GDT: 4/6/09 - DET (0-0) AT TOR (0-0) - 7:15 p.m. ET

Justin Verlander doesn't like the way the Tigers have been written off after their 2008 disappointment. Key pieces of that 2006 American League champion club, he points out, are still there, as are some parts that raised expectations last year.

"I wouldn't call it an underdog [status]," Verlander said. "I'd call it more of a sleeping giant."

That was a month ago. He still feels that way now.

"Absolutely," he said Wednesday after his final Spring Training start. "I think we're going to be a team that's going to be reckoned with. I think inside baseball circles, I don't think we're going to sneak up on anybody. I think everybody knows that we have a good team. Just go out, play the game, have fun and let the talent take over from there."

If the Tigers are going to make that turnaround, Verlander will have to be a huge key. While Detroit has exciting new arms like Edwin Jackson and Rick Porcello, nobody on the Tigers staff creates the same feeling on the mound that Verlander can when he's on his game. When he takes the mound, the team feels it has a strong chance to win.

"The things I've been working on have come to fruition," Verlander said. "Everything feels good."

He believes he has solved the great Detroit mystery that was his 17-loss season last year. It was a product, he said, of trying to throw too much at less than full strength in Spring Training and paying for it with a drop in velocity when the season began. He watched video of himself from past years, trying to pick up hints as to what, if anything, changed in his mechanics. He embraced the techniques and teachings of new pitching coach Rick Knapp, starting with an adjustment in his front foot placement when he delivers the ball. He decided to try to raise his arm angle with just a few Spring Training starts left, chancing the possibility that he could still be adjusting when the regular season begins, and managed to make the tweak stick in just two outings.

Even when Verlander fell out of form in his final spring start, manager Jim Leyland felt encouraged that Verlander didn't let him get "totally gone," as he put it. He demonstrated a point Leyland wants to make to all of his pitchers.

"We have the type of team that can come back," Leyland said, "so if you have a bad inning, don't just say, 'It's not my day.'"

The way Verlander looked when he had his adjustments working, he shouldn't have to worry about that often. His velocity, which seemed stuck around the mid-90s at times last season, is back at 97 mph now. He has better command of his curveball, dropping it in for strikes. The result is a pitcher who teammates believe looks more like the staff ace who won 35 games over his first two full big league seasons before struggling last year.

"The last few times I saw Verlander throw," Granderson said, "were very similar to '06 and '07."

They were also signs of a pitcher who's trying to go after hitters aggressively for quicker outs rather than searching at times for the perfect pitch. And that's an adjustment that has been longer in the making, and potentially huge if he can make it work.

"I'm excited about where I am now," Verlander said, "and hopefully what it equates to in the regular season."

If his first few years are any judge, how he pitches at the start of the year tends to define how his season follows. He pitched seven scoreless innings at Texas to start the 2006 season and went on to a campaign worthy of AL Rookie of the Year honors. He went 14 innings without allowing an earned run over his first few starts in 2007 and became an All-Star.

Then came his first career Opening Day assignment last year, when he tossed five scoreless innings before allowing two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings, resulting in a Tigers loss. He was relatively efficient in his Opening Day start, but his pitch counts ballooned over his next several starts -- 109 over 5 2/3 innings against the White Sox, then 104 over five innings two starts later.

By mid-May, Verlander was 1-7 with a 6.05 ERA, and the Tigers were trying to help him make adjustments. As both Verlander and Leyland said, making adjustments in midseason are tough to do.

Offseason and Spring Training adjustments, by contrast, are easier. Verlander feels he finally has them.

"I've worked hard," he said. "I'm ready to go. Get the season started."


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (11-17, 4.84 ERA in 2008)
The former All-Star's effort to bounce back from last year's shocking struggles begins here, with his second straight Opening Day assignment. His 1-7 record over the first month and a half to last season sent him reeling towards an American League high in losses and a spiral he couldn't seem to escape no matter what midseason adjustments he tried to make. He believes he has made the changes he needed, and he has the Spring Training performances to back it up -- one run allowed over a 19-inning stretch, including a 13-inning scoreless streak over his final three Spring Training starts before the Braves roughed him up in his finale for seven runs on nine hits over five innings.

Part of last year's struggles included an Aug. 11 loss to the Blue Jays at Comerica Park in his first career outing against Toronto, which hit him for six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, the fourth straight loss in a season that included three different four-game losing streaks, two of them in the season's second half. The 26-year-old right-hander finished Spring Training with a 1-2 record and a 3.90 ERA in eight starts, allowing 14 hits over 27 1/3 innings.

TOR: RHP Roy Halladay (20-11, 2.78 ERA in 2008)
Halladay is 73-28 with a 3.28 ERA in his career at Rogers Centre.

Tidbits
The fact that Verlander has never pitched at Rogers Centre gives him a small sample size, but he has allowed a .323 opposing average on artificial turf over his career and .312 in domes, compared with .249 on natural grass and .248 in open-air ballparks. ... The Tigers will work out Sunday at 5 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre, taking infield practice and some light BP to loosen up and prepare for the opener. ... Looking for a Tiger who can hit Roy Halladay? Placido Polanco is 5-for-11 in his career off the former Cy Young award winner.



