GDT: 8/24/08 - DET (64-65) AT KC (55-74) - 2:10 p.m. ET

KANSAS CITY -- The Tigers haven't seen the .500 mark in three weeks, but they've squandered a couple of chances at it. The way they've played through the first two games of this weekend series against the Royals, they have a good shot at finally breaking even.

With Detroit's deficit in the American League Central still in double digits behind the Twins, it might not mean anything in terms of contention, though they've closed the gap a bit. Even with the disappointment it would mean to not reach the postseason, however, the importance of a winning season can't be overstated for them. When the Tigers stood four games under .500 last Sunday, following a loss to the Orioles, that winning mark looked to be in serious jeopardy.

It's still in some question, of course. If the Tigers can convert on their chance to sweep the Royals, however, they'll return to Detroit with a 5-1 record on their weeklong road trip and a home series with the retooling Indians and these same Royals awaiting them as part of a 10-game homestand. They won't hit the road again until Labor Day weekend.

The Tigers haven't swept a series since taking three straight from these same Royals here last month. They've won five straight from Kansas City, all at Kauffman Stadium, since the Royals swept them in three-game series at Comerica Park to open the season and then here in May.

The first two games have been a display in offensive execution. Detroit turned six hits into four runs in Friday's 4-3 victory, stranding just two runners in scoring position, then put up three sacrifice flies to go with a Miguel Cabrera solo homer in Saturday's 4-0 shutout.

It has been an efficient performance that manager Jim Leyland believes goes with the tempo of the game that the starting pitchers have set. Neither Justin Verlander nor Zach Miner allowed a run over 13 2/3 innings through the first two games of the series. In Saturday's case, Leyland believes that Miner had plenty to do with the tone of a 4-0 shutout.

"That's good tonic for us," Leyland said. "You have a day game [ on Sunday]. We should be pretty fresh [compared to] if you get out there and stand around all night [Saturday] night and then have to come back 12 hours [later]. I think it was one of our better ballgames all around -- good pitching, good defense, nice hitting, good execution. Most games like that are dictated by good pitching."

That's the kind of game that Kenny Rogers can pitch if he's on.


Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Kenny Rogers (9-10, 4.94 ERA)
Rogers ended a personal four-game losing streak with a win against his former club, holding the Texas Rangers to three runs on eight hits over six innings last time out. He'll try to build on that by taking on a Royals club that has had mixed success with him this year, plating 10 runs on 20 hits over 16 innings from Rogers in three meetings. He has won consecutive starts just once this season, but that included his last start against the Royals, whom he held to a run on four hits in six innings July 22 at Kauffman Stadium.

KC: RHP Brandon Duckworth
The Royals will purchase Duckworth's contract from Triple-A Omaha to make his first appearance of the season for Kansas City. The 32-year-old went 5-11 with a 4.75 ERA in 27 appearances at Omaha, including 17 starts. He made one start against the Tigers last year and provided 6 1/3 scoreless innings before Detroit came back for a victory.


Tidbits

Marcus Thames will be in the Tigers' starting lineup Sunday against the right-handed Duckworth, though Leyland said he wasn't sure where he'll play him. The team had him taking early batting practice on Saturday, during which he hit a Dodge Avenger on display in left field with a deep home run. ...

Curtis Granderson has five walks through the first two games of the series, including three on Saturday to tie a career high. He has put just two pitches in play all series, none on Saturday. ...

Gary Sheffield has an eight-game hitting streak, during which he's batting .364 (12-for-33). ...

The Tigers will have just 12 road games remaining after Sunday's game. ...

Cabrera is batting .410 (16-for-39) against the Royals this season with four home runs.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Mon., Aug 25: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga (12-4, 3.17 ERA)) vs Indians (LHP Zach Jackson (0-0, 5.17 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Tue., Aug 26: Tigers (RHP Chris Lambert, 0-0, -.--) vs Indians (LHP Cliff Lee (18-2, 2.43 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Wed., Aug 27: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander (10-13, 4.42 ERA)) vs Indians (RHP Fausto Carmona (6-5, 4.40 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

DETROIT


KANSAS CITY

GO



but especially GO
!!

actually would much rather be with here:

Lets go

August 24, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Detroit	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		3	10	1
Kansas City	0	2	0	0	2	3	0	0	X		7	9	1

