GDT: 10/3/10 - DET (80-81) AT BAL (65-95) - 1:35 PM ET

O's, Tigers have plenty to play for in finale

By Joey Nowak / MLB.com

With the fate of their season already determined, the Tigers are just trying to end the year on a good note. Against the last-place team in the American League East, one would think that shouldn't be too much to ask.

Problem is, the Tigers are having trouble beating anybody nowadays and -- once a legitimate AL Central contender at the midseason -- are battling to finish at .500 this season.

Detroit has lost six in a row, including the first three games of the four-game set against the Orioles to end the season. With a win in Sunday's finale, the Tigers can finish a tumultuous season at 81-81.

With a frustrating week that has been filled with rain delays, postponements and make-up scenarios, Detroit has not won a game since a 5-1 victory against the Twins on Sept. 26, which capped a three-game sweep over the AL Central champs.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are clearly improving under the leadership of Buck Showalter, having won 17 of their last 26 games. The club is 34-22 under Showalter, including a 14-4 mark in series openers.

"Neither last season, nor this season did we win enough games to really go home and hang our hats high and feel good about ourselves," said starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who earned a win on Friday. "But we have played really good baseball down the stretch, and if that's what we are going to play next year, than good things are ahead for us."

The big league record for wins by a team after its 73rd loss (the Orioles were 32-73 when Showalter took over) was 34, held by the Phillies under Terry Francona in 1997, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. A Baltimore win on Sunday would break that record.

Also, Showalter is the first manager since 1900 to take over a team in August or later and win more games the rest of the way than the team had won before he took over.

Tigers: Bullpen pitching season finale
Detroit's pitching Sunday will be done by committee, with a number of relievers getting opportunities. Left-hander Phil Coke will get the start, his first of the season. He's 7-5 with a 3.57 ERA this year. ... The Tigers, who have scored just two runs in each of their last two games, continue to struggle to score runs without MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera, who has been out of the lineup since Monday nursing an ankle injury. "The offense, right now, is sputtering quite a bit," manager Jim Leyland said.

Orioles: Bergesen finishing what he started
Things will come full circle Sunday for Orioles starter Brad Bergesen, who also started the home opener for the club. He's coming off one of his worst starts in the last two months, surrendering five runs on five hits in five innings against the Rays. He's 1-1 with a 3.86 career ERA against the Tigers. ... Baltimore is 66-95, bettering last season's record of 64-98. But through 105 games in 2010, the club was 32-73, while Baltimore was 44-61 through 105 games in 2009.

Worth noting
... The weekend set is the first of the season series to be played in Baltimore, after Detroit won four of the six games in Detroit between the two squads.

... Having logged 137 2/3 career innings of work with a 12-8 career record, Coke has never started a big league game.



Pitching matchup

TIGERS: LHP Phil Coke (7-5, 3.57 ERA)
With Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander ruled out thanks to Wednesday's doubleheader, the Tigers will turn to their lefty setup man. Leyland has talked about Coke as a potential starter next year, but he's expected to pitch just a few innings Sunday.

ORIOLES: RHP Brad Bergesen (8-10, 4.90 ERA)
Bergesen, who started the home opener, will finish the Orioles' season. He is coming off one of his worst starts in the previous two months, allowing five earned runs on five hits over five innings against the Rays.




INJURY UPDATE:
• RHP Zach Miner (Partial tear in right elbow, 60-day DL on March 26, Had successful Tommy John surgery May 28, Out for Season),
• LHP Bobby Seay (Torn rotator cuff, 60-day DL on March 26, surgery on September 15, Out for Season),
• OF Magglio Ordonez (right ankle fracture, 15-day DL on July 25, Had surgery surgery Aug. 25, Out for Season),
• INF Danny Worth (bruised left heel, 15-day DL on August 4, Out for Season),
• RHP Joel Zumaya (non-displaced fracture of the olecranon, 60-day DL on June 29, Underwent elbow surgery July 12, Out for Season).
• Carlos Guillen (Bruised left knee, 15-day DL on August 23, Out for Season)


Out for Season



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