GDT: 5/06/08 - DET (14-19) VS. BOS (21-13), 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Jim Leyland made his changes to the Tigers lineup, but don't look for him to have one set order as they move on.

With Gary Sheffield now playing in left field and Matt Joyce up in the big leagues as a left-handed bat, they now have five outfielders -- including Marcus Thames -- to rotate between three spots and a DH role on most days. They have Brandon Inge to mix in at center field, third base and catcher. And Leyland still talks about wanting to get at-bats for Ryan Raburn, who has started just once since April 21 and has one plate appearance since April 24.

The big changes are over, but to some degree, this will remain a lineup in flux. At the very least, it'll be in flux according to the matchups. If that's what it takes for the Tigers to get their offense going, that's what they'll do.

"I don't think after one game, you can say the moves didn't work," Leyland said of the changes after Monday's 6-3 loss to the Red Sox. "We don't know. I don't know if it's going to work or not. I can't answer that. I don't know if Sheff's going to hit .350 or this guy's going to do that. I don't have any idea. But I do know that every once in a while, you need to send a message that this is about production. And that's what we're all here for -- manager, coaches, we're all included in that."

Seeing knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on Tuesday will either be really good or really bad for production, and it has as much or more to do with Wakefield than the Tigers.

Magglio Ordonez is expected back in right field, where he'll be more often than not, for Tuesday. Matt Joyce is not expected to face a knuckleballer in his second Major League game, but will likely be back in the lineup somewhere for Wednesday. Inge will likely start at third on Tuesday, with Carlos Guillen getting a day at designated hitter.

With Sheffield in the field, the DH is essentially an open slot, and it'll most likely be a rotating one. That could bring the side effect of allowing Tigers hitters to get a day out of the field without sitting altogether.

Several of those guys have had success against Wakefield. Sheffield, Ordonez, Inge and Ivan Rodriguez have each homered twice off of Wakefield in their careers. Ordonez, in particular, is a .429 (15-for-35) hitter against him. Leyland could play those matchups on a day-to-day basis if needed, or rotate players in a way to keep them fresh.

Whatever the case, the lineup is changed, but it's far from set.


Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Nate Robertson (1-3, 6.82 ERA)
Robertson rebounded from a winless April with a victory Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, something that seemed unlikely after a Bobby Abreu home run put him down three runs three batters into his outing. He recovered to retire nine straight batters and give his offense a chance to get him a lead. If he can command his fastball-slider combination, he'll have a chance to build on that.

BOS: RHP Tim Wakefield (2-1, 4.03 ERA)
The veteran knuckleballer took a tough-luck loss in his last start, giving up three runs over seven innings against the Blue Jays. However, it marked only the third time in Wakefield's career he started a game without getting at least one strikeout. Wakefield is 13-10 lifetime against the Tigers with a 4.50 ERA. At Comerica Park, he is 2-3 with a 5.08 ERA.

Tidbits

Curtis Granderson is batting .311 (14-for-45) with five home runs, nine RBIs and 13 runs scored since coming back from the disabled list. ... Kevin Youkilis is 5-for-15 against Robertson with a double, two home runs, four RBIs and three walks. ... Ordonez's 170-game errorless streak is the longest by a Tigers outfielder since Hall of Famer Al Kaline went 242 straight games without an error from April 15, 1970, to July 2, 1972. Ordonez's last error came April 6 of last year. ... Detroit Red Wings forward Darren McCarty threw out Monday's ceremonial first pitch. The Wings don't begin their NHL Western Conference finals series against the Dallas Stars until Thursday in Detroit.

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

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Wed., May 7: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (2-1, 1.88 ERA)) vs Red Sox (RHP Clay Buchholz (2-2, 3.71 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Thur., May 8: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander, (1-5, 6.28 ERA)) vs. Red Sox (RHP Josh Beckett, (3-2, 4.19 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Fri., May 9: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (2-3, 6.27 ERA)) vs Yankees (RHP Darrell Rasner (1-0, 3.00 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

TONIGHT'S STARTING LINEUPS

Boston
Crisp, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Lowell, 3B
Youkilis, 1B
Drew, RF
Cash, C
Lugo, SS

Detroit
:curtis: Granderson, CF
:placido: Polanco, 2B
Guillen, DH
Ordonez, RF
Cabrera, 1B
:sheff: Sheffield, LF
:edgar: Renteria, SS
:pudge: Rodriguez, C
Inge, 3B

69 degrees at Game Time with a 30 percent chance of rain and T storms; Winds 5-12 mph

We need a another hopeful emoticon besides and

Yay!!! Lets hope Nate can get a win here!!

great avatar gdennis! Yet I don't think Jonesy looked all that comfortable posing for that pic!