Detroit AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Granderson, CF 3 1 1 0 2 0 0 .299 Polanco, 2B 5 0 3 2 0 0 1 .316 Ordonez, RF 5 0 1 1 0 0 5 .311 Cabrera, 1B 3 0 1 0 1 1 2 .292 Guillen, 3B 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 .287 Sheffield, DH 3 0 0 0 1 0 2 .232 Thames, LF 4 0 2 0 0 1 1 .239 Renteria, SS 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 .264 Inge, C 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 .209 Totals 34 3 10 3 5 2 17 BATTING 2B: Guillen (29, Duckworth). TB: Granderson; Polanco 3; Ordonez; Cabrera; Guillen 3; Thames 2. RBI: Ordonez (74), Polanco 2 (50). 2-out RBI: Polanco 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ordonez 2; Renteria; Cabrera. GIDP: Guillen; Ordonez. Team LOB: 9. FIELDING E: Thames (3, fielding). DP: (Rogers-Renteria-Cabrera).		Kansas City AB- R- H- RBI- BB- SO- LOB- AVG Aviles, M, SS 4 1 1 0 1 0 4 .331 German, LF 3 0 1 1 1 0 2 .235 DeJesus, CF-RF 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 .287 Guillen, RF 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 .249 - 1-Gathright, PR-CF 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .246 Butler, DH 3 2 1 0 1 0 0 .261 Olivo, C 4 1 0 1 0 2 2 .260 Gload, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .277 Teahen, 3B 3 0 1 3 0 0 0 .246 Callaspo, 2B 3 1 3 0 1 0 0 .302 Totals 31 7 9 6 5 5 14 1-Ran for Guillen in the 6th. BATTING 2B: Gload (15, Rogers), Butler (17, Rogers), Callaspo (3, Lopez). HR: Guillen (17, 2nd inning off Rogers, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Aviles, M; German; Guillen 4; Butler 2; Gload 2; Teahen; Callaspo 4. RBI: Guillen (80), Teahen 3 (45), German (18), Olivo (35). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Aviles, M; DeJesus 2; German. SF: Teahen; German. GIDP: DeJesus. Team LOB: 7. FIELDING E: Teahen (4, throw). Outfield assists: Guillen (Ordonez at home). DP: 2 (Gload-Aviles, M-Gload, Callaspo-Aviles, M-Gload).
Detroit IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Rogers (L, 9-11) 6.0 8 7 6 4 4 1 5.09 Beltran 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.85 Robertson 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 6.06 Lopez 0.1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3.47		Kansas City IP-- H- R- ER- BB- SO- HR- ERA Duckworth (W, 1-0) 5.0 7 3 3 4 0 0 5.40 Wells (H, 1) 2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0 5.12 Ramirez, R 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3.05 Soria 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.93
WP: Rogers. IBB: German (by Rogers). Pitches-strikes: Rogers 107-61, Beltran 11-9, Robertson 9-6, Lopez 15-6, Duckworth 88-45, Wells 35-19, Ramirez, R 16-10, Soria 18-11. Ground outs-fly outs: Rogers 6-8, Beltran 1-1, Robertson 2-0, Lopez 1-0, Duckworth 8-6, Wells 3-1, Ramirez, R 0-3, Soria 1-2. Batters faced: Rogers 30, Beltran 3, Robertson 2, Lopez 3, Duckworth 24, Wells 7, Ramirez, R 4, Soria 4. Umpires: HP: Tim McClelland. 1B: Mike Everitt. 2B: Todd Tichenor. 3B: Larry Vanover. Weather: 78 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, In from RF. T: 2:55. Att: 16,663. August 24, 2008

well I'm glad I didnt watch the game....

Why did nobody do GDT?

No one was here. I was working (still am) but was just checking in and out. It was pretty depressing, from what my husband said.

Detroit Top 1st
- UMPIRES: Home,Tim McClelland; First, Mike Everitt; Second, Todd Tichenor; Third, Larry Vanover;
- Curtis Granderson singled to right. Runner on first with none out and Placido Polanco due up.
- Placido Polanco grounded out third to first. Runner on second with one out and Magglio Ordonez due up.
- Magglio Ordonez singled to center scoring Curtis Granderson with one out. Runner on first and Miguel Cabrera due up.
- Miguel Cabrera flied out to right. Runner on first with two outs and Carlos Guillen due up.
- Carlos Guillen doubled to right. On the play, Magglio Ordonez was thrown out at home to end the inning.

