 3.72 ERA)) , 1:05 p.m. ET

• July 13
• Taco Bell All-Star Sunday featuring:
• XM All-Star Futures Game, 12:37 p.m. ET
• Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game, 4:00 p.m. ET
• Monday-Wednesday, July 14-16: All-Star break

• July 14
• Gatorade All-Star Workout Day featuring:
• MLB All-Star Batting Practice, 5:30 p.m. ET (AL) and 6:25 p.m. ET (NL)
• State Farm Home Run Derby, 8:00 p.m. ET

• July 15
• MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet, 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET
• 79th MLB All-Star Game, 8:00 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Minnesota AVG
Gomez, CF .260
Casilla, 2B .306
Mauer, C .328
Morneau, 1B .324
Kubel, DH .268
Young, LF .288
Buscher, 3B .306
Punto, SS .320
Span, RF .361


Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .299
:placido: Polanco, 2B .309
Guillen, 3B .284
Cabrera, 1B .289
:thames: Thames, LF .282
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .226
:joyce: Joyce, RF .253
:pudge: Rodriguez, C .288
Santiago, SS .349

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81 degrees at Game Time; Muggy and T storms possible

Tigers will take the next three

GO GALA

Go Tigers... I tthink I might actually get to watch this game!

good luck Gala!

blog?

brob did not set it up, let me do it...give me a min or two

the blog! I knew I forgot to do something today!

blog up, go ahead and get your e-mail producers.

Everyone is invited to join the blog

It won't let me "click here" to open a new screen with the blog in it.

July 11, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Minnesota	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	0		3	8	0
Detroit	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0		2	6	0

Minnesota AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Gomez, CF 5 0 0 0 0 3 4 .257 Casilla, 2B 5 1 3 0 0 0 0 .314 Mauer, C 4 0 0 0 1 2 3 .323 Morneau, 1B 3 0 1 0 2 1 1 .324 Kubel, DH 3 1 0 0 2 1 4 .265 Young, LF 4 0 0 1 0 2 3 .284 Buscher, 3B 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 .320 - a-Harris, PH-3B 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .254 Punto, SS 2 0 1 2 1 0 0 .324 Span, RF 3 0 1 0 1 0 1 .359 Totals 33 3 8 3 7 10 18 a-Struck out for Buscher in the 7th. BATTING 2B: Punto (8, Galarraga), Buscher (4, Galarraga), Casilla (12, Lopez). TB: Casilla 4; Morneau; Buscher 3; Punto 2; Span. RBI: Punto 2 (18), Young (36). 2-out RBI: Punto. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kubel; Gomez 2; Span; Harris; Young. SF: Punto; Young. Team LOB: 12.		Detroit AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Granderson, CF 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 .296 Polanco, 2B 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 .307 Guillen, 3B 4 0 1 1 0 0 3 .284 Cabrera, 1B 4 0 2 0 0 1 1 .291 Thames, LF 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 .275 Sheffield, DH 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .222 Joyce, RF 4 1 2 0 0 1 0 .264 Rodriguez, C 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .288 Santiago, SS 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333 - a-Larish, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .239 Totals 31 2 6 2 2 5 12 a-Flied out for Santiago in the 9th. BATTING 2B: Joyce 2 (7, Perkins, Perkins), Cabrera (21, Perkins). TB: Guillen; Cabrera 3; Joyce 4; Rodriguez. RBI: Guillen (47), Polanco (32). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Thames; Santiago; Sheffield; Guillen. S: Santiago. SF: Polanco. Team LOB: 7.
Minnesota IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Perkins (W, 6-2) 6.2 6 2 2 2 2 0 4.14 Crain (H, 10) 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.58 Guerrier (H, 12) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.35 Nathan (S, 26) 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.16		Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Galarraga (L, 7-3) 5.2 6 2 2 4 5 0 3.27 Lopez 0.1 1 1 1 0 0 0 2.68 Seay 2.0 0 0 0 2 3 0 2.83 Rodney 1.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 7.71
Lopez pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. IBB: Morneau (by Galarraga), Span (by Galarraga), Morneau (by Seay). HBP: Granderson (by Perkins). Pitches-strikes: Perkins 85-56, Crain 4-3, Guerrier 13-8, Nathan 9-6, Galarraga 113-63, Lopez 3-3, Seay 40-24, Rodney 21-13. Ground outs-fly outs: Perkins 10-8, Crain 0-1, Guerrier 1-0, Nathan 1-1, Galarraga 6-6, Lopez 0-1, Seay 2-1, Rodney 1-0. Batters faced: Perkins 29, Crain 1, Guerrier 3, Nathan 3, Galarraga 27, Lopez 2, Seay 8, Rodney 5. Inherited runners-scored: Crain 2-0, Lopez 2-0, Seay 1-1. Umpires: HP: Jerry Layne. 1B: Ed Montague. 2B: Ron Kulpa. 3B: Jim Wolf. Weather: 82 degrees, clear. Wind: 6 mph, Out to LF. T: 2:59. Att: 42,352.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WE SHOULD OF WON THESE 2GAMES. WAHHHHHH!! I HOPE WE ARE ON FIRE NEXT HALF!!