GDT: 4/11/09 - DET (2-3) VS Tex (3-1) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- So much for the notion that a return to chilly weather in Detroit would cool off Miguel Cabrera.

The way he's hitting, he might not even be feeling the cooler weather. He certainly isn't feeling the pressure.

Ask Cabrera the difference for him so far this year compared to last, and climate is merely a small part of it. How he feels about himself, it turns out, is pretty important. It's the second year of his eight-year contract, and it took him a long time last season to get used to the responsibility of it.

Performances like Friday's three-hit, six-RBIs afternoon against Texas are making it look like money well-invested, even in Detroit's current economy.

"He didn't hit well for the first month, month and a half, last season, and still won the home-run title," Brandon Inge said. "I mean, this guy, if he stays hot the whole year, God knows what he can do."

It isn't just that Cabrera hit his second career grand slam in powering the Tigers to a 15-2 win over the Rangers, but the way he hit it. After each of Detroit's previous three hits in the fourth inning had gone progressively further, Cabrera topped them all with a line drive close to the deepest part of the ballpark in left-center field, right around where the new and old fences meet.

Rangers starter Kris Benson had thrown strikes early and often to get ahead of the previous four hitters, including an 0-2 hole on Magglio Ordonez on his way to a strikeout that removed the sacrifice fly opportunity. When he tried to put a first-pitch fastball past Cabrera, the slugger pounced.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything like him and [Albert] Pujols, to be honest with you," manager Jim Leyland said. "He's more than awful good."

Asked how it feels to hit a ball like that, Cabrera kept it simple.

"Pretty good," he said, "because we score more runs."

The amazement isn't just in hits like that. Every ball that connects with his bat so far this season seems to be going far, and he's connecting at an alarming rate.

Before Benson's fastball mistake in the fourth, he paid for going back-to-back with his slider vs. Cabrera in the third with a line-drive single to right. After Benson left, Cabrera fought out of a 1-2 count against reliever Josh Rupe, who threw him breaking balls, fastballs and sliders to try to keep him guessing. His 2-2 fastball on the eighth pitch of the at-bat ended up belted against the left-field fence for a two-run double.

Add in his hits at Toronto, and Cabrera has gone 11-for-18 with three homers and 10 RBIs.

He didn't get his third home run or his 10th RBI last year until the 15th game of the season, 60 plate appearances into his inaugural campaign in Detroit. As he said after his two-homer game Tuesday, Cabrera knows his opposition better now with more experience in the American League.

"In the new league, I had to make a lot of adjustments," Cabrera said. "Right now, I feel comfortable, because I know the league better. I know how they're going to pitch me. I have an idea how they want to pitch me, so I'm more relaxed. I'm not thinking a lot at home plate."

He has a similarly easy, bottom-line outlook for his role on this team. He supplies offense in situations where he can, and he lets the team do the rest.

"For me, last year was a tough situation for me," he said. "I wanted to show what I could do. I put a lot of pressure on myself. This year, I go up there, do my job."

The Rangers' job now is to try to get him out at a better rate over the next two games before he changes some close games. It isn't an easy situation for lefty starter Matt Harrison, who gave up 12 home runs and 100 hits over 83 2/3 innings last year. It isn't much easier for Sundat starter Kevin Millwood, whom Cabrera has hit at a 7-for-24 clip with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs for his career.

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (0-1, 19.64 ERA)
All the adjustments Verlander made in Spring Training didn't help him once a two-out walk to Alex Rios set up a four-run first inning on Opening Day in Toronto, before four more runs chased him in the fourth. The eight earned runs tied Verlander's career high from his rookie season of 2006, but he feels comfortable that the changes he made are sticking. He made a point to throw breaking balls early and often the first time through the Jays' order, and he caught himself losing command of his fastball before settling down in the second and third innings.

TEX: LHP Matt Harrison (9-3, 5.49 ERA in 2008)
Harrison was a nine-game winner for the Rangers in 2008, the most number of wins by a rookie left-hander in club history. His .750 winning percentage was the third-highest in club history for a pitcher with at least 10 decisions. He did not pitch against the Tigers last year, but was 4-1 with a 4.70 ERA in five starts on the road. Harrison went 6-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 15 Minor League starts, giving him 15 combined wins on the season.

Tidbits
Look for Marcus Thames to return to the designated hitter slot on Saturday against the left-handed starter Harrison. Jeff Larish homered as the DH in Friday's home opener.
... While the Tigers play their second game at home this year, Joel Zumaya will begin his Minor League rehab assignment Saturday with an appearance for Class A Lakeland.
... Like Cabrera, Curtis Granderson has a hit in each of Detroit's first five games, going 6-for-20.
... Gerald Laird's triple Friday was his first since September 24, 2007, when he was still with the Rangers.
... The Rangers were the last American League team to lose this season.

