GDT: 9/17/11 - DET (88-63) AT OAK (68-83) - 4:05 p.m. ET 
DETROIT TIGERS WIN 2011 AL CENTRAL DIVISION
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Detroit Tigers AT Oakland AthleticsSaturday, September 17, 2011
Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Game Time - 4:05 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 Porcello aims to impress with playoffs loomingRight-hander trying to lay claim to No. 4 starter job in OctoberBy Cash Kruth / MLB.com | 9/17/2011 1:15 AM ET
The Tigers have clinched the American League Central title. Now they can begin their postseason planning.
Fresh off a 3-1 win Friday against the A's that clinched them their first division title since 1987, the Tigers can begin thinking and talking about the roles each guy will play in their quest for the World Series. Perhaps no area has produced more strategic questions than the starting rotation, and how it will fall into place following AL Cy Young Award favorite Justin Verlander.
The first pitcher to make his case for postseason consideration is Rick Porcello, who has won two straight games and tossed three quality starts in his last four outings. The 22-year-old right-hander -- who will take the hill on Saturday in the third game of four at the Coliseum -- could be pitching for the right to be the No. 4 starter in the playoffs. However, he said he isn't focusing on that possibility.
"I'm just going out there trying to pitch now. That's not my decision," Porcello said. "I just want to help this team get into the playoffs, then whatever happens from there happens."
Porcello defeated the A's back on April 15, tossing six innings of one-run ball. He knows that, despite the A's third-place standing, they are nonetheless a solid team.
"It's a scrappy club that has real solid pitching. That's what they are," Porcello said. "They've got a real good rotation, especially when everybody's healthy. Obviously offensively, they've got some scrappy guys and they've got a couple guys that have some pop that can hurt you. That's definitely not a team you can overlook or take lightly."
Good pitching will be on display Saturday as Oakland's Gio Gonzalez take the mound for the A's. The left-hander is fresh off a win against the Angels, in which he held permitted two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Although Gonzalez is 0-3 with a 6.87 ERA in four career starts against Detroit, he tossed six shutout innings against the Tigers in April.
Tigers: Cabrera nearing record bookWith 102 runs scored, 97 RBIs and 103 walks this season, first baseman Miguel Cabrera is looking to become only the fifth player in Tigers history to reach the century mark in all three categories in a single season. The others are Hank Greenberg (1937-38), Charlie Gehringer (1938), Rocky Colavito (1961) and Norm Cash (1961).
• Victor Martinez is hitting .339 with five doubles, three home runs and 17 RBIs in 15 September games.
Athletics: End on a good noteThe A's, who are 8-7 in September, are looking to break a streak of seven consecutive months without a winning record. Oakland's last winning month came in July 2010, when it went 14-10.
• With 14 home runs, Kurt Suzuki is one shy of tying his career high.
• Hideki Matsui is hitting .317 since the All-Star break.
Worth noting• Current A's batters are hitting a combined .363 against Porcello in his career.
• Friday was A's outfielder David DeJesus' 1,000th career game.
Tigers: RHP Rick Porcello (14-8, 4.83 ERA)Porcello has quality starts in three of his last four outings, showing signs of escape from the late-summer funk that briefly bumped his ERA over 5.00. He's still working on his secondary pitches, but he's not far off his form.
Athletics: LHP Gio Gonzalez (13-12, 3.41 ERA)Gonzalez, who has won four of his last five, tossed six scoreless -- while allowing just two hits with six strikeouts -- against the Tigers on April 14 but also walked six in the no-decision. This will mark his first outing vs. Detroit since then.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationINJURY UPDATE: •
OF Brennan Boesch (right thumb surgery,
15-day disabled list on September 9).
•
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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XM Channel Schedule______________________________________
Up next (Probable Pitchers) (RHP
Justin Verlander (23-5, 2.36 ERA))
AT Athletics (RHP
Guillermo Moscoso (8-8, 3.44 ERA)),
4:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Monday, September 19: OFF DAY
• Tuesday, September 20: Tigers (RHP
Brad Penny (10-10, 5.07 ERA))
AT Royals (?HP
TBA (--- ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Wednesday, September 21: Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (14-9, 4.39 ERA))
AT Royals (RHP
Felipe Paulino (3-6, 4.10 ERA)),
8:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)
Sat Sep 17, 2011 4:21 am
out swinging.