GDT: 9/27/08 - DET (73-86) VS TB (96-64) - 7:05 p.m. ET

DETROIT -- When Gary Sheffield passed up his fellow Tampa native and former teammate Fred McGriff on the all-time home run list, he said it was the only statistical feat that really mattered to him. With the 500-homer club potentially one swing away on Saturday, he's feeling a little different now.

"I didn't think it would sink in, but it [has]," Sheffield said Friday night. "It's something that I never envisioned would happen. Just to play this game and play it for 20 years, I thought that was special, but to get to this point, I feel something big is happening."

Sheffield's Tigers teammates, friends from around baseball, and a crowd at Comerica Park hope it happens on Saturday. His uncle, former Mets great Dwight Gooden, is expected to be in the stands to watch.

Nobody has hit the 500-homer mark while wearing a Tigers uniform, though the past 44 homers Sheffield has hit have come since Sheffield was dealt to Detroit two years ago. What has been impressive about his drive toward the mark lately is the late-season charge that the slugger has suddenly put it within reach this year.

After homering just five times in his season's injury-plagued first half, Sheffield has hit 14 since the All-Star break and six in September. It has become a reminder of what kind of hitter Sheffield can be when he's feeling right, without the nagging pain of a surgically repaired shoulder or the lingering strain of an oblique muscle.

The shots that put Sheffield on the doorstep to the elite club came on Friday, when he came off of a four-game suspension and homered twice in Detroit's 6-4 win. Not only did they have a statistical impact, they had the sudden effect of having the Tigers think about the milestone. That includes manager Jim Leyland, who will try to walk a fine line this weekend between giving him as many chances to get the mark, without overwhelming his slugger on it.

"I don't want to talk too much about it," Leyland said, "because I think the more you talk about it, the more pressure it puts on him. You just let it play out. You think about [leading] him off, but does that put extra pressure on him? Should I lead him off and get him an extra at-bat? I'm thinking about that. So I think you have to be careful with it. It'll be exciting."

For Sheffield, the challenge will be to maintain the easy, relaxed form he had on Friday after four days off.


"Just take my at-bats like I did today," Sheffield said Friday. "Really, I didn't go up there today trying to hit home runs. I just said, 'Just take that bat, get a good pitch and just hit it.' I waited on some good pitches. I got ahead in the count. And when you get ahead in the count, you're supposed to do those things."


Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Dontrelle Willis, (0-2, 10.61 ERA)
After all the hope and setbacks of this trying season, Willis has one more start left to try to provide a glimpse of what he can provide the Tigers for next year before heading into the offseason. It was not a promising sight last Sunday at Cleveland, where he gave up six runs on five hits and six walks over 2 1/3 innings. It was a throwback to the control issues he had earlier in the season before heading to the Minors for three months to work on his mechanics. He had much better success in his return a week and a half ago, when he allowed three runs on two hits and five walks over five innings at Texas.

TB: RHP Matt Garza, (11-9, 3.66 ERA)
Garza served up a gritty performance in his last outing, against the Red Sox on Sept. 17, when he pitched on three days' rest. During that start, Garza threw 75 pitches in 4 2/3 innings and was touched for five hits and three runs en route to a no-decision. Rays manager Joe Maddon wanted to allow Garza a chance to recover from that start, so he let him miss his next turn. Garza is 0-3 with a 4.84 ERA in four career starts against the Tigers. The 24-year-old Fresno State product has arguably the best stuff on the Rays staff, and he has allowed one run or fewer in 11 of his past 25 starts.

Tidbits

Sheffield is 1-for-8 with a single for his career off of Garza. Magglio Ordonez is 5-for-11 lifetime against Garza with two doubles and five RBIs. ...

Ordonez's two-run double on Friday pushed his RBI total to 100 for the season. He's the first Tiger to drive in at least 100 runs in three straight seasons since Cecil Fielder from 1990-93. ...

Placido Polanco is day-to-day after leaving Friday's game with a sprained left ankle. ...

Jeff Larish has an eight-game hitting streak, during which he's batting 10-for-19. ...

The Tigers will hold a pregame ceremony on the field to honor closer Todd Jones, who announced his retirement earlier this week. Jones held a luncheon with team staff on Friday, thanking them for their work. ...

Saturday continues Fan Appreciation Weekend at Comerica Park. The first 30,000 fans to Saturday's game will receive a free Tigers window cling, and prizes will be given away between innings.

On the Internet

MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD


On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next


• Sunday: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, (8-5, 4.26 ERA)) vs. Rays (RHP James Shields, (14-8, 3.57 ERA)), 1:05 p.m. ET

• Monday: Tigers (RHP Freddy Garcia, (1-1, 4.50 ERA)) at CWS (RHP Gavin Floyd, (16-8, 3.91 ERA)), 2:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Tampa Bay
Perez, F, CF
Zobrist, SS
Longoria, 3B
Baldelli, DH
Aybar, 2B
Johnson, D, 1B
Ruggiano, LF
Gomes, RF
Hernandez, M, C


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

73 degrees

Mostly Cloudy at Game Time


But it might end up being 77

Like it was Friday Night

Rays will have a champagne shower in their clubhouse after the game anyway....
so LET'S JUST KEEP BEATIN' UP ON 'EM!!

09/27/2008 2:56 AM ET
Box >
Rays crowned AL East champions
Club clinches division after Red Sox lose to Yanks at Fenway
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com

laprimamirala wrote:

Rays will have a champagne shower in their clubhouse after the game anyway....
so LET'S JUST KEEP BEATIN' UP ON 'EM!!

I bet the Rays lose the next two.


White Sox and Twins lose next two

Tigers beat Sox Monday

What a joke!


Crown the Angels AL Champs


Though they lost last night

They better win one more game for 100


Watch they lose out

Now that they clinched home field

Jeez!

laprimamirala wrote:

Rays will have a champagne shower in their clubhouse after the game anyway....
so LET'S JUST KEEP BEATIN' UP ON 'EM!!

THEY HAD IT LAST NIGHT AFTER BOSTON LOST.

Perez, F - walk

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

laprimamirala wrote:

Rays will have a champagne shower in their clubhouse after the game anyway....
so LET'S JUST KEEP BEATIN' UP ON 'EM!!

THEY HAD IT LAST NIGHT AFTER BOSTON LOST.

oh, they probably will have one tonight too!

runner goes to 2nd on passed ball (really a wild pitch!)

Zobrist - singles - runners on corners

D-wreck is wild tonight!

Longoria -

Baldelli - 2 rbi double

TB 2-0

Aybar - grounds out, runner goes to 3rd.

Dontrell injured, says he is ok

Johnson, D - walks

Ruggiano - flies out

TB 2-0

:curtis:

flies out to lf

flies out

end of 1st inning

TB 2-0

Gomes -

Hernandez, M - grounds out

Perez, F - flies out
1-2-3

home run # 37

TB 2-1

:sheff: pops out

:joyce: flies out

end of 2 innings

TB 2-1

Zobrist - double

Miggy did a great HR!

Longoria - grounds out