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Game 83: Tigers (42-40) at Twins (45-38)

Detroit @ Minnesota


Nate Robertson (6-6, 5.23) vs. Scott Baker (4-2, 3.57)

First things first, Miguel Cabrera is out of the lineup tonight, which was probably expected.  But no news seems to be good news, as far as a long-term injury.  Maybe the Tigers are waiting to see how Miggy responds in warm-ups and workouts before making a final decision.  Marcus Thames gets the start at first base tonight, with Clete Thomas in left and Matt Joyce in right.

Somehow in his last start, Nate Robertson escaped without allowing an earned run, despite giving up 11 hits to the Cardinals in 6 1/3 innings.  It was one of the most Houdini-like performances you'll ever see.  In two of Robertson's last three starts, in fact, he hasn't allowed an earned run.  (In between, he gave up five, which is the Nate we're more familiar with, but give the man his due.)  And he has pitched very well against these Minnesota Twins, winning three of his last five starts with a 2.67 ERA.  In his last two appearances in the Metrodome, Robertson has just two earned runs in 14 innings. 

With Robertson starting, our old friend Craig Monroe should be in the Twins' lineup.  Especially since Nate owns Jason Kubel (0-for-11, five strikeouts), as La Velle E. Neal III points out in his Star Tribune blog.  (Hat tip to Mack Avenue Tigers)  Monroe has actually been terrible against lefties this season, however, batting .103/.175/.155 in 63 plate appearances.

Scott Baker is on a two-game winning streak, giving up four runs in 12 innings.  And in his 11 starts this season, he's given up more than three runs only once.  One problem he's been running into, however, is high pitch counts that have taken him out of games early.  (And given what we've seen from the Minnesota bullpen in recent match-ups, the Twins would probably prefer to keep their starters in there through seven innings.)  Baker is winless in his last five appearances against the Tigers, which includes two starts this season.  The last time he faced Detroit, Baker had to leave after three innings with a groin injury.

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Starting Lineups

DETROIT

1. Curtis Granderson, CF
2. Placido Polanco, 2B
3. Carlos Guillen, 3B
4. Marcus Thames, 1B
5. Matt Joyce, RF
6. Gary Sheffield, DH
7. Clete Thomas, LF
8. Edgar Renteria, SS
9. Ivan Rodriguez, C

MINNESOTA

1. Carlos Gomez, CF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Mike Redmond, C
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
5. Craig Monroe, DH
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Brendan Harris, SS
8. Nick Punto, 3B
9. Denard Span, RF

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 6:18 PM EDT   0 recs

what a strange looking line up, BUT I LIKE IT!! 1-9 has been producing as of late, so looking forward to seeing how they do tonight..

by PBURGTIGER on Jul 1, 2008 7:37 PM EDT   0 recs

on the bright side

Twins aren’t marching out a fantastic lineup either.

by MackAveKurt on Jul 1, 2008 8:02 PM EDT   0 recs

Cabrera IS in uniform

And could be available to pinch-hit, according to MLB.com.

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 8:05 PM EDT   0 recs

Cabrera

Sure he hasn’t been great this season but I think he’s only missed one game up until this point. A day or two off could do him some good in a lot of ways.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:07 PM EDT   0 recs

Ya, I laugh when

people talk about him as a disappointment. He is batting .280, with 11 dingers and 48 ribbies. That ain’t too shabby, especially for switching leagues, and what not.

by Zappatista on Jul 1, 2008 8:20 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

carlos gomez...

is crazy.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:19 PM EDT   0 recs

i'm right there with ya

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:20 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

awful start for nate

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:21 PM EDT   0 recs

wait

didn’t we see this yesterday?

by MackAveKurt on Jul 1, 2008 8:21 PM EDT   0 recs

bal hasn't left the infield...

and they have guys on 2nd and 3rd.

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by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:21 PM EDT   0 recs

C'mon, man

Gomez on third without a base hit? Shake it off, Nate.

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 8:21 PM EDT   0 recs

WTF

Nasty Nate is not himself so far.

by Zappatista on Jul 1, 2008 8:21 PM EDT   0 recs

That's what Gomez gets for being so damn weird.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:22 PM EDT   0 recs

A good throw would've nailed Gomez, anyway

But still, not the brightest play by the young man.

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 8:23 PM EDT   0 recs

the twins are trying to act like we did yesterday

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 8:24 PM EDT   0 recs

Whoa.

I just went to get something to drink. What the hell happened?

by Grant E. on Jul 1, 2008 8:25 PM EDT   0 recs

Nevermind.

Saw the replay.

by Grant E. on Jul 1, 2008 8:26 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

did you see how much gomez messed up the chalk? what a jerk. :D

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 8:26 PM EDT   0 recs

BS

he didn’t swing there

by ThaWalrus9 on Jul 1, 2008 8:29 PM EDT   0 recs

Um...

Gomez is having himself quite a start to this game. Jumping for a ball he came in too far on in center? Weirdo.

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 8:31 PM EDT   0 recs

Top of the 2nd

did he just completely breeze thru are 4,5,6 hitters?

by PBURGTIGER on Jul 1, 2008 8:32 PM EDT   0 recs

Quick Question...