Lol, thanks, and it does seem that way...

laprimamirala wrote:

great avatar gdennis! Yet I don't think Jonesy looked all that comfortable posing for that pic!

I liked it because he is actually showing how he holds one of his pitches and I think he was trying to show his tough guy face...

Ask a pitcher to slow down their moves....not a good idea!

I'm going to be there, , maybe they can win for me.

mrsrabelo wrote:

I'm going to be there, , maybe they can win for me.

I sure hope so!

mrsrabelo wrote:

I'm going to be there, , maybe they can win for me.

Mrs. Rabelo, you must divulge your secrets in getting pics with our Tigers!

Stat of the day: Gary Sheffield's career OPS while the LF... 1.019 (OPS+...122). Higher than any other position save PH.

laprimamirala wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

I'm going to be there, , maybe they can win for me.

Mrs. Rabelo, you must divulge your secrets in getting pics with our Tigers!

I usually go early and I hang out in the front row closer to the bullpen and sometimes people sign sometimes they don't, but lately they have been signing like crazy. But the majority of my pictures are at signings and on road trips.

You should go early to a game and just chill out in the front rows, its pretty fun to just watch them warmup and hit BP, and stuff like that.

ps its really hard to eat a hot pocket and type at the same time.

I don't have another hopeful emoticon, but how about this guy?

Let's go Tigers!

And another just for fun...

I WANT TO SEE MORE OF THIS WHEN WE ARE BATTING:



AND THIS OUT OF OUR PITCHERS:



AND THIS WHEN BOSTON IS BATTING:

The base runner is out!

mrsrabelo wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

I'm going to be there, , maybe they can win for me.

Mrs. Rabelo, you must divulge your secrets in getting pics with our Tigers!

I usually go early and I hang out in the front row closer to the bullpen and sometimes people sign sometimes they don't, but lately they have been signing like crazy. But the majority of my pictures are at signings and on road trips.

You should go early to a game and just chill out in the front rows, its pretty fun to just watch them warmup and hit BP, and stuff like that.

ps its really hard to eat a hot pocket and type at the same time.

I will on the 23rd...but how early can we get in for an evening game?

laprimamirala wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

mrsrabelo wrote:

I'm going to be there, , maybe they can win for me.

Mrs. Rabelo, you must divulge your secrets in getting pics with our Tigers!

I usually go early and I hang out in the front row closer to the bullpen and sometimes people sign sometimes they don't, but lately they have been signing like crazy. But the majority of my pictures are at signings and on road trips.

You should go early to a game and just chill out in the front rows, its pretty fun to just watch them warmup and hit BP, and stuff like that.

ps its really hard to eat a hot pocket and type at the same time.

I will on the 23rd...but how early can we get in for an evening game?

I'm not 100% sure but I think the gates open two hours before the games start. So that would be around 5 for 7:05 games, and 11 for 1:05 games.

I have a friend on the grounds crew there. It's two hours.

68 degrees at Game Time.

No Rain

Go !!

Hey GGET, that's my avatar on a different board

Prediction:

Spoiler:

catbox_9 wrote:

Prediction:

Spoiler:

Do we get the 9??

SoulRat wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

Prediction:

Spoiler:

Do we get the 9??

It depends on who "we" are.

catbox_9 wrote:

SoulRat wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

Prediction:

Spoiler:

Do we get the 9??

It depends on who "we" are.

You're right, I'm fan-confused lately

I meant the kitties

SoulRat wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

SoulRat wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

Prediction:

Spoiler:

Do we get the 9??

It depends on who "we" are.

You're right, I'm fan-confused lately

I meant the kitties

Well in that case....

You should be! My head hurts today btw

At least let's not strand a full base load tonight!