GDT: 8/27/08 - DET (64-68) VS CLEV (64-67) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- The expectations saddled on the Tigers from the outside at the start of the season sounded a lot like fictional stock-car driver Ricky Bobby's motto in Talladega Nights: If you're not first, you're last.

The question the Tigers might well face as this season creeps towards its end is this: If you're third or fourth, what are you?

It goes back to the outlook on playing out the season hard. And to manager Jim Leyland, there's a big difference as they head into Wednesday's series finale against the Indians, who passed the Tigers for third place with wins in the first two games of the series.

"Sure, it matters," Leyland said. "You obviously want to try to finish as high as you can, which goes along with winning as many games as you can. Absolutely, it matters to me. Darn right. That old stuff about, 'Well, if you don't finish first, it doesn't matter,' I don't buy that. I don't buy that at all."

When it was suggested that some might buy it, Leyland replied, "Well, hopefully they're not in our clubhouse."

To be in a fight for third is a very different position for the Tigers, who have spent the vast majority of August trying to find a way to close in on the White Sox and Twins and their battle for first. Even as Leyland talked last weekend about how unlikely it was for the Tigers to make up a deficit of double-digit games, he didn't want to concede anything in the race.

A nine-game winning streak essentially propelled the Indians past the Tigers before they could even look over their shoulder. After Detroit's 10-4 loss on Tuesday flipped the teams in the standings with the Tigers' third straight loss, pushing Detroit four games under .500 for the second time in nine days and into fourth place for the first time since mid-June, it provided another time for reflection from the club.

"It's my responsibility for the performance," Leyland said, "and the performance has not been very consistent all year. It's very disappointing and surprising. But we've just had too many streaks of not consistently good baseball, and not enough streaks of putting four, five, six, seven wins together."

Now, it really is a relevant question whether placement makes a difference in the judgment of the Tigers' season.

To Placido Polanco, the difference -- relevant or academic -- is a matter of professionalism.

"You tell me, what's the difference," Polanco said. "We play professional and try to win games. We'll see what happens in the end."


Pitching matchup

RHP Justin Verlander (10-13, 4.42 ERA)
The young right-hander, who has struggled for much of this year, has gotten back on a little bit of a roll lately with back-to-back wins. His victory against the Royals on Friday saw him display some of the better mix of pitch selections that he's had this summer, including a good dose of curveballs. If he can take that into his latest meeting with the Indians, he'll give himself a better chance than he has lately against a club that has hit him well. He's 4-8 with a 6.51 ERA lifetime against Cleveland, including 1-3 with a 5.84 ERA in four starts this season.

CLE: RHP Fausto Carmona (6-5, 4.40 ERA)
Carmona was arguably as sharp as he's been all season his last time out against a potent Rangers lineup. In six innings, he allowed an unearned run on six hits and three walks and struck out five. It was just his fourth start of the season where he struck out more batters than he walked -- and his first since July 31. It was also his first victorious outing since that July 31 start against the Tigers, who Carmona will be facing his next time out. Wednesday will be his third start of the season against Detroit, and he'll be going for his third victory against the Tigers this season. In 13 innings against Detroit in 2008, Carmona has a 2.08 ERA and five strikeouts to two walks.


Tidbits

Leyland said after Tuesday's game that he'll rest Polanco ahead of Thursday's off-day, giving him back-to-back days off to energize him for the weekend series against the Royals. Matt Joyce will start in place of Marcus Thames, who is 0-for-12 with four strikeouts for his career against Carmona. ...

Curtis Granderson is 7-for-20 with two doubles and two triples against Carmona. ...

A win on Wednesday would give the Indians their second three-game series sweep in as many years at Comerica Park. It would also give the Tribe the edge in the series before the rivalry finishes up with three games at Cleveland in September. ...

Detroit's 13-7 record on Wednesday marks its best record on any day of the week.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Thurs., Aug 28: Off-day

• Fri., Aug 29: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner (7-4, 3.61 ERA)) vs Royals (RHP Kyle Davies (5-5, 4.81 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Sat., Aug 30: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers (9-11, 5.09 ERA) vs. Royals (LHP Brandon Duckworth (1-0, 5.40 ERA), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

Cleveland
Sizemore, CF
Dellucci, DH
Francisco, RF
Peralta, SS
Choo, LF
Garko, 1B
Shoppach, C
Marte, 3B
Cabrera, 2B

Detroit
:curtis: Granderson, CF
:joyce: Joyce, LF
Ordonez, RF
Cabrera, 1B
Larish, 3B
:sheff: Sheffield, DH
:edgar: Renteria, SS
Inge, C
Santiago, 2B

LIVE BLOG IF USED

I don't think they want to play anymore...

laprimamirala wrote:

I don't think they want to play anymore...

At least not for

I was amazed there were still fans there last night

Grandy hits a homerun to lead off the first. 1 - 1 game.

Matt

Maggs at bat.

Matt is batting second... They won't play them, and then all of the sudden they decide he needs to be batting 2nd?

Maggs

Come on Miguel...

Miguel out. 3 outs.
1-1 game. top of the 2nd.

At least Curtis gave a HR

2 on. no out.

1 out. runners on 2nd and 3rd.

I think they've given up.
Magglio has to stop seeing that cute Latina model. He can't concentrate! He's not in the game at all!

laprimamirala wrote:

I think they've given up.
Magglio has to stop seeing that cute Latina model. He can't concentrate! He's not in the game at all!

:haha:
I say we put them all under quarantine or something... that way they have no distractions.

3 - 1 cleveland.

Bottom of the second.

I'm staaarving. I'll be back once I find some food (or maybe later in the game if we aren't doing well)

bottom of 2nd

Larish singles

Sheff walks

Renteria sac runners to 2nd and 3rd

rbi single

Indians 3-2

rbi single

Tied 3-3

:curtis: rbi single

4-3

2 on 1 out

:joyce: dp to end the 2nd inning

4-3

Francisco - flies out deep

Peralta -

Choo - pops out - 3 outs

4-3

grounds out

Larish - ground out