GDT: 4/12/09 - DET (3-3) VS Tex (3-2) - 1:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Fernando Rodney couldn't hear it. A lot of others in Detroit probably figured they'd never hear it.

"Rod-ney! Rod-ney!"

The chant started with a small group of fans when Rodney reached two strikes on Chris Davis with one out in the ninth inning on Saturday. By the time Rodney struck out Davis and Jarrod Saltalamacchia stepped up as the Rangers' last hope, the chanting was difficult to miss.

If that wasn't a suggestion that Rodney could establish himself as the Tigers' closer, his strikeout of Saltalamacchia might be. Three up, three down, no drama, just a hop off the mound and a fist pump from Rodney when Saltalamacchia swung and missed at his 96-mph fastball.

"I saw people stand up and clap," Rodney said, "but I'm very focused on the hitter."

He appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

"It's a good sign," he said. "People have fun at the good game. When you play hard, play nine innings hard like that, close game, people have fun. More important, we win the game."

Rodney has no problem having fun playing the game, but his focus has been impressive. Just as important for the Tigers is that Rodney doesn't seem to be rattled by the closer's role. Handed a one-run lead for his first save situation of the season, Rodney responded by picking up where he left off at the tail end of Spring Training.

"He's in a good mindset," manager Jim Leyland said.

It's a comfort level for Rodney. To use the old Leyland analogy, this is good pressure rather than bad pressure, because he feels he has prepared himself for this.

"I feel more comfortable," Rodney said, "because I think I worked very hard for that in Spring Training."

The Tigers worked very hard with him to build that after his wild stretch run last year. Fastball command became the priority, and when he struggled to mix in his slider, they bagged it and had him focus exclusively on fastballs and changeups.

"To be honest with you, he's around the plate a lot more," Leyland said. "I think the knee-to-knee [drills] that [pitching coach Rick] Knapp worked with him has helped him. I think he tuned it up a notch when he needed to today. And the more comfortable you feel with the delivery, the easier you'll be able to take it up 3-4 mph and not get out of whack in your delivery. That's the art of pitching."

Rarely has the art of pitching been associated with Rodney, whose inconsistencies have been maddening at times. If he can use the fastball effectively to set up his offspeed pitches, however, he'll have plenty of opportunities to leave hitters off-balance. Saturday featured a heavy dose of heaters climbing out of the strike zone as Rangers hitters swung and missed.

How rare was Rodney's Saturday performance? Only once last season, July 27 against the White Sox, did he strike out the side in order, and that wasn't a save situation.

When Leyland named Rodney the closer, it was far from definitive beyond Opening Day. Now, nearly a week into the season, there's no question it's his role. Leyland keeps talking about the need to sort out the bullpen roles, but closer isn't one of them.

"We have to figure out some things from [innings] seven to nine -- seven and eight more importantly," Leyland said.

Nine seems pretty well solved for now. And Rodney, who still felt like he was competing for the job when the Tigers broke camp a week ago, feels confident about his spot.

"Right now, I'm feeling like that's my job," Rodney said. "I'll keep throwing the ball the like however long I can, and we'll see what happens. I think we have a really good bullpen."

With Rodney needing just 14 pitches to send down the side Saturday, he'll be available again for the ninth when the Tigers try to go for the sweep of the Rangers on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 ET. It would be a good test for him throwing back-to-back days, but he has answered every test so far to get the closer's job.

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Edwin Jackson (0-0, 1.23 ERA)
If the Tigers can get anything close to the efficient success of Jackson's Detroit debut going forward, they might have the innings-eating workhorse for their rotation. Jackson threw just 89 pitches Tuesday in sending down the Blue Jays through seven innings of one-hit scoreless ball, before Scott Rolen's leadoff homer and a subsequent error by Brandon Inge knocked him out in the eighth. Brandon Lyon's blown save left Jackson without a win to show for his work, but his ability to give the Tigers a chance in what had been a low-scoring duel could be huge for Detroit if he can keep it up.

TEX: RHP Kevin Millwood (1-0, 1.29 ERA)
Millwood won for the first time in four Opening Day starts with a 9-1 victory over the Indians on Monday. He allowed one run on five hits, walked one and struck out five. He threw 113 pitches and said he still felt strong going into the seventh. Millwood is 4-4 with a 3.91 ERA in 11 career starts against the Tigers and 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts in Detroit. He was 4-7 with a 5.05 ERA on the road last year. That was the sixth highest road ERA among AL ERA qualifiers.

Tidbits
The Tigers will hold their Kids Day Easter celebration on Sunday. The first 500 kids at the park age 14 and under will be invited to participate in an Easter parade on the warning track and receive an "Always A Tiger" T-shirt. The first 200 kids 14 and under at the Big Cast Court photo booth can have a free photo with the Easter Bunny.
... All kids 14 and under will receive a PAWS 2009 schedule magnet.
... Ramon Santiago is expected to get his third start of the week Sunday, this one at shortstop to give Everett another day off.
... Curtis Granderson has hit safely in all six games this season, batting .280 (7-for-25) in the process.
... Placido Polanco has six hits over his past four games since going 0-for-4 on Opening Day.
... Miguel Cabrera had his first hitless game of the season, as well as his first two strikeouts of the year.

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 HD

On radio
• WXYT 1270 AM / 97.1 FM

Up next
• 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
• Wednesday: Tigers (Armando Galarraga, 1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. White Sox (Jose Contreras, 0-1, 7.20 ERA), 1:05 p.m. ET

GO TIGERS!!!

Home run!

2-0 Texas

inning over

1-2-3

Just checkin' in. Gogetem, I'll PM you...

4-0!

Jackson not doing as good as his 1st start.

! 3 out.

C'mon Carlos!

C'mon Jackson! No more 2-run homers...

1 out.

walk

Kinsler walks.

base hit!

Young doubles, runners at 2nd and 3rd.

bobrob2004 wrote:

C'mon Jackson! No more 2-run homers...

How 'bout 3 run homers?

Everett throws him out, no runs score. 2 out.

catbox_9 wrote:

bobrob2004 wrote:

C'mon Jackson! No more 2-run homers...

How 'bout 3 run homers?

No thank you.

3 out.

inning over

In Cleveland, Purcey has 5 walks in 3 innings

Cleveland leads 3-1 and might not go 0-162 after all

Where's our offense? Give us some runs guys!

catbox_9 wrote:

In Cleveland, Purcey has 5 walks in 3 innings

Cleveland leads 3-1 and might not go 0-162 after all

They need to at least go 0-7.

2 gone.

1-2-3

Not looking good