GDT: 7/28/09 - DET (52-46) AT TEX (55-42) - 8:05 p.m. ET

ARLINGTON -- Jim Leyland sees a very capable reliever in sinkerballer Zach Miner. But the Tigers' manager sees the source of a fair amount of frustration, too.

When Miner is on, he's one of the more versatile, durable relievers in the American League, capable of eating up innings as a former starter turned long reliever or getting a key ground ball as a situational pitcher with men on base. He began the season as the fifth starter in the rotation, and he has entered as late as the ninth inning of a tie game.

When Miner struggles to locate strikes, however, he's tough to get through an inning, and Leyland sometimes has to make moves in a hurry. In Sunday's case, Miner's three walks in the seventh prompted Leyland to put Casey Fien in the unenviable position of facing Paul Konerko with the bases loaded in his Major League debut.

He's a vital pitcher in Detroit's bullpen, especially now. With rookie Luke French starting the middle game of this three-game series against the Rangers, Miner becomes vital.

The way the Tigers' non-rookie pitchers have performed lately, from Justin Verlander to Edwin Jackson and even Armando Galarraga, it has allowed Leyland to have a fresh bullpen on the nights when rookies French and Rick Porcello pitch. Miner is part of the bridge in that group that carries the game from the starters to the late-inning crew of Bobby Seay, Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney.

"I love him to death," Leyland said. "He's a very usable big league pitcher. I really like him. I want him on this team. But I do get tired of looking [the walks]. ...

"I don't want this to come out like I'm picking on Zach, because I'm not. I love him. He's good enough to be a real effective pitcher for us. But that picking and picking and picking [at the strike zone], it gets old."

Miner said it wasn't a matter of pitching around guys, but not being able to locate.

"Just wasn't working," Miner said. "I was putting everything over the plate. Everything was down."

In that sense, he's being effective in not allowing damage. He has allowed only one extra-base hit out of four hits total in his past five outings, covering five innings. He has allowed a lone home run since May 17. But that hasn't always made his outings easy.

He could easily be called upon to protect a Tigers' lead Tuesday. While French has put forth quality work in four starts since joining the Tigers' rotation at the start of the month, Detroit has had its fair share of success against Texas starter Vicente Padilla.

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Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Lucas French (1-1, 2.22 ERA)
With the Tigers still looking for starting pitching on the market and the non-waiver Trade Deadline looming, this could be French's final start for a while. But it also could be the next step in this 23-year-old rookie's development, which has gone better than expected so far. Though he took his first Major League loss last Thursday against the Mariners, he struck out six over 5 1/3 innings and had a relative pitching duel going until he gave up a run in the sixth. He'll face a Rangers lineup that bats nine points lower against left-handed pitchers compared with right-handers.

TEX: RHP Vicente Padilla (7-5, 4.67 ERA)
Padilla was skipped in his previous start against the Red Sox because of what turned out to be a case of swine flu. But he is recovering and the Rangers expect him to start against the Tigers. Padilla is 4-2 with a 3.56 ERA in his past seven games. He is 3-4 with a 6.00 ERA in nine starts at home. Left-handed hitters are batting .330 off him and right-handed hitters are batting .232. He is 3-2 with a 4.63 ERA in six starts at home.

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Tidbits

... Look for Ramon Santiago in Tuesday's starting lineup. He's 6-for-11 with a home run and four RBIs for his career off Padilla.
... Miguel Cabrera is 5-for-21 with three home runs for his career off Padilla.
... The Tigers have committed seven errors over their past three games.
... Magglio Ordonez could earn another outing against a right-handed pitcher, given his three extra-base hits in 11 at-bats against Padilla.

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Up next (Probable Pitchers)

• Wednesday: Tigers (Justin Verlander, 11-5, 3.12 ERA) at Rangers (Scott Feldman, 9-3, 3.59 ERA), 8:05 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 7-5, 2.59 ERA) at Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 3-7, 5.15 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

TIGERS

1. Curtis Granderson, CF
   
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
   
3. Clete Thomas, LF
   
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
   
5. Carlos Guillen, DH
   
6. Magglio Ordonez, RF
   
7. Brandon Inge, 3B
   
8. Ramon Santiago, 3B
   
9. Dusty Ryan, C
   

P: Luke French

RANGERS

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
   
2. Michael Young, 3B
   
3. Marlon Byrd, LF
   
4. Nelson Cruz, RF
   
5. Hank Blalock, 1B
   
6. Andruw Jones, DH
   
7. Josh Hamilton, CF
   
8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
   
9. Elvis Andrus, SS
   

P: Doug Mathis

cmon guys! we're due for a W!!!!!