Tigers 1-0

Kansas City Bottom 1st
- Pitchers confirmed.
- Mike Aviles flied out to right. None on with one out and Esteban German due up.
- Esteban German singled to center. Runner on first with one out and David DeJesus due up.
- David DeJesus grounded into a double play, pitcher to short to first to end the inning.

Tigers 1-0

Detroit Top 2nd
- Gary Sheffield grounded out short to first. None on with one out and Marcus Thames due up.
- Marcus Thames singled to short. Runner on first with one out and Edgar Renteria due up.
- Edgar Renteria grounded into a fielder`s choice, third to second. Runner on first with two outs and Brandon Inge due up.
- Brandon Ingewalked. Runners on first and second with two outs and Curtis Granderson due up.
- Curtis Granderson walked. Bases loaded with two outs and Placido Polanco due up.
- Placido Polanco singled to center scoring Edgar Renteria and Brandon Inge with two out and advances to second on Mark Teahen`s throwing error. Runners on second and third and Magglio Ordonez due up.
- Magglio Ordonez fouled out to first to end the inning.

Tigers 3-0

Kansas City Bottom 2nd
- Jose Guillen lead-off Home Run (17) to left. Billy Butler due up.
- Billy Butler walked. Runner on first with none out and Miguel Olivo due up.
- Miguel Olivo struck out swinging. Runner on first with one out and Ross Gload due up.
- Ross Gload doubled to right. Runners on second and third with one out and Mark Teahen due up.
- Mark Teahen sacrifice fly out to center scoring Billy Butler with two out. Runner on third and Alberto Callaspo due up.
- Alberto Callaspo walked. Runners on first and third with two outs and Mike Aviles due up.
- Mike Aviles flied out to center to end the inning.

Tigers 3-2

Detroit Top 3rd
- Miguel Cabrera walked. Runner on first with none out and Carlos Guillen due up.
- Carlos Guillen grounded into a double play, first to short to first. None on with two outs and Gary Sheffield due up.
- Gary Sheffield walked. Runner on first with two outs and Marcus Thames due up.
- Marcus Thames singled to left. Runners on first and second with two outs and Edgar Renteria due up.
- Edgar Renteria grounded into a fielder`s choice, third to second to end the inning.


Tigers 3-2

Kansas City Bottom 3rd
- Esteban German popped out to second. None on with one out and David DeJesus due up.
- David DeJesus grounded out second to first. None on with two outs and Jose Guillen due up.
- Jose Guillen struck out swinging to end the inning.

Tigers 3-2

Detroit Top 4th
- Brandon Inge grounded out third to first. None on with one out and Curtis Granderson due up.
- Curtis Granderson flied out to center. None on with two outs and Placido Polanco due up.
- Placido Polanco grounded out third to first to end the inning.

Tigers 3-2

Kansas City Bottom 4th
- Billy Butler flied out to center. None on with one out and Miguel Olivo due up.
- Miguel Olivo grounded out pitcher to first. None on with two outs and Ross Gload due up.
- Ross Gload struck out swinging to end the inning.

Tigers 3-2

Detroit Top 5th
- Magglio Ordonez fouled out to left. None on with one out and Miguel Cabrera due up.
- Miguel Cabrera singled to center. Runner on first with one out and Carlos Guillen due up.
- Carlos Guillen flied out to center. Runner on first with two outs and Gary Sheffield due up.
- Gary Sheffield popped out to third to end the inning.

Tigers 3-2

Kansas City Bottom 5th
- Mark Teahen lined out to center. None on with one out and Alberto Callaspo due up.
- Alberto Callaspo singled to right. Runner on first with one out and Mike Aviles due up.
- Mike Aviles singled to left, advances to second on Marcus Thames`s fielding error. Runners on second and third with one out and Esteban German due up.
- Esteban German sacrifice fly out to center scoring Alberto Callaspo with two out. Runner on third and David DeJesus due up.
- Mike Aviles scored on a wild pitch by Kenny Rogers with two out. None on and David DeJesus at the plate.
- David DeJesus struck out swinging to end the inning.

KC 4-3

Detroit Top 6th
- Kip Wells starts the inning for the Royals.
- Marcus Thames struck out swinging. None on with one out and Edgar Renteria due up.
- Edgar Renteria flied out to left. None on with two outs and Brandon Inge due up.
- Brandon Inge grounded out third to first to end the inning.

