GDT: 7/16/10 - DET (48-38) AT CLE (34-54) - 7:05 p.m. ET
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Detroit Tigers AT Cleveland IndiansFriday, July 16, 2010Progressive Field, Cleveland, OHGame Time - 7:05 p.m. EDT
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Scherzer hopes to set tone against WestbrookBy Bailey Stephens / MLB.com
With last year's second-half collapse firmly in their memories, the Tigers have no intention of repeating that fate in the last half of this season.
After a much-needed break, Detroit will get back into gear on Friday and kick off the second half of the season in Cleveland against the Tribe.
And while the Tigers don't anticipate another late-season slippage like last year when they lost the division to the Minnesota Twins in the season's final moments, it's something they can't focus on with months left to go.
"We've tried to low key it a little more this year," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I don't know the answer to that. Sometimes, like last year, people thought we did so bad at the end. We really didn't do bad at the end. We had a winning record at the end going into Minnesota."
Pitching will be key for the Tigers in this series as they try to keep pace with the White Sox and Twins out of the gate. The need for big starting pitching performances isn't lost on Leyland, both now and down the stretch.
"We will be like everybody else," Leyland said. "The key for us is pitching. That's the key for everybody, whether it's the beginning of the season, the All-Star break, two months in, one month in, that's going to be the key.
Indians manager Manny Acta also identified starting pitching as a key area for the Indians in the second half, although he took pause to name the starters as an impressive surprise to this point.
"I felt that our starting rotation exceeded expectations that a lot of people had on them," Acta said. "There was still a question mark with Jake [Westbrook] because of his health issues, and also there was still a lot of skepticism about how Fausto [Carmona] would pitch. I think they have both exceeded expectations that the outside world probably had on them."
The Indians starters will look to continue their development in the second half of the season and that starts with Thursday starter Westbrook, who enters the break with a 5-5 record to go with a 4.75 ERA. He'll be followed in the rotation by Carmona, Mitch Talbot and Justin Masterson to finish out the series.
Westbrook will duke it out with Detroit starter Max Scherzer, who also had a positive first half, on Friday. Scherzer has been one of the Tigers' more consistent members of the rotation, despite a 6-6 record. The young righty has put up big strikeout numbers, sitting down 88 batters compared to 35 walks. Scherzer will be pitching on nine days' rest, an unusually long break for the hurler.
"I don't know how it's going to be," he said. "I haven't made a start on nine days' rest in a long time. But I'm looking forward to it anyway."
Tigers: Post-break rotation setIn addition to announcing Scherzer would kick off the second half, Leyland also indicated his rotation for the rest of the series. The Tigers will turn to Justin Verlander on Saturday afternoon, will recall Rick Porcello for Saturday night's contest and finally
?Jeremy Bonderman? for Sunday. The Tigers know they'll have to up their win totals on the road to stay in contention, an opportunity they'll get in Cleveland.
"It's pretty simple really," Leyland said. "We are going to have to do better in our division and better on the road in the second half if we are going to stay in it."
Indians: Cabrera, Choo nearing return to lineupWith the likely return of Asdrubal Cabrera, out since May 18 with a fractured left forearm, and Shin-Soo Choo, who is out with a sprained right thumb, at some point after the break, the Indians are left feeling more positive about returning to something close to their Opening Day lineup in the season's second half. Of course, they'll still be without Grady Sizemore, who is done for the season with a knee injury, but things appear to be looking up for the Tribe's offensive efforts. "Yeah, there's a good chance we will have those guys probably by the end of July," Acta said. "We might be able to have most of our full lineup."
Worth notingEntering the break, the Tigers are just 16-16 in their own division this season.
... The break is much needed for the Indians who played 20 consecutive games to finish the first half.
... The Tribe will now play 20 of its next 30 games at home.
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Pitching matchup
TIGERS: RHP Max Scherzer (6-6, 4.61 ERA)Scherzer has the tough task of throwing the first game back after the All-Star break. He threw a bullpen on Sunday and said he will play catch on Tuesday and Wednesday to help keep his arm fresh.
INDIANS: RHP Jake Westbrook (5-5, 4.75 ERA) The veteran right-hander will look to pick up his sixth win of the year as the Tribe's No. 1 starter after the All-Star break. He gave up five runs on eight hits in six innings while taking his fifth loss of the year despite striking out seven batters against Tampa Bay.
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From MLB Tigers Game NotesRECENT RESULTS: The Tigers suffered a 6-3 loss to the Twins on Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park, snapping the club’s five-game winning streak. Andy Oliver (0-3) took the loss for Detroit after allowing four runs in 4.2 innings of work. Johnny Damon led the Tigers with two hits and an RBI, while Miguel Cabrera added a run-scoring double. The Tigers open a four-game series in Cleveland this evening, before the club heads back to Detroit following Sunday afternoon’s game to begin a seven-game homestand with Texas and Toronto on Monday.
