GDT: 8/1/08 - DET (55-53) AT TB (63-44) - 7:10 p.m. ET

CLEVELAND -- Don't talk to the Tigers about what a struggle they could find in St. Petersburg this weekend. They had trouble visiting the Rays even before they broke out this year.

Last year, it was a three-game series at the end of May that included two close Tigers losses and a ninth-inning comeback in losing two of three. In 2006, it was a four-game series split at the start of August that showed some of the first signs of Detroit's struggles that would become more apparent down the stretch.

Even in 2005, when the Tigers took three of four at Tropicana Field heading into the All-Star break, their loss came on a walkoff home run from Jonny Gomes off what ended up being Troy Percival's last pitch with the Tigers.

Those were the young, hungry Rays. These are the division-leading Rays. They've surprised baseball in much the same way the Tigers did two years ago. And if the Tigers are going to pull off a surprising late-season run, holding their own in Florida this weekend would be a good start.

"Obviously, they're playing great this year," said Zach Miner, who gets the start for Detroit in Friday's series opener. "They're a younger team with a lot of energy. Hopefully we can play well and it's good series. Should be a lot of fun."

If the Rays' offense ignites, it won't be. Yet in two starts since rejoining the Tigers' rotation a week and a half ago, Miner has been able to keep offenses contained and give Detroit some starting stability in the fifth spot that it had lacked for much of the summer since Jeremy Bonderman went on the disabled list and underwent season-ending surgery.

Miner sees a lot of the '06 Tigers in the Rays. It's more than the scenario of an upstart team vaulting from a series of losing seasons into contention. It's also the makeup of the roster and how it reflects in their play.

As Miner pointed out from experience, Tampa Bay was never an easy lineup to face. Now that the pitching has developed in turn, the margin for error is small.

"They have a mix of young guys and old guys," Miner said. "Nobody would've picked them to contend in their division. I think that year [in 2006], a lot of people were probably picking the Indians or the White Sox. People thought the Tigers were a good team in '06, obviously, but [we] hadn't done it. We kind of had that chip on our shoulders as underdogs.

"A lot of times, that really drives a team. If they go to places and other people expect them to not win, a lot of times that lights fires under guys and brings the best out of them."

The Tigers will need their best to keep up. Few, ironically, are expecting Detroit to make a late-season run, though it hasn't driven the Tigers yet. How the team responds to the arrival of reliever Kyle Farnsworth remains to be seen. The former Tigers reliever, acquired from the Yankees in Wednesday's Ivan Rodriguez trade, is slated to join the team at Tropicana Field on Friday.



Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Zach Miner (5-3, 3.65 ERA)
Miner's transition from the bullpen to the rotation took another positive step in his last start. After shutting out the Royals over six inning his first time out on Monday, Miner held the AL Central-leading White Sox to two runs on five hits in six innings Sunday. He did not walk a batter, tossing 61 of his 92 pitches for strikes. He also didn't overthrow, as he has shown a tendency to do in relief appearances, and his sinking fastball registered in the 89-91 mph range. In his two starts this season, he has allowed eight hits and one walk in 12 innings.

TB: LHP Scott Kazmir (8-5, 2.84 ERA)
Kazmir was sharp on Saturday against the Royals, just not as sharp as he had been recently. He lasted just five innings, giving up two runs and picking up the no-decision. An hour long rain delay struck in the middle of his outing, possibly causing some problems. Kazmir's previous outing was one of his best. He threw seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. Recently, Kazmir said the key to his recent success was relaxing more on the mound and not over-analyzing every decision.

Tidbits

Curtis Granderson hits Florida carrying a 10-game hitting streak, during which he's batting .413 (19-for-46). He went 10-for-18 at Cleveland this week. ... Gary Sheffield is 5-for-12 for his career against Kazmir with a double, home run and three RBIs. The Tampa native is also a .292 career hitter at Tropicana Field, with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs. ... The Tigers expect to know more about Todd Jones' injured shoulder from the MRI results expected back Thursday night or Friday. ... Saturday's game, slated to start at 6:10 p.m. ET, will be joined in progress by FSN Detroit for its telecast starting at 7:06 p.m. ET. The start of the game is blacked out due to the FOX network's exclusivity rights for its Game of the Week.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSND

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Sat., Aug. 2: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (8-7, 4.62 ERA)) at Rays (RHP Andy Sonnanstine (10-6, 4.65 ERA)), 6:10 p.m. ET

• Sun., Aug 3: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (9-4, 3.36 ERA)) at Rays (RHP James Shields (9-7, 3.66 ERA)), 1:40 p.m. ET

• Mon., Aug 4: Off-day

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .309
:placido: Polanco, 2B .309
Guillen, 3B .286
Ordonez, RF .319
Cabrera, 1B .293
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .229
:thames: Thames, LF .251
:edgar: Renteria, SS .259
Inge, C .227

Tampa Bay AVG
Iwamura, 2B .274
Upton, CF .267
Crawford, LF .271
Longoria, 3B .276
Pena, 1B .236
Floyd, DH .239
Navarro, C .313
Hinske, RF .256
Bartlett, SS .252

ugh this is gonna be scary

at least our "A" team is playing today, not like yesterday!

not if we lose, it's how BAD we will lose

If they win, the gods are smiling and I wish I could be at their hotel!

Goo Tigers!

Go Miner!

Grandy walks.

:curtis: walk

Polly flies out, 1 out.

:placido: flies out to rf

sounds like they have their cow bells at the game!

walks, 2 men on.

walks !!!

come on Maggs

walks. 3 walks loads the bases.

walk the bases loaded!!!

Fla announcers are speaking very positive about the Tigers

pops out, 2 out.

C'mon Sheffield!!

dang it Miggy, he would have walked ya if you waited!

Kazmir is all over the place!

:sheff: walks, Grandy scores.

1-0 Tigers

4 walks this inning.

walk in a run!

1-0

:thames: flies out, 3 out.

1 run, 0 hits, 4 walks

4 walks??!

Holy heck.
Kazmir?!

Are you there...if not, you can gladly stay away.

dang it Thames, when you have someone that wild, take advantage of it and walk!!!

cdurbfan22 wrote:

4 walks??!

Holy heck.
Kazmir?!

Are you there...if not, you can gladly stay away.

Yeah, but he has a no-hitter going!