Tigers won't face Vicente Padilla
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on July 28, 2009 at 4:24 PM

The Tigers won't get to face starter Vicente Padilla, who's healthy but still weak from bout with swine flu, according to a Rangers spokesperson. RHP Doug Mathis will start in Padilla's place.

Inning 1
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Curtis Granderson grounds out, second baseman Ian Kinsler to first baseman Hank Blalock.

B:2 S:1 O:2 -
Placido Polanco lines out to center fielder Josh Hamilton.

B:3 S:3 O:3 -
Clete Thomas swinging.

0-0

Bottom Half

B:0 S:0 O:0 -
Ian Kinsler reaches on fielding error by shortstop Ramon Santiago.

B:0 S:1 O:1 -
Michael Young flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez. Ian Kinsler to 2nd.

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

B:2 S:2 O:3 -
Nelson Cruz flies out to left fielder Clete Thomas.


0-0 after 1 inning

Inning 2
Top Half

B:0 S:1 O:0 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a soft line drive to right fielder Nelson Cruz.

B:2 S:3 O:1 -
Carlos Guillen swinging.

B:4 S:0 O:1 -
Magglio Ordonez walks. Miguel Cabrera to 2nd.

B:3 S:3 O:2 -
Brandon Inge swinging.

B:3 S:1 O:2 - Ramon Santiago doubles (5) on a line
drive to center fielder Josh Hamilton. Miguel Cabrera scores. Magglio
Ordonez to 3rd.
DET 1, TEX 0


B:0 S:0 O:2 -
Dusty Ryan singles on a line drive to left fielder Marlon Byrd. Magglio Ordonez scores. Ramon Santiago scores.
DET 3, TEX 0





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


B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Curtis Granderson flies out to left fielder Marlon Byrd.

DET 3, TEX 0 after 1.5 innings

Inge needs to go on the DL and heal... we need him more in late Aug, early Sept in great shape!

Bottom Half

B:0 S:2 O:1 -
Hank Blalock flies out to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:3 S:1 O:1 -
Andruw Jones doubles (14) on a ground ball to left fielder Clete Thomas.

B:1 S:1 O:2 -
Josh Hamilton pops out to second baseman Placido Polanco.

GO TIGERS

3-1 game

Make that 3-3

Kinsler triple

Geez!

4-3 Rangers

Young doubles

RBI

Finally

Inning is over


4-3 Rangers

B:4 S:2 O:2 -
Jarrod Saltalamacchia walks.

B:1 S:1 O:2 - Elvis Andrus singles on a line drive to
center fielder Curtis Granderson. Andruw Jones scores. Jarrod
Saltalamacchia to 3rd.
DET 3, TEX 1



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

B:0 S:0 O:2 - Ian Kinsler triples (3) on a fly ball to
center fielder Curtis Granderson. Jarrod Saltalamacchia scores. Elvis
Andrus scores.
DET 3, TEX 3



B:2 S:1 O:2 - Michael Young doubles (30) on a line
drive to center fielder Curtis Granderson, deflected by right fielder
Magglio Ordonez. Ian Kinsler scores.
TEX 4, DET 3



B:0 S:0 O:3 -
Marlon Byrd flies out to left fielder Clete Thomas.

TEX 4, DET 3 after 2 innings

hi gs, sorry, you can do the play by play, I did not realize you were on.

Inning 3
Top Half

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Placido Polanco grounds out, second baseman Ian Kinsler to first baseman Hank Blalock.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Clete Thomas flies out to left fielder Marlon Byrd.

B:0 S:1 O:2 -
Miguel Cabrera singles on a pop up to second baseman Ian Kinsler.

B:1 S:2 O:3 -
Carlos Guillen pops out to shortstop Elvis Andrus.

TEX 4, DET 3 after 2.5 innings

beckjason - Rangers just called up ex-Tigers prospect Guillermo Moscoso. Detroit dealt him in the Gerald Laird trade last winter.

gs gone

Bottom Half

B:1 S:3 O:1 -
Nelson Cruz swinging.

B:1 S:2 O:1 -
Hank Blalock doubles (17) on a ground ball to right fielder Magglio Ordonez.

B:1 S:0 O:2 -
Andruw Jones flies out to center fielder Curtis Granderson.


B:0 S:1 O:3 -
Josh Hamilton flies out to left fielder Clete Thomas.

TEX 4, DET 3 after 3 innings

Inning 4
Top Half

B:3 S:2 O:0 -
Magglio Ordonez singles on a ground ball to second baseman Ian Kinsler.

B:2 S:1 O:0 -
Brandon Inge singles on a line drive to left fielder Marlon Byrd. Magglio Ordonez to 2nd.

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