GDT: 4/23/09 - DET (8-6) AT LAA (5-9) - 10:05 p.m. ET

ANAHEIM -- Ryan Raburn went to Triple-A Toledo three weeks ago with Tigers manager Jim Leyland saying he probably deserved to make the team. Despite a season debut he might like to forget, the Tigers nonetheless need him as a potentially big part on this club.

With Marcus Thames out for likely at least a month with a severe rib cage strain, the Tigers are without a right-handed power bat off their bench. That won't matter on many days, when Detroit can balance out its lineup with left-handed bats against right-handed starters, including Angels rookie starter Matt Palmer in Thursday's series finale. But lefty starters and relievers are another story.

Raburn, whose five home runs for the Mud Hens lead the International League, was their answer. With Thames' timetable for anything but a quick return, Raburn might need to fill that role for a while.

As such, he'll fit into the mix-and-match puzzle that has become the Tigers' DH spot.

"He's going to get a chance to play some," Leyland said.

Much like Leyland had done for much of the season's first couple weeks, he's expected to shuffle guys in and out of DH to give his regulars an occasional day out of the field without taking them out of the lineup. Carlos Guillen was able to keep hitting that way while his right Achilles tendon bothered him earlier this month, and he could still end up doing so if it worsens again. Magglio Ordonez was the Tigers' DH Tuesday while Raburn struggled in right field.

It was in right that Raburn struggled with two drives Wednesday. Maicer Izturis' deep liner fooled him before glancing off his glove for what was ruled a first-inning double. Another Izturis liner stayed up enough for Raburn to apparently lose it in the lights.

With infielder/outfielder Raburn, outfielder Josh Anderson, corner infielder/outfield Jeff Larish and utility infielder Ramon Santiago available, the Tigers have versatility galore to make those moves. But Raburn is the only power bat from the right side available for them in that situation.

"I'm back here now," Raburn said before Wednesday's game. "For how long, I don't know, but I'm going to try to make the most of it."

Eight of Raburn's 12 hits at Toledo were for extra bases, including three doubles, giving him a .995 OPS. Four of his homers had come over his last eight games before the callup. His 13 strikeouts in 47 at-bats brought back memories of his high strikeout totals from past years with the Mud Hens, but his contact had been consistently solid.

While Raburn and Larish bring a potential power boost to the lineup when they're in, Anderson has shown the potential for inning-changing speed. His two-out steal of second base in a mid-game appearance Wednesday allowed the Tigers to take a run on Adam Everett's ensuing single, bringing them within a run with the type of offense they struggled to manufacture over the past couple years.

All of those options are now in play with Thames out.

"I can go a lot of different ways with it," Leyland said.

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Edwin Jackson (1-0, 2.14 ERA)
Jackson is coming off an outstanding outing on Saturday against the Mariners in Seattle in which he went 7 2/3 innings, allowing no runs and five hits. Jackson kept the Mariners off-balance with offspeed pitches behind his mid-90s fastball and stuck out six. He is becoming the pitcher the Tigers hoped he would be when they traded for him during the offseason. Jackson allowed four runs over seven innings and took the win in his only start against the Angels last season.

LAA: RHP Matt Palmer (0-0, -.-- ERA)
Palmer will be recalled Thursday from Triple-A to face the Tigers in his fourth-career Major League start. Palmer went 0-2 with an 8.33 ERA for the Giants last season and was 1-1 with a 11.74 ERA in two Minor League starts this season. Even though he's struggled at the Major League level, Angels manager Mike Scioscia liked what he saw from Palmer in Spring Training and called him the club's "best short-term option" with Darren Oliver moving back to the bullpen.