A friend of mine told me about a rumor he heard about Pudge and Craig Monroe. It doesn’t bare repeating but has anyone else heard anything?

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:33 PM EDT   0 recs

let me clear it up:

they’re not twins separated at birth.

by MackAveKurt on Jul 1, 2008 8:35 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

right you are.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

i haven’t, but now i’m curious

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 8:34 PM EDT   0 recs

you know we are going to get totally bombed one of these nights..Nate cannot allow another 11 hits and think he is going to pitch out of all these jams..I smell something

by PBURGTIGER on Jul 1, 2008 8:36 PM EDT   0 recs

I was just thinking the same thing.

Just turned the double play. I still agree.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Miner

Is going to be in for some real “middle” relief, like 5 innings worth, at this rate.

by Zappatista on Jul 1, 2008 8:37 PM EDT   0 recs

NO-HITTER

I’ll jinx the hell out of this guy if I have to.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:43 PM EDT   0 recs

hahahaha

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by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:44 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Feel free to continue jinxing!

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on Jul 1, 2008 8:45 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm all over it.

Need to save them though. Can’t go hog-wild.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:46 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Shut-out?

See if it can work twice.

by ReichardZ on Jul 1, 2008 8:45 PM EDT   0 recs

how long will it take nate to get 1st and 2nd?

by PBURGTIGER on Jul 1, 2008 8:49 PM EDT   0 recs

Robertson is the Todd Jones of the rotation

There HAS to be a baserunner or 3 every inning, or it just doesn’t feel right…

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on Jul 1, 2008 8:51 PM EDT   0 recs

I thought that...

in his last game when he gave up all of those hits and no runs. Very Jonesian.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:53 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

OH POLLY!

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 8:53 PM EDT   0 recs

holy cow

that was part luck and part skill by polanco. very nice.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 8:53 PM EDT   0 recs

this is

10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will
5% pleasure, 50% pain and a 100% reason to remember the name

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 8:56 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

it’s strange to me that he is still seen as underrated even after being in the all star game last year

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 8:54 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

If he's the consensus winner of the "most underrated" poll...

Doesn’t that mean he’s NOT underrated by his peers? My head hurts thinking about such conundrums.

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on Jul 1, 2008 8:55 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

That was one bad ass play by the Placidome!

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on Jul 1, 2008 8:53 PM EDT   0 recs

How long can Nate do this?

by LosTigres on Jul 1, 2008 8:54 PM EDT   0 recs

Marucs has gone...

five ABs without a HR, I’d say he’s due.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:00 PM EDT   0 recs

big boi single that is….

by Zappatista on Jul 1, 2008 9:01 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

freebie.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:01 PM EDT   0 recs

The ol' wild pitch play

Brilliant strategy by Leyland there!

You never know what he’ll come up with!

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 9:02 PM EDT   0 recs

Thames HR Rate...

1 every 9.86 AB

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by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:02 PM EDT   0 recs

as much I'm sorry to see the inning end

the in-box guest on the Minnesota network was excruciating.

by ThaWalrus9 on Jul 1, 2008 9:08 PM EDT   0 recs

Oh, good lord...

Did you see that “Do you believe in now?” commercial for Detroit Lions season tickets?

I believe in leaving me alone until I have to think about football – NOW.

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 9:08 PM EDT   0 recs

Is that what they call what the Lions do? Football?

by Zappatista on Jul 1, 2008 9:09 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

is there some rule

the Twins have to get two runners on with no outs every inning or does it just feel like it?

by MackAveKurt on Jul 1, 2008 9:12 PM EDT   0 recs

easy out here.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:13 PM EDT   0 recs

that's on me.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:14 PM EDT   0 recs

HOLY COW

ESPN just let us know that the Tigers scored a run.

by pfuhrmeister on Jul 1, 2008 9:14 PM EDT   0 recs

what was that about jinxes?

Jeff

by cannonad03 on Jul 1, 2008 9:14 PM EDT   0 recs

Son of a...

Biscuit.

From C-Mo? Blurgh.

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 1, 2008 9:14 PM EDT   0 recs

Figures, Craig Monroe would be the one to go deep.

I HATE the Hefty/Baggie/Homerdome.

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on Jul 1, 2008 9:15 PM EDT   0 recs

i second that.. worst stadium in baseball.

Jeff

by cannonad03 on Jul 1, 2008 9:18 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

They don't play "baseball" in Minny

Thanks to their Mickey Mouse stadium, it’s an arcade version of the game.

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on Jul 1, 2008 9:24 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

No matter how you slice it...

Nate has not had a very good season so far.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:28 PM EDT   0 recs

not going so well

but man, that Polanco is underrated

by ThaWalrus9 on Jul 1, 2008 9:30 PM EDT   0 recs

This is getting out of control.

Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.

by spotstarters on Jul 1, 2008 9:30 PM EDT   0 recs

for crying out sideways.

by wepri31 on Jul 1, 2008 9:30 PM EDT   0 recs

Nate "4 run" Robertson

Which means it’s time to shut off the spiggot.

...

and warm up the bullpen!

by MackAveKurt on Jul 1, 2008 9:31 PM EDT   0 recs