On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FS-D

On radio
• WXYT 1270

Up next
• Tuesday: Tigers (RHP Edwin Jackson, 14-11, 4.42 in 2008) at Blue Jays (LHP David Purcey, 3-6, 5.54 in 2008), 7:07 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, 8-5, 4.27 in 2008) at Blue Jays (RHP Jesse Litsch, 13-9, 3.58 in 2008), 7:07 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Tigers (RHP Rick Porcello, ML debut) at Blue Jays (LHP Ricky Romero, ML debut), 12:37 p.m. ET

Starting Lineups:

Detroit
Granderson, CF
Polanco, 2B
Ordonez, RF
Cabrera, M, 1B
Guillen, DH
Laird, C
Inge, 3B
Everett, SS
Anderson, J, LF

Toronto
Scutaro, SS
Hill, 2B
Rios, RF
Wells, V, CF
Lind, DH
Rolen, 3B
Overbay, 1B
Barajas, C
Snider, LF

Here's to a whole lot more of this year

instead of

Hopefully we dont get totally shut down by Halladay, and Verlander can do some shutting down of his own.

Baseball!

Right there with ya cat!

Stat of the Day:

The Tigers are 1-1 on opening day against Roy Halladay. Tigers beat Halladay 7-0 on the 1st game of the year in 2004 and lost 5-3 against him in game #1 in 2007. Bonus stat: Fernando Rodney took the loss in the 2007 game. Leyland's announced closer for this game? The same Fernando Rodney.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

Wow. Thats quite a downer bobrob.

68 degrees


Indoors


Roof Closed


No rain or snowouts here

RECENT SUCCESS IN TORONTO: Dating back to June 10, 2006, the Tigers have won six of the club’s last 10 games at Toronto. During the 10-game stretch, Tigers pitchers have combined to compile a 3.61 ERA (87.1IP/35ER). Detroit has limited the Blue Jays to a .242 batting average (79x327) during the stretch.

Damn, it's been a long winter. Hello Tig fans!

Welcome back.

Thanks. I've got a beer, the fire is blazing, and the new 50" wide screen and surround sound are filling up the room. Life is good.

Now, if '07 Verlander can show up and Sparty can wax the Tarheels it will be a good night.

But whatever...the boys of summer are back, so it's a good night anyway.

tigerbob wrote:

Thanks. I've got a beer, the fire is blazing, and the new 50" wide screen and surround sound are filling up the room. Life is good.

I'm jealous! 50" darn! I get to view on computer screen!

tigerbob wrote:

Now, if '07 Verlander can show up and Sparty can wax the Tarheels it will be a good night.

But whatever...the boys of summer are back, so it's a good night anyway.

Go

ooo...beer.....

Curtis! My Tiger! Leads off the season with a BB!

Aww crap! 4-6-3 DP!

Verlander is doing his best Nate Robertson impersonation. What a crappy way to begin the season...

He's got that big hook working now though. Maybe just Opening Day nerves?

Good 2nd inning by JV. That's how you should have pitched in the first!

OMG WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!?

The Doc is just dominant till now.

Hey Swiss! Wassup???

JV looking better but early damage is significant.

Inning 1
Top Half

B:4 S:1 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson walks.

B:0 S:1 O:2 - Placido Polanco grounds into double
play, second baseman Aaron Hill to shortstop Marco Scutaro to first
baseman Lyle Overbay. Curtis Granderson out at 2nd.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Magglio Ordonez pops out to first baseman Lyle Overbay.

Bottom Half

B:3 S:3 O:1 -
Marco Scutaro called out on strikes.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Aaron Hill grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Alex Rios walks.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Vernon Wells doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder Josh Anderson. Alex Rios to 3rd.

B:1 S:2 O:2 - Adam Lind singles on a soft line drive
to right fielder Magglio Ordonez. Alex Rios scores. Vernon Wells
scores. Adam Lind advances to 2nd, on fielding error by right fielder
Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Scott Rolen hit by pitch.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Lyle Overbay doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder Josh Anderson. Adam Lind scores. Scott Rolen scores.

B:2 S:1 O:3 -
Rod Barajas flies out softly to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

Jays 4-0

Inning 2
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, second baseman Aaron Hill to first baseman Lyle Overbay.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Carlos Guillen grounds out to first baseman Lyle Overbay.

B:2 S:0 O:3 -
Gerald Laird flies out to right fielder Alex Rios.

Bottom Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Travis Snider doubles (1) on a line drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Marco Scutaro called out on strikes.

B:0 S:3 O:2 -
Aaron Hill strikes out swinging.

B:3 S:2 O:3 -
Alex Rios lines out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

Jays 4-0

Curtis is my Tiiiiiiigerrrrrrrr!!!!!!!

Inning 3
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Brandon Inge strikes out swinging.

B:0 S:2 O:2 -
Adam Everett grounds out softly, pitcher Roy Halladay to first baseman Lyle Overbay.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Josh Anderson grounds out, first baseman Lyle Overbay to pitcher Roy Halladay.

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Vernon Wells pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Adam Lind singles on a ground ball to right fielder Magglio Ordonez, deflected by first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Scott Rolen flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Lyle Overbay flies out to left fielder Josh Anderson.

Jays 4-0

Inning 4
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson homers (1) on a fly ball to right field.

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Placido Polanco pops out to second baseman Aaron Hill.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez lines out to first baseman Lyle Overbay.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a ground ball to pitcher Roy Halladay.

Come on Tigers!

Verlander had it together in the spring!!!