Tidbits

... The Tigers have a decision to make on reliever Joel Zumaya on Thursday once they're assured his shoulder feels fine after back-to-back outings the last two nights. The Tigers could decide to activate Zumaya in the coming days or have him pitch on more time with the Mud Hens this weekend while the Tigers are on the road.
... Curtis Granderson's home run Wednesday moved him into a tie for the team lead with five along with Brandon Inge, who also homered in the ninth inning.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Friday: Tigers (RHP Rick Porcello, 1-1, 3.75 ERA) at Royals (RHP Zack Greinke, (3-0, 0.00 ERA), 8:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, 1-1, 8.10 ERA) at Royals (RHP Kyle Davies, 1-0, 2.89 ERA), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga, (2-0, 1.96 ERA ) at Royals (RHP Sidney Ponson, 0-2, 7.04 ERA), 2:10 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .267
:placido: Polanco, 2B .276
Ordonez, RF .321
Cabrera, M, 1B .444
Guillen, DH .250
Inge, 3B .320
:anderson: Anderson, J, LF .368
:treanor: Treanor, C .000
Everett, SS .308

LA Angels AVG
Figgins, 3B .250
Izturis, M, SS .267
Abreu, RF .370
Hunter, DH .348
Morales, 1B .250
Rivera, LF .302
Matthews, CF .240
Kendrick, 2B .196
Mathis, C .235

68 degrees right now in Anaheim


64 at Game Time


Light Winds

Current Conditions

Angel Stadium of Anaheim

Partly Cloudy 64 F

Humidity: 67 %

Wind: from the SW at 9 mph

Barometer: 29.93 in

last updated: 4/23/09 5:45 PM PDT

chilly for them!

Inning 1
Top Half

B:1 S:1 O:0 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a ground ball to center fielder Gary MatthewsJr.

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
With Placido Polanco batting, Curtis Granderson steals (2) 2nd base.

B:4 S:0 O:0 -
Placido Polanco walks.

B:3 S:2 O:1 - Magglio Ordonez grounds out, shortstop
Maicer Izturis to first baseman Kendry Morales. Curtis Granderson to
3rd. Placido Polanco to 2nd.

B:0 S:1 O:1 - Miguel Cabrera singles on a ground ball
to third baseman Chone Figgins. Curtis Granderson scores. Placido
Polanco to 3rd.

B:0 S:0 O:3 - Carlos Guillen grounds into double play,
shortstop Maicer Izturis to second baseman Howard Kendrick to first
baseman Kendry Morales. Miguel Cabrera out at 2nd.

1-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:0 O:1 -
Chone Figgins flies out to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Maicer Izturis grounds out, second baseman Placido Polanco to first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Bobby Abreu singles on a ground ball to third baseman Brandon Inge.

B:3 S:2 O:2 -
With Torii Hunter batting, Bobby Abreu steals (8) 2nd base.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Torii Hunter swinging.

1-0 AFTER 1 INNING

Inning 2
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Brandon Inge homers (6) on a fly ball to left field.

2-0

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Josh Anderson singles on a ground ball to shortstop Maicer Izturis.

B:2 S:2 O:0 -
With Matt Treanor batting, Josh Anderson steals (4) 2nd base.

B:2 S:2 O:1 -
Matt Treanor flies out to center fielder Gary MatthewsJr. Josh Anderson to 3rd.

B:1 S:1 O:2 - Adam Everett reaches on a fielder's
choice out, third baseman Chone Figgins to catcher Jeff Mathis. Josh
Anderson out at home.

B:2 S:2 O:2 -
Curtis Granderson singles on a line drive to right fielder Bobby Abreu. Adam Everett to 2nd.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Placido Polanco flies out to right fielder Bobby Abreu.

2-0

Bottom Half

B:1 S:0 O:0 -
Kendry Morales singles on a ground ball to left fielder Josh Anderson.

B:3 S:2 O:1 -
Juan Rivera pops out to shortstop Adam Everett.

B:2 S:0 O:2 -
Gary MatthewsJr. flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:1 S:1 O:3 -
Howard Kendrick flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.

2-0 AFTER 2 INNINGS

Inning 3
Top Half

B:3 S:3 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez called out on .

B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera grounds out, shortstop Maicer Izturis to first baseman Kendry Morales.

B:1 S:0 O:3 -
Carlos Guillen flies out to left fielder Juan Rivera.

2-0

Evening GG.

Bottom Half

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Jeff Mathis swinging.

tigerbob wrote:

Evening GG.

TB

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

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Maicer Izturis singles on a ground ball to third baseman Brandon Inge.