GDT: 7/28/08 - DET (53-51) AT CLEV (45-58) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Another key series came and went. The latest chance to catch up in the standings passed with one-run losses to the division-leading White Sox, and the Tigers were left licking their wounds in worse shape than before.

They had a chance to climb within 2 1/2 games of first place. A blown save, a poor outing by its ace and a one-run win later, Detroit trails Chicago by 6 1/2 games in the AL Central as it gears up for one of the biggest road trips of the season.

First, the Tigers visit fourth-place Cleveland, which has looked like a stronger team at home, for a four-game set starting Monday.

They will then face two division leaders. The Tigers travel to St. Petersburg for a three-game set against the AL East-leading Rays, before heading to Chicago for another showdown with the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

A tough stretch, no doubt. But that doesn't seem to intimidate the Tigers.

"I think we've had tough stretches all year," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "This is Major League Baseball; you're supposed to have tough stretches. That doesn't bother me at all."

The fact that the stretch has occurred away from Motown doesn't bother them, either.

"I like taking my team on the road, letting everybody see them. If we're playing good, we'll look real good on the road. ... I love it," Leyland said. "There's Tigers fans all over the place. There was a ton at Baltimore, a bunch at Kansas City. We're getting a lot of applause on the road the last couple years."

The Tigers didn't get much applause from record crowds at Comerica Park after last weekend's series with the White Sox. However, they've tried to remain fixated on the big picture.

Fifty-eight games remain.

Truth is, a lot can happen in 58 games.

"With 162 games, when it's all said and done, we're probably going to end up losing anywhere between 60 and 80 of them," center fielder Curtis Granderson said. "No matter what, you can't let [a loss] get in your head."

A disappointing road trip wouldn't eliminate the Tigers from playoff contention by any means, but it certainly could damage their chances. It's possible they could return home from the upcoming 10-game venture with a double-digit deficit in the division and less than two months to go.

In early June, a strong showing against Cleveland catapulted the Tigers to a season-saving stretch. Things aren't as desperate this time around, but the Tigers sure could use a boost.

"We just need to continue to battle," Granderson said. "We want to start the road trip on a positive note by getting a win [Monday]."

Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Kenny Rogers (8-6, 4.48 ERA)
Rogers was on track for seven, maybe eight innings in his last start, against the Royals, before rain changed the plans. A long delay meant that Rogers had to leave after just six innings, albeit good ones. He gave up just one run and four hits. If not for Mark Grudzielanek's three hits, Rogers would've had a one-hitter. After the game, Rogers said he feels better now than he did a month or two ago. His numbers reflect that: his ERA has gone from 6.66 on May 21 to 4.48.

CLE: RHP Paul Byrd (4-10, 5.28 ERA)
Byrd's fourth win was a long time coming. He was winless in six starts from June 11 to July 9, but he finally got in the win column against the Angels on July 21, allowing just one run on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Byrd ran into some trouble with baserunners but never gave up the big hit, and he had some success with his changeup against left-handed batters, who have given him fits all season. Byrd is 1-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two starts against the Tigers this season.

Tidbits

Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski will bring his top assistants, vice presidents Al Avila and Scott Reid, to Cleveland along with baseball operations director Mike Smith to discuss possible moves and negotiations ahead of Thursday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. The Tigers' pro scouts will continue to fan out, looking at potential targets. ... Leyland said the impending Trade Deadline won't have the entire clubhouse on pins and needles. "You always have your Nervous Nellies," Leyland said. "These guys are gullible. They hear their name in some rumor and think, 'Holy [cow]!' The best thing to do is to come in and ask the manager. I always tell them the truth. I'll say, 'Yeah, somebody asked about you, but that's a long way from being a trade.' You need to get something back. We're not going to take a '62 Studebaker for [a player]." ... The Tigers' skipper also addressed his club's difficulty scoring runs. "I think guys' RBIs are down because, for whatever reason, we've swung at bad pitches. That's what's happened. We've swung at a lot of bad pitches in big situations." However, he said the pitch White Sox closer Bobby Jenks used to strike out Placido Polanco to end Saturday's game -- a down-and-in, 95-mph fastball -- didn't classify as a bad pitch. "That last pitch [Jenks] made to Polanco was one of the nastiest pitches I've seen this year," Leyland said. "It looked like it was right there, and the bottom dropped out of it." ... Polanco extended his hitting streak to 12 games on Sunday.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSND

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Tue., July 29: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (8-4, 3.27 ERA)) at Indians (LHP Aaron Laffey, (5-7, 4.23 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Wed., July 30: Tigers (Nate Robertson (6-8, 5.63 ERA)) at Indians (Cliff Lee (14-2, 2.29 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Thurs., July 31: Tigers (Justin Verlander (8-10, 4.29 ERA)) at Indians (Fausto Carmona (4-3, 4.33 ERA)), 12:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Detroit AVG
:curtis: Granderson, CF .295
:placido: Polanco, 2B .310
Guillen, 3B .285
Ordonez, RF .324
Cabrera, 1B .294
:joyce: Joyce, LF .275
:thames: Thames, DH .262
:pudge: Rodriguez, C .298
:edgar: Renteria, SS .263

Cleveland AVG
Sizemore, CF .276
Gutierrez, RF .217
Francisco, LF .277
Peralta, SS .269
Shoppach, C .254
Marte, 3B .192
Garko, 1B .236
Gonzalez, DH 1.000
A. Cabrera, 2B .186

Quote :

Team president/general manager
Dave Dombrowski will bring his top assistants, vice presidents Al Avila
and Scott Reid, to Cleveland along with baseball operations director
Mike Smith to discuss possible moves and negotiations ahead of Thursday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. The Tigers' pro scouts will continue to fan out, looking at potential targets.

Could this be why?????




Paul Byrd, Indians
Why he's available: He's in the final year of his contract with the Tribe.Will he go? Given the long-term injuries suffered by Jake
Westbrook and top pitching prospect Adam Miller, and the potential loss
of C.C. Sabathia to free agency or trade, the Indians might be more
inclined to re-sign Byrd than they are to trade him.

Where might he go? Byrd would have value to a contender looking
for some help in the back end of the rotation and a veteran presence in
the clubhouse.

80 degrees at Game Time

Partly Cloudy


Winds NW at 10

Sounds like Byrd maybe taking flight?

Rather see Miner in the Starting Rotation than Byrd

:curtis: grounds out on 1st pitch

GO TIGERS

:placido: flies out to cf

Guillen at bat

0-2 count

1-2

2-2 count on Guillen

Guillen K's

Bottom of the First


Tigers 0


Indians coming to bat

What happened to the Live Blog?

Sizemore leading off for the Indians

Go Kenny Go


Shut the Tribe Down

People did not seem to want live blog, plus someone had to moderate is constantly.

0-2 on Sizemore

1-2 count


That's too bad; I liked the live blog

Sizemore fouls one off

Sizemore hits a double; barely missing a HR to left

23rd Double for Grady this season

Gutierrez at bat for the Indians

1-0 count

1-1 count

2-1 count

Ground Ball


Sizemore moves to third