To track MLB play-by-play: http://m.mlb.com/scores/

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

On television
• FS-D+

On radio
• WXYT 1270 AM / 97.1 FM

Up next
• Sunday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 0-0, 1.23 ERA) vs. Rangers (Kevin Millwood, 1-0, 1.29 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Monday: Tigers (Zach Miner, 1-0, 1.59 ERA) vs. White Sox (Gavin Floyd, 0-1, 2.57 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET
• Tuesday: Tigers (Rick Porcello, 0-1, 7.20 ERA) vs. White Sox (John Danks, 0-0, 0.00 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

GO VERLANDER!!!

I'll make a prediction that his ERA will go down after this start...

Pitch like the real today, please...

Getting ready to head for the ballpark


54 degrees and sunny this afternoon

Damn FOX

catbox_9 wrote:

Damn FOX

Speaking of FOX, I was watching the Marlins/Mets yesterday and the Marlins announcer commented how you could catch today's game starting at 4:05 Eastern on their channel even though the game starts before that. Due to FOX they couldn't show the first part of the game and would have to join in progress. That's pretty screwed up.

bobrob2004 wrote:

GO VERLANDER!!!

I'll make a prediction that his ERA will go down after this start...

I predict that if it doesn't we won't win.

1-2-3

base hit!

double play!

walk

Home run!!!

1-0

1 away

base hit!

base hit!

walk. Bases loaded

base hit! 2 runs score!

out!

1-2-3

Inning 1
Top Half

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Ian Kinsler grounds out, shortstop Adam Everett to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Michael Young flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Josh Hamilton swinging.
Bottom Half

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a line drive to center fielder Josh Hamilton.

B:1 S:0 O:2 - Placido Polanco grounds into double
play, second baseman Ian Kinsler to shortstop Elvis Andrus to first
baseman Chris Davis. Curtis Granderson out at 2nd.

B:4 S:0 O:2 -
Magglio Ordonez walks.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Miguel Cabrera called out on

0-0

Double!!

He's halfway to a natural cycle!

Inning 2
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Hank Blalock homers (2) on a fly ball to right field.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Nelson Cruz flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:1 S:3 O:2 -
David Murphy strikes out swinging.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Chris Davis called out on strikes.
Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen grounds out, shortstop Elvis Andrus to first baseman Chris Davis.

B:0 S:0 O:1 -
Marcus Thames singles on a ground ball to left fielder David Murphy.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Gerald Laird singles on a soft line drive to left fielder David Murphy. Marcus Thames to 2nd.

B:4 S:2 O:1 -
Brandon Inge walks. Marcus Thames to 3rd. Gerald Laird to 2nd.

B:1 S:0 O:1 - Adam Everett singles on a ground ball to
left fielder David Murphy. Marcus Thames scores. Gerald Laird scores.
Brandon Inge to 2nd.

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

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out to first baseman Chris Davis. Brandon Inge to 3rd. Adam Everett to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Placido Polanco pops out to first baseman Chris Davis in foul territory.

2-1

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Jarrod Saltalamacchia swinging.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Elvis Andrus flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Ian Kinsler walks.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Michael Young walks. Ian Kinsler to 2nd.

B:4 S:1 O:2 -
Coaching visit to mound.

B:1 S:3 O:3 -
Josh Hamilton swinging.
Bottom Half

B:4 S:0 O:0 -
Magglio Ordonez walks.

B:1 S:1 O:1 -
Miguel Cabrera lines out sharply to center fielder Josh Hamilton.

B:1 S:2 O:2 -
Carlos Guillen grounds out softly, shortstop Elvis Andrus to first baseman Chris Davis. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd.

B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Marcus Thames flies out to right fielder Nelson Cruz.

2-1

Inning 4
Top Half

B:0 S:3 O:1 -
Hank Blalock swinging.

B:2 S:3 O:2 -
Nelson Cruz swinging.

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
David Murphy pops out to shortstop Adam Everett.
Bottom Half

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
Gerald Laird doubles (1) on a line drive to left fielder David Murphy.

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Brandon Inge grounds out softly, third baseman Michael Young to first baseman Chris Davis.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Adam Everett flies out to center fielder Josh Hamilton. Gerald Laird to 3rd.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Curtis Granderson pops out to catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia in foul territory.

2-1