KC 4-3

Kansas City Bottom 6th
- Jose Guillen walked. Runner on first with none out and Billy Butler due up.
- Billy Butler doubled to left. Runners on second and third with none out and Miguel Olivo due up.
- Joey Gathright enters the game to pinch run for the Royals.
- Miguel Olivo grounded into a fielder`s choice. scoring Joey Gathright with none out. Runners on first and second and Ross Gload due up.
- Ross Gload grounded out second to first. Runners on second and third with one out and Mark Teahen due up.
- Mark Teahen singled to left scoring Billy Butler and Miguel Olivo with one out. Runner on first and Alberto Callaspo due up.
- Alberto Callaspo singled to right. Runners on first and second with one out and Mike Aviles due up.
- Mike Aviles grounded out short to first. Runners on second and third with two outs and Esteban German due up.
- Esteban German intentionally walked. Bases loaded with two outs and David DeJesus due up.
- David DeJesus lined out to left to end the inning.

KC 7-3

Detroit Top 7th
- Joey Gathright is now playing centerfield for the Royals.
- David DeJesus is now playing right field for the Royals.
- Curtis Granderson walked. Runner on first with none out and Placido Polanco due up.
- Placido Polanco singled to right. Runners on first and third with none out and Magglio Ordonez due up.
- Magglio Ordonez grounded into a double play, second to short to first. Runner on third with two outs and Miguel Cabrera due up.
- Miguel Cabrera struck out looking to end the inning.


KC 7-3

Kansas City Bottom 7th
- Francis Beltran starts the inning for the Tigers.
- Joey Gathright grounded out to second. None on with one out and Billy Butler due up.
- Billy Butler lined out to second. None on with two outs and Miguel Olivo due up.
- Miguel Olivo struck out swinging to end the inning.

Detroit Top 8th
- Ramon Ramirez starts the inning for the Royals.
- Carlos Guillen singled to center. Runner on first with none out and Gary Sheffield due up.
- Gary Sheffield fouled out to catcher. Runner on first with one out and Marcus Thames due up.
- Marcus Thames flied out to left. Runner on first with two outs and Edgar Renteria due up.
- Edgar Renteria fouled out to third to end the inning.

KC 7-3

Kansas City Bottom 8th
- Nate Robertson starts the inning for the Tigers.
- Ross Gload grounded out second to first. None on with one out and Mark Teahen due up.
- Mark Teahen grounded out to first. None on with two outs and Alberto Callaspo due up.
- Aquilino Lopez enters the game for the Tigers with none on and two out.
- Alberto Callaspo doubled to right. Runner on second with two outs and Mike Aviles due up.
- Mike Aviles walked. Runners on first and second with two outs and Esteban German due up.
- NOTE: Jose Guillen of the Royals left the game with tightness in his left leg.
- Esteban German grounded into a fielder`s choice, short to second to end the inning.

KC 7-3

Detroit Top 9th
- Joakim Soria starts the inning for the Royals.
- Brandon Inge flied out to left. None on with one out and Curtis Granderson due up.
- Curtis Granderson grounded out to first. None on with two outs and Placido Polanco due up.
- Placido Polanco singled to center. Runner on first with two outs and Magglio Ordonez due up.
- Magglio Ordonez flied out to center to end the game.

Detroit 3, Kansas City 7


Final
- Confirmed
- WP: B.Duckworth (1-0); LP:K.Rogers (9-11).

Detroit 3, Kansas City 7


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So much for my tropical island dream!

Something is definitely not right with Maggs! More errors, not hitting as well, not even running out that one hit, that ended in a double play.... is it him, or his attitude towards the management or team???

Totally flabbergasted here!
Not to mention I can't find anything about him in any of the normal boards I check. No one seems to know anything about it!

I wonder if he worries about being traded so he is playing in a way that other teams won't want him?

This is all that was on the tigers.com board. Geez...at least SOMEBODY is saying something about it...


ordonez should be fined
For not running to first on that fluke hit.

To:dirtlegger
I couldn't agree more...
If Jim doesn't then DD needs to step in and do it.

I know the Tigers are out of it but these guys still have a job to do.


To:GranderSin 8:21 PM
It's a huge problem when Maggs does it one of out "team leaders" how does that look for Joyce, and right on down the line. The Tigers haven't played enough "sharp" baseball this year, and its getting kind of old.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I wonder if he worries about being traded so he is playing in a way that other teams won't want him?

that was my husband's thought...I guess that makes sense.

