GDT: 8/16/11 - DET (64-57) VS MIN (53-67) - 7:05 p.m. ET ---
VS ---
Detroit Tigers VS Minnesota TwinsTuesday, August 16, 2011
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Game Time - 7:05 p.m. EDT REMEMBERING SPARKYThe Tigers are wearing a patch on their right
sleeves this season in the shape of a home
plate emblazoned with the name SPARKY, to
honor Hall of Fame manager Sparky
Anderson who passed away on November 4,
2010. Anderson’s number 11 was retired
in a pre-game ceremony on June 26.
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Preview Blackburn, Verlander face off in DetroitBy Cash Kruth / MLB.com | 8/15/2011 11:56 PM ET
Delmon Young's Tigers debut certainly got off to a powerful start.
On Tuesday, Young -- who on Monday was traded from Minnesota to Detroit -- will try to continue to make a good impression with his new club.
No question the biggest positive for Young in the trade is going from the fourth-place Twins to the first-place Tigers. But there is another plus. Young won't have to face Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander, who takes the hill Tuesday as a leading candidate for the American League Cy Young Award.
"It's going to save me some points in the stats and maybe a couple less strikeouts," Young said of not facing the right-hander. "It's great to play behind a guy like that."
Verlander will oppose Twins righty Nick Blackburn in the second of a three-game series Tuesday. Detroit's ace has done well against the Twins in his career, going 8-7 with a 3.55 ERA. The most recent of those outings came on July 21, when Verlander threw eight innings of one-run ball in Minnesota.
Because of games like those, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire knows what his team is up against in Verlander. He also knows how hot Young -- who hit .298 with 21 home runs and 112 RBIs for the Twins last season -- can get. Gardenhire said he's hoping he doesn't have to deal with Young hitting a hot streak during his team's series in Detroit.
"He had a great year for us last year. He's had a couple different bouts with an ankle injury, a rib injury and a foot injury in Spring Training. All those things come into play," Gardenhire said. "As Delmon would tell you, he's always been a slow starter. It's just carried over a little bit."
Twins: Blackburn on the bumpThe Twins turn to Blackburn on Tuesday as they look to win their second straight against Detroit. The right-hander had a solid outing in his last start, allowing one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings against Boston. That start was a nice rebound from his prior three, in which he failed to make it out of the fifth inning in each. He is 4-5 with a 5.03 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) against the Tigers, the most recent coming on May 30, when he allowed five runs on seven hits in six-plus innings.
• Jim Thome became the eighth player in Major League history to join the 600 home run club on Monday. Thome went deep twice in Minnesota's 9-6 win.
• Infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka had his nine-game hitting streak snapped Monday but is hitting .294 in his last 10 games.
Tigers: Raburn back at secondWith the acquisition of Young and second baseman Carlos Guillen on the disabled list, second base belongs to Ryan Raburn for the foreseeable future. Raburn played his 42nd game of the season at second on Monday -- the same amount he's spent in left field -- and manager Jim Leyland said he'll gladly take Raburn's production at second.
"That's a scenario that's OK. Raburn's actually been swinging the bat good," Leyland said. "If he gives us a punch at second base, that would be a plus. If you think you're getting [an All-Star defensive player,] you're not. It's just the way it is. I'm willing to accept that."
• Outfielder Brennan Boesch, who has been dealing with a right thumb injury, said he'll return to the lineup Tuesday.
Worth noting• The Tigers have won 12 of the last 14 meetings between the two teams. During that time, Minnesota has been outscored, 99-60, while posting a 6.80 ERA.
• Jason Kubel is .331 with 14 doubles and four home runs in his last 40 games against the Tigers.
• Joe Nathan is a perfect 32-for-32 in save opportunities against the Tigers.
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (17-5, 2.35 ERA)Verlander will try to become the Majors' first 18-game winner this year and stretch his winning streak to six if he can continue his recent success against the Twins. He has allowed three runs over seven innings in back-to-back starts.
Twins: RHP Nick Blackburn (7-9, 4.36 ERA)Blackburn, who had a 11.68 ERA over his previous three starts, looked sharp vs. Boston on Wednesday, allowing one unearned run on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. He said he made a fix with his mechanics and he thinks his sinker will be back on track.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationRESCHEDULED GAMES: The following is the information on the rescheduled Tigers games postponed at Comerica Park this season:
-
Thursday, September 1 versus Kansas City at 1:05 p.m. (rescheduled from May 15)
INJURY UPDATE: •
INF Carlos Guillen (sore left wrist,
15-day disabled list on August 13),
•
RHP Al Alburquerque (concussion,
7-day disabled list on August 12).
•
RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow olecranon fracture surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 30).
•
LHP Brad Thomas (left elbow inflammation,
60-day DL on May 11)
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To track MLB play-by-play, to help post GDT outcomes: http://m.mlb.com/scores/On the Internet MLB.TV Gameday Audio•
Gameday•
Official Press Pass game notesOn television •
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Direct TV Extra Innings ScheduleOn radio•
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XM Channel Schedule______________________________________
Up next (Probable Pitchers) • Wednesday, August 17: Tigers (RHP
Brad Penny (8-9, 4.99 ERA))
VS Twins (RHP
Carl Pavano (6-9, 4.55 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Thursday, August 18: OFF DAY