GDT: 9/12/08 - DET (70-76) AT CWS (81-64) - 8:11 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- Justin Verlander is 1-4 against both the White Sox and Indians this season, and he's 9-7 against everyone else he has faced.

Verlander's next two starts will be in Chicago on Friday and Cleveland next weekend. That's the way the rotation order works out after Dontrelle Willis and Freddy Garcia make their starts early next week in Texas. It's also a late-season test manager Jim Leyland is looking forward to seeing his young ace tackle.

"We have to get over that hump," Leyland said.

To Leyland, however, it isn't just Verlander.

The Tigers head to the Windy City this weekend with a 27-36 mark against their American League Central opponents this season. Among AL teams, only the Royals (21-37 against the AL Central) and Orioles (20-39 against the AL East) are further under .500 against their own division.

In Detroit's case, it has a losing record against all of its divisional foes. It's a major reason why Detroit heads into play this weekend in fourth place, double-digit games back from the race up top between Minnesota and Chicago, and enters its final road trip of the season trying to play spoiler -- rather than contender.

It's a big enough deal that Leyland talked earlier this month about making divisional foes a priority next season. He wants to set up a study session among next year's catchers to scout some of the division's more dangerous hitters and familiarize themselves with the sluggers in order to avoid mistakes when facing them.

"We all have to do a better job against our division -- all of us, not just Verlander," Leyland said.

Verlander, however, has been the most striking example, given the disparity in numbers. When he struggled against Cleveland and Chicago earlier this summer, Leyland theorized Verlander took too much extra energy into the meetings -- getting "too amped up," as Leyland called it -- and couldn't channel it all correctly. He did not bring that up Wednesday when discussing Verlander's matchup in the series opener.

In terms of nerves, this might be a better setup for Verlander to tackle. The pressure is off the Tigers now, but it's squarely on the White Sox and their struggle to hold off the Twins. Detroit comes to town after Toronto gave Chicago all sorts of trouble earlier this week, starting with a sweep in Tuesday's doubleheader.



Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Justin Verlander (10-15, 4.78 ERA)
Verlander received a no-decision in the Tigers' 6-4 win over the Twins on Saturday. Verlander lasted 5 2/3 innings while giving up four earned runs on eight hits and four walks. He labored, needing 114 pitches in an abbreviated day. Verlander is 1-4 with a 6.09 ERA in five starts against Chicago this year.


CWS: LHP John Danks (10-8, 3.44 ERA)
Danks was being monitored closely by manager Ozzie Guillen to see if he labored at all during his start against the Angels on Sunday. There was concern that the young left-hander was fatiguing down the stretch, having thrown more innings and more pitches than ever before. He lasted only 5 1/3 innings and gave up just two runs on five hits while striking out seven. Guillen planned to skip Danks' next start if he wasn't solid, but the outing was plenty good. Danks has beaten Detroit both times he has faced the Tigers this season, outpitching Verlander both times.

Tidbits

Friday kicks off a nine-game, three-city trip that will continue to Texas and Cleveland next week and finish the road portion of Detroit's schedule. ... Outfield prospect Clete Thomas was scheduled to undergo Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery Thursday to fix a right elbow ligament tear that had been bothering him for much of the summer, Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said. Noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews will perform the procedure in Birmingham, Ala. ... Sunday's series finale has been moved to an 8:05 p.m. ET start for an ESPN broadcast. ... Magglio Ordonez is 9-for-14 off Danks, with three doubles, a home run and six RBIs. ... Third baseman Carlos Guillen is not expected to play Friday and is questionable for the rest of the weekend.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSND

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Sat., Sept 13: Tigers (LHP Kenny Rogers, 9-13, 5.49 ERA)) at White Sox (RHP Lance Broadway, 1-0, 8.49 ERA)), 3:55 p.m. ET

• Sun., Sept 14: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, 8-4, 4.29 ERA)) at White Sox (RHP Javier Vazquez, 11-13, 4.29 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET

• Mon., Sept 15: Tigers (LHP Dontrelle Willis, 0-1, 10.32 ERA)) at Rangers (RHP Vicente Padilla
(13-7,
4.79 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Lineups?

Verlander will beat the Sox


Tigers will sweep all three games

TG wrote:

Lineups?

Yes, we have to wait until about 45 min before the game starts to see what the lineup of batters are for each team.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TG wrote:

Lineups?

Yes, we have to wait until about 45 min before the game starts to see what the lineup of batters are for each team.

I didn't look at the time. I figured it was a 7 o'clock game, in which case it would have been within 45 minutes of start time.

TG wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TG wrote:

Lineups?

Yes, we have to wait until about 45 min before the game starts to see what the lineup of batters are for each team.

I didn't look at the time. I figured it was a 7 o'clock game, in which case it would have been within 45 minutes of start time.

This game is TOMORROW (friday) night, not tonight!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TG wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TG wrote:

Lineups?

Yes, we have to wait until about 45 min before the game starts to see what the lineup of batters are for each team.

I didn't look at the time. I figured it was a 7 o'clock game, in which case it would have been within 45 minutes of start time.

This game is TOMORROW (friday) night, not tonight!

Yah I just noticed that when I looked at my schedule... well that leaves me to think all night! Grr. I was counting on the game to distract me.

Miggy gonna homer this series!!!

gdennis59 wrote:

Miggy gonna homer this series!!!

Every game

Game Time Temp 71 degrees

40 percent chance of showers

SW winds 5-10mph

Sweep please!

Good thing this is an away series. It's VERY wet here

Its starting to rain here as well. Im hoping its not wet tomorrow, I would like a dry Saturday race.

swiss_tiger wrote:

Sweep please!

Hopefully the Twins can sweep this weekend


Would love to see the Tigers knock the Sox out of first

73 degrees with some light rain


The rain could be a steady soaking rain later this evening

After 9pm CST


Hopefully it holds off

How about a Verlander 5 inning CG rain shortened victory?

They have rain coming!

laprimamirala wrote:

They have rain coming!

We do, too

They aren't the only ones.
*cough, cough*
IKE.

still waiting....zzzzz....

No game?

TG wrote:

No game?

No game tonight...

Doubleheader tomorrow, according to ESPN....*ouch*

Thats gonna suck....

TG wrote:

Thats gonna suck....

...beyond belief!

Tigers-White Sox game postponed
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Justin Verlander will have to wait for his grudge match with the White Sox. A steady dose of rain on Friday and no letup in sight for the evening forced the postponement of the Tigers' series opener against the American League Central leaders.

The game appeared to be on track to start on time, with the tarp removed and the players warming up. Shortly before game time, however, the tarp was put back on the field.

The game is expected to be made up as part of a Sunday doubleheader. Verlander will start in one of those games, with Zach Miner pitching in the other, as scheduled. The nightcap will remain a national broadcast on ESPN beginning around 8:05 p.m. ET.

Kenny Rogers, who already was scheduled to start Saturday's game, will stay on that track. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 4, so the Tigers did not want him pushed back any longer. That game is scheduled to be a regional broadcast on FOX with a 3:55 p.m. game time, which would've made a Saturday doubleheader impractical. Moreover, the forecast for Chicago this weekend calls for more rain Saturday before the chance lessens somewhat on Sunday.

Dang ESPN. We're not the Red Sox or Yankees, so they could care less.

Several games rained out tonight, looks like a lot of double-headers tomorrow

They playing a DH on Saturday in Chicago according to White Sox.com