GDT: 5/03/08 - DET (14-16) at. MIN (14-14), 7:10 p.m. ET

MINNEAPOLIS -- Justin Verlander said again that he believes he's close to breaking out of the funk that marked his opening month. From the Tigers' standpoint, they could certainly use it.

Though all four of his losses can be traced in part to a game-changing rally in the middle to late innings, it does little to temper the statistics or the frustration behind the overall numbers. Verlander believed he had his best stuff of the season in his previous outing, but his control again waned in a four-run Angels sixth inning that sank him to defeat.

A leadoff walk, a hanging curveball and similar plays have turned the course of his games. Nonetheless, after raising his arm angle two starts ago, Verlander believes the stuff is there to put together a solid performance and turn his season around.

"That's what I was looking for right now," Verlander said after his last outing Sunday night. "Obviously, the results are not what I wanted, but that's something I can take away from, and say, 'OK, let's build on that.'"

There's still time left to build, but he has to start soon. Doing it at the Metrodome would be something different for him.

Though he has made 16 starts combined over two-plus seasons at division rivals Chicago, Cleveland and Kansas City, he has pitched at Minnesota only once. It was a late-season 2006 outing in which he allowed a lone run over seven innings, and it proved to be one of his better outings of that season's second half. He faced the Twins just twice last season, both times at Comerica Park, and both losses. The Indians were the only other team that beat him more than once last year.

As far as Verlander has to be concerned, though, last season is over. He would no doubt love to move on with 2008 starting Saturday.

A deep outing from Verlander would allow the Tigers to ease the burden on what could be a shortened bullpen Saturday. Setup man Denny Bautista was slated to have his shoulder examined after leaving Friday's game with soreness. The Tigers should know more about his condition Saturday, and how it could affect a bullpen that just gained the valuable services of Francisco Cruceta a day earlier.


Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (1-4, 6.50 ERA)
Coming off his first win of the season, Verlander looked sharp through three innings against the Angels, but he ran into trouble in the next three. He allowed one run each in the fourth and fifth, before allowing four in the sixth that knocked him out of the game. Verlander, which many pundits picked to win this year's American League Cy Young award, is off the worst start of his three-year career. He faces Minnesota for the first time this season. Verlander is 3-3 with a 4.00 ERA in six career starts against the Twins.

MIN: RHP Scott Baker (2-0, 4.50 ERA)
Baker saw his streak of 12 straight starts in which he held opponents to three runs or less come to an end against the Rangers. Baker allowed five runs over 4 1/3 innings before leaving with a mild groin strain. It's unclear whether that injury might affect his next start, but the pitcher will get an extra day of rest due to the team's number of off-days. Baker's next start would come against the Tigers. The right-hander gave up three runs over seven innings in his lone start vs. Detroit this year.

Tidbits

Brandon Inge could end up catching Verlander on Saturday, giving Ivan Rodriguez the night off. ... Magglio Ordonez's home run Friday night was the 11th of his career at the Metrodome, where he's batting .324 with 14 doubles and 59 RBIs in 68 games. He's hitting .369 (31-for-84) with six homers and 25 RBIs in 23 games here since joining the Tigers in 2005. ... The 16 hits allowed by Tigers pitching Friday marked a season high, and their highest total since June 1, 2007, at Cleveland.

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

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Sun., May 4: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (2-3, 6.75 ERA)) at Twins (RHP Boof Bonser (2-4, 3.75 ERA)), 2:10 PM ET

• Mon., May 5: Tigers (RHP Jeremy Bonderman (2-2, 3.86 ERA)) vs Red Sox (RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (4-0, 2.52 ERA)), 7:05 PM ET

• Tue., May 6: Tigers (LHP Nate Robertson, (1-3, 6.82 ERA)) vs Red Sox (RHP Tim Wakefield (2-1, 4.03 ERA)), 7:05 PM ET

TONIGHT'S STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .273
:placido: Polanco, 2B .239
:sheff: Sheffield, DH .179
Ordonez, RF .324
Cabrera, 1B .278
Guillen, 3B .326
:edgar: Renteria, SS .301
:thames: Thames, LF .200
Inge, C .244


Minnesota AVG
Harris, 2B .283
Lamb, 3B .202
Mauer, C .308
Morneau, 1B .284
Cuddyer, RF .310
Kubel, DH .255
Young, LF .271
Monroe, CF .255
Everett, SS .194

COMEBACK TIME!!! GO TIGS!!!!

Stat of the day: Justin Verlander's career ERA in the month of May...2.87.

bobrob2004 wrote:

Stat of the day: Justin Verlander's career ERA in the month of May...2.87.

Too bad he sucks this year so far

tigers come back tonight... I might miss the game. I'm not sure yet though...

ooo Tigers Girl you've got a marvelous avatar!

Thank you Lap!

I don't think I will make it through the whole game.... and it starts at 7:00. I had to wake up at 5:30 for a regatta, and it got canceled, so i have to tomorrow too..... I'm tired!!!

So If i don't watch the whole game... GO TIGERS

I will definitely watch as much as I can! but might have to turn in early as well. Regatta, huh? sounds like fun!

It was a lot of fun. It got delayed because of high winds, and then started raining (in Wyandotte). So it is rescheduled for tomorrow... which means I have to wake up early again....

Regatta?

Oh, boat racing. I was close. I was thinking it had something to do with horses :haha: I guess I won't add a dog food and glue joke.

Alright, Verlander, you get my 1000th post, don't waste it.

Go Justin! Get a win!

catbox_9 wrote:

Regatta?

Oh, boat racing. I was close. I was thinking it had something to do with horses

my brother is on a highschool team. I go to all of them, because I'm going to be on the team when I switch schools next year. They are really cool though, they the boats are huge.... but it was so windy today that two boats sank, which was really bad because it happened when it was about 50 degrees and they each had 8 people in them.

has anybody watched the plug for Curtis being featured in the June edition of Men's Health? oh, my..................

bobrob2004 wrote:

GO TIGERS!!!

Your horse race was today

No Wind in the Metrodome


70 degrees inside

gs78 wrote:

No Wind in the Metrodome


70 degrees inside

Just like yesterday. Gameday on cbssportsline says it's 55 degrees with 17 MPH winds

Umpires wearing their black shirts tonight; like the light blue ones better

C Mo playing center for twins

laprimamirala wrote:

has anybody watched the plug for Curtis being featured in the June edition of Men's Health? oh, my..................

I saw those... um.... wow.

one out.

1 away

laprimamirala wrote:

has anybody watched the plug for Curtis being featured in the June edition of Men's Health? oh, my..................

... No, but now I'm curious...

TigersGirl wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

has anybody watched the plug for Curtis being featured in the June edition of Men's Health? oh, my..................

I saw those... um.... wow.

What happens?

The Central Division is a joke.


Nobody above 500;


Shit! 81 wins might take it

gs78 wrote:

The Central Division is a joke.


Nobody above 500;


Shit! 81 wins might take it

LOL!

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