From FanNation.com

Will Tigers' cuts include Magglio?
Posted: Thursday August 14, 2008 09:49AM ET
Mike Ilitch has been typically silent, typically reclusive during a season that was supposed to have been the Tigers owner's $138 million crown jewel. It does not, however, mean Ilitch's voice has not been heard inside Comerica Park's offices. It has, apparently at high volume. The front office has taken a couple direct hits from the boss, and shock waves have been felt all the way to manager Jim Leyland's office, which might have had something to do with Leyland's 20-minute verbal lashing of his team before a nightmare of a game Aug. 3 at Tampa Bay. What matters is not Ilitch's anger. What counts is how he will approach his team from a business standpoint heading into 2009 and beyond. And what this season's disaster almost certainly will mean is that the Tigers will cut their astounding payroll by a heavy sum -- perhaps by $40 million or more. And what one wonders is whether the Tigers can sufficiently prune their paychecks in any way other than to trade Magglio Ordonez, a marketable player with a big but movable contract.

From aolsports.com

The Tigers went for broke this year, bumping their payroll from $95 million last season to $138 million this year in hopes of buying a spot in the postseason. In hindsight, it wasn't meant to be: the Tigers sit 8 1/2 games out of the division lead, and considering they've won just three of their past 12, the deficit seems to grow larger every day.

At least there's always next year, right? Yeah, about that ... After footing the bill for baseball's third-highest payroll, owner Mike Ilitch is allegedly putting pressure on the front office to slash costs next year, according to the Detroit News' Lynn Henning.

Ivan Rodriguez was already dealt in a cost-cutting trade, and expensive veterans like Edgar Renteria, Todd Jones and Kenny Rogers almost certainly won't be re-signed or have their options picked up this winter. It'll be hard to unload Gary Sheffield without picking up a substantial portion of the $14 million he's owed next year, but by putting him on waivers this year, the Tigers are at least trying.

Getting rid of the guys mentioned above makes as much baseball sense as it does financially, but will the team go so far as to unload their most productive players? Henning thinks Magglio Ordonez could be sent to bigger market in exchange for cheap prospects. If that happens, it'll be a hard sell to fans, who have filled Comerica Park to 99.3% capacity this summer, to keep turning out in 2009. If the Tigers can't post a winning record with Maggs, why should fans think the team can contend without him? This team has made huge strides the last several years -- it'll be a shame if Ilitch gives up now.

laprimamirala wrote:

It's a huge problem when Maggs does it one of out "team leaders" how does that look for Joyce, and right on down the line. The Tigers haven't played enough "sharp" baseball this year, and its getting kind of old.

I don't understand what he is saying...

laprimamirala wrote:

From FanNation.com

Will Tigers' cuts include Magglio?
Posted: Thursday August 14, 2008 09:49AM ET
Mike Ilitch has been typically silent, typically reclusive during a season that was supposed to have been the Tigers owner's $138 million crown jewel. It does not, however, mean Ilitch's voice has not been heard inside Comerica Park's offices. It has, apparently at high volume. The front office has taken a couple direct hits from the boss, and shock waves have been felt all the way to manager Jim Leyland's office, which might have had something to do with Leyland's 20-minute verbal lashing of his team before a nightmare of a game Aug. 3 at Tampa Bay. What matters is not Ilitch's anger. What counts is how he will approach his team from a business standpoint heading into 2009 and beyond. And what this season's disaster almost certainly will mean is that the Tigers will cut their astounding payroll by a heavy sum -- perhaps by $40 million or more. And what one wonders is whether the Tigers can sufficiently prune their paychecks in any way other than to trade Magglio Ordonez, a marketable player with a big but movable contract.

God, I wait hatte to see Maggs gone.
But I wouldn't mind LEYLAND leaving! Now!

I still think it is more of a management/coaching problem, than a wholesale player problem! Tigers have gone downhill, each year, ever since Leyland took over. Yea, the players like him because he does not get on their backs..... but that is a problem, they get apathetic and just go thought the motions!

TG wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

It's a huge problem when Maggs does it one of out "team leaders" how does that look for Joyce, and right on down the line. The Tigers haven't played enough "sharp" baseball this year, and its getting kind of old.

I don't understand what he is saying...

He's basically saying Maggs is a team leader, playing like he doesn't care, and is not setting a good example for Joyce and all the other newcomers. (he has a couple of typos also)