CABRERA TABBED AL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Miguel Cabrera was selected as the American League’s Player of the Week for July 5-11. He batted .435 (10x23) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and eight RBI in six games during the week. It marks the second time Cabrera has earned the honor in 2010, having done so for the season’s opening week (April 5-11).
THREE TIGERS FARE WELL IN THE ALL-STAR GAME: Miguel Cabrera, Jose Valverde and Justin Verlander all represented the Tigers at Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Anaheim.
Cabrera started at first base in place of an injured Justin Morneau and picked up a single. Verlander fanned two batters in a scoreless inning of work, while
Valverde struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning.RECENT SUCCESS VERSUS THE INDIANS: Since the start of the 2009 season, the Tigers have compiled a 20-6 record against the Cleveland Indians. Detroit is third among all major league clubs with a 3.20 ERA (239.0IP/85ER) versus the Indians since the start of the 2009 season.
MIGGY MASHES AGAINST THE TRIBE: Since joining the Tigers in 2008, Miguel Cabrera is hitting .341 (60x176) with 13 home runs and 41 RBI in 44 games against the Cleveland Indians. He is tops among all active major league players with 13 home runs and 41 RBI versus the Indians during that stretch.
CABRERA’S A ROAD WARRIOR: Miguel Cabrera enters tonight’s game at Cleveland hitting .364 (56x154) with 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 42 RBI in 39 games on the road this season. He is tops among all American League players with 42 RBI on the road this season, while he is second with a .364 batting average, 12 home runs and a .682 slugging percentage.
BOESCH JOINS THE LEADER BOARDS: Brennan Boesch reached the required number of plate appearances to join the league leaders on Sunday versus the Twins. He enters tonight’s game at Cleveland fourth in the American League with a .342 batting average and .593 slugging percentage, while he is fifth with a .397 on-base percentage.
MIGGY AMONG THE BEST IN GAME SINCE ALL-STAR BREAK IN 2009: Dating back to
the all-star break in 2009, Miguel Cabrera is hitting .337 (203x602) with 108 runs scored, 44 doubles, a triple, 38 home runs and 130 RBI in 158 games. He is the only major league player to appear in the top five in all three triple crown categories during that stretch: second with a .337 batting average and 130 RBI and fourth with 38 home runs. (Source: Elias Sports Bureau)
PAPA GRANDE POWERS THE PEN: Jose Valverde has converted each of his last 19 save opportunities for the Tigers, tied for the seventh-longest such single-season streak in franchise history. Additionally, he has held opponents scoreless in 36 of his 39 outings this season. Valverde is second among all American League relievers with a 0.92 ERA and .125 batting average against, while he is ninth with 19 saves.
CABRERA RIDING 19-GAME HITTING STREAK: Miguel Cabrera doubled on Sunday versus the Twins to extend his current hitting streak to a career-high 19 games. Over the course of the 19-game hitting streak, he is batting .400 (28x70) with 16 runs scored, eight doubles, a triple, three home runs and 17 RBI.
INGE CLOSING IN ON HIGGINS ON ALL-TIME LIST: Brandon Inge enters tonight’s game at Cleveland with 838 games played at third base during his Tigers career, four games shy of tying Mike Higgins for fourth place in franchise history with 842 games played at third base.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Tigers relievers have compiled an 18-7 record and 3.30 ERA (262.0IP/96ER) through the club’s first 86 games this season. Tigers relievers are second in the American League with 18 victories, while the club is third with a 3.30 ERA.
AVILA SLOWS THE RUNNING GAME: Alex Avila enters tonight’s game at Cleveland having thrown out 41.4 percent of baserunners attempting to steal (12x29) this season, tops among all American League catchers.INJURY UPDATE: RHP Zach Miner(right elbow tendinitis, 60-day DL on March 26),
LHP Bobby Seay (left shoulder strain, 60-day DL on March 26),
RHP Joel Zumaya (non-displaced fracture of the olecranon, 60-day DL on June 29).
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Up next (Probable Pitchers)• Friday, July 16TIGERS (RHP
Max Scherzer (6-6, 4.61 ERA))
AT INDIANS (RHP
Jake Westbrook (5-5, 4.75 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Saturday, July 17TIGERS (RHP
Justin Verlander (11-5, 3.82 ERA))
AT INDIANS (RHP
Fausto Carmona (8-7, 3.64 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Saturday, July 17TIGERS (RHP
Rick Porcello (4-7, 6.14 ERA))
AT INDIANS (RHP
Mitch Talbot (8-8, 3.99 ERA)),
7:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)• Sunday, July 18TIGERS (LHP
Andy Oliver (0-3, 6.38 ERA))
AT INDIANS (RHP
Justin Masterson (3-8, 5.31 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / AM 1270 & 97.1 FM)
Wed Jul 14, 2010 1:37 am
swinging.