Stomach bug holds several Tigers hostage

Stomach bug holds several Tigers hostage
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/04/11 7:24 PM ET

BALTIMORE -- The Tigers survived their trip from warm, sunny Florida to chilly New York last week, but their Sunday night trip here has them worried about a stomach bug.

Jose Valverde was the first to have it. He said he was awake all night and couldn't hold down food Monday. Then American League MVP runner-up Miguel Cabrera came to the clubhouse feeling bad Monday morning. By mid-afternoon, he was coming back into the clubhouse between innings to throw up.

"He's sick as a dog," manager Jim Leyland said.

Head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said that was the known extent of it. However, Valverde said "at least three or four" players had it.

The belief right now is that it could be food-related. Valverde said he ate something on the flight to Baltimore last night and felt ill back at his hotel. Cabrera, however, said he didn't fall ill until Monday morning. He was laying on the couch in the visiting clubhouse at Camden Yards a few hours before game time, but didn't suggest anything was wrong.

Cabrera went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. If he feels the way Valverde feels, Valverde said, it's no wonder he had a bad day.

"I feel [terrible] right now," Valverde said.

Justin Verlander could relate. He had a nasty bout of food poisoning that confined him to his bed in his New York hotel room all day Friday, he said. His case, however, is supposedly unrelated, and he's regaining strength ahead of his scheduled start here Wednesday.

"At least I know what it was," Verlander said.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers players apparently over brief illness
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/06/11 8:18 PM ET

BALTIMORE -- The stomach bug that affected at least a couple players in the Tigers' clubhouse on Monday had seemingly subsided after a day of rest. Jose Valverde and Miguel Cabrera, both of whom spent part of Monday throwing up, said on Wednesday they felt better and were holding down food.

"We checked," Leyland said. "Some guys stayed home [from the optional workout on Tuesday] and they were still recovering. They're better today. I checked with Cabrera and Valverde, and they're all right."

Nobody else seemed to be ailing as of Wednesday afternoon.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.