GDT: 9/24/08 - DET (71-85) VS KC (72-86) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- The Tigers crossed the three-million mark in attendance for the season with Tuesday's loss to the Royals. They could break last year's single-season record as soon as Wednesday's series finale against the Royals, though Thursday's opener to their season-ending series with the Rays appears more likely to shatter the mark.

They know that after the disappointment of this season, it could be tough next year. They're hoping some of the decisions they make with an eye towards next season will help set themselves up for the success to drive fans back.

"You make it pretty simple," manager Jim Leyland said. "It's not rocket science. If you look at the numbers, we haven't pitched good enough, our defense hasn't been good enough, we've been shut out several times, I haven't managed good enough, we haven't coached good enough.

"The message to the fans is basically a thank you for the patience that they showed. We might be short a few to start the season next year, so we're going to have to earn them back like we did in 2006. The fact of the matter is it's a great baseball town. They've proven that day in and day out all year long. We're going to have to earn some of them back. If we play well, we'll get them back. You have to earn them. We have a great product. We just haven't given them a great performance."

No decisions towards that end loom larger or more numerous than those for the pitching staff, which is largely a series of questions, after ace Justin Verlander and breakout rookie Armando Galarraga. One such question mark is Nate Robertson, who makes his season finale with his start Wednesday.

A win would get the Tigers back from fifth place into fourth, but it's what Robertson does to take into the offseason that will be the Tigers' focus. He was pulled from the rotation in August after his ERA rose over 6.00, but he has made spot starts over the last couple weeks to try to test out some of his late-season mechanics. After Wednesday's outing, he'll go into an offseason workout program he hopes will further that.

He's one of several Tigers that Leyland needs to show something better.

"Nate has to step it up," Leyland said. "I'll make that simple and plain: He has to step it up. If you want the starting job, you have to pitch better. And that goes for everybody else. Simple as it is. Everybody better step it up. They'd better do what they need to do this winter, and they'd better come to Spring Training in shape and win a job."

That's Robertson's plan. At the Tigers' suggestion, he'll focus his offseason workouts on flexibility before getting an early start on throwing, something he did in previous winters but eased last year after a tired arm derailed his 2007 season.

What happened this year -- the hits, the ERA, the losses -- he's focused on not seeing again, much like the team's struggles in general.

"If you don't come in here with a chip on your shoulder this [coming] spring, there's something wrong with you," Robertson said. "There's a lot of pride here."

Leyland wants that kind of intensity.

"Should Nate Robertson be a good Major League starting pitcher? Yes," Leyland said. "In my opinion, he should be."



Pitching matchup


DET: LHP Nate Robertson, (7-10, 6.15 ERA)
Robertson returns from the Tigers bullpen for one final start this season after his previous start showed progress in his effort to hone his command. He pitched seven innings of one-run ball Sept. 9 against the A's, leaving with a lead before Oakland came back to win. His only outing since then consisted of 2 2/3 innings of relief with three runs and four walks last Wednesday at Texas. He has one start and two relief appearances against the Royals this year, none of them resulting in a decision.


KC: RHP Brian Bannister, (8-16, 5.96 ERA)
Bannister struggled to put away White Sox hitters in his last start. He threw 93 pitches over five innings and surrendered a grand slam to Alexei Ramirez and a solo homer to Jim Thome. Bannister had snapped a 13-game winless streak in his previous start and will be looking to get back on track with a positive performance that he can take with him into the offseason.

Tidbits

Curtis Granderson is 6-for-12 lifetime off Bannister with a double, triple and RBI. ... Kyle Farnsworth remains day-to-day with tightness in his lower back, but he's hoping to be available for relief as soon as Wednesday or Thursday. Farnsworth strained a muscle that starts in his back and runs down his right leg. He hasn't pitched since Sept. 15, when he took the loss at Texas. ... While Cleveland's Fausto Carmona and Victor Martinez appeal their suspensions stemming from last Friday's fracas with Gary Sheffield, don't expect them to answer Sheffield's remarks predicting retribution. "I don't care, man," Martinez said. "I'm not worried about him. I just want to play baseball. I don't care what he has to say." ... The Tigers had never topped three million in attendance until last year.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD


On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Thursday: Tigers (RHP Armando Galarraga, (12-6, 3.58 ERA)) vs. Rays (LHP Scott Kazmir, (12-7, 3.36 ERA)), 1:05 p.m. ET

• Friday: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander, (10-17, 4.87 ERA)) vs. Rays (RHP Andy Sonnanstine, (13-8, 4.27 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Saturday: Tigers (LHP Dontrelle Willis, (0-2, 10.61 ERA)) vs. Rays (RHP Matt Garza, (11-9, 3.66 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

TIGERS (71-85)

1. Granderson, CF
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Ordonez, RF
4. Cabrera, 1B
5. Joyce, LF
6. Larish, DH
7. Renteria, SS
8. Inge, 3B
9. Sardinha, C

ROYALS (72-86)

1. David DeJesus, RF
- Joey Gathright, CF
2. Esteban German, LF
3. Mike Aviles, 2B
4. Jose Guillen, DH
5. Ryan Shealy, 1B
6. Alex Gordon, 3B
7. John Buck, C
8. T.J. Pena, SS
9. Mitch Maier, RF

76 degrees; Partly Cloudy at Game Time

Winds SE at 6mph

DeJesus -

German -

Aviles - pops out

0-0

:curtis: grounds out

:placido: grounds out

grounds out

end of 1
0-0

Jose Guillen - grounds out

Ryan Shealy - grounds out

Alex Gordon - single (he was out, but called safe by 1st base ump)

John Buck - walk

T.J. Pena - rbi - out trying to get to 2nd - 3 outs

KC 1-0

grounds out

:joyce:

singles

:edgar: grounds out

end of 2

KC 1-0

Mitch Maier - pops out

Joey Gathright - singles

Esteban German - bunts - out - runner goes to 2nd

Mike Aviles - grounds out

flies out to cf

:dane: singles

:curtis: flies out, almost a homer

:placido: singles

grounds out - 3 outs

end of 3

KC 1-0

4. Jose Guillen, DH - flies out
5. Ryan Shealy, 1B - singles
6. Alex Gordon, 3B - bunt grounds out - runner advances
7. John Buck, C - rbi singles
8. T.J. Pena, SS -

4. Cabrera, 1B -
5. Joyce, LF - single
6. Larish, DH - single
7. Renteria, SS - gidp

Mitch Maier - singles
Joey Gathright - flies out

Esteban German - walks