Rick Porcello (14-9, 4.04) vs.   Scott Baker (15-9, 4.36), 5:07 p.m. EST

Writing this in the regular GameThread format doesn't quite feel right, does it?  After all, this is hardly just another game on the schedule.  But the number "163" is a pretty big indicator.  The regular season just could not contain this AL Central race. 

And so, just when you thought the Tigers were out of the Metrodome, a first-place tie pulls them back in.  But isn't this the way it should be? 

Sure, Detroit should've won the AL Central when it was fully in its grasp.  Their stumble (along with the Twins' red-hot surge) has brought the season to this point.  But every hero needs a villain.  And to finish the story, the arch-enemy must be vanquished.  Has there been any greater adversary to the Tigers this season than these pesky, never-say-die Minnesota Twins? 

This is the stuff of mythology, man.  Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?  How about doing what should've been done last Thursday at Comerica Park? 

You know all about Scott Baker.  You've seen him pitch against the Tigers enough now, including last Thursday.  Never mind that Detroit's lineup once again played like squanderers.  Baker held the Tigers to just one run over five innings, so it probably means he's going to do it again, right?  Right?  He's the Twins' best starting pitcher!

What?  The Tigers' season comes down to their rookie starter?  Hey, Rick Porcello isn't a rookie anymore.  The kid has pitched in 30 major league games now.  His shoulders are plenty strong for this.  Kid Rick has been Detroit's second-best starting pitcher since late August.  And he's not afraid of these Minnesota Twins.  Just look at his last two starts against them. 

Ryan Raburn is in the lineup today, starting in left field and batting sixth.  Carlos Guillen is the designated hitter, while Ramon Santiago gets the nod at shortstop.  And Denard Span's quote about the Tigers' choking is on the clubhouse wall:

"I don't want to say they've choked, but, yeah, they have choked," Span said. "They've choked a little bit, but they have the opportunity to not choke, I guess."

Twinkie Town has your SB Nation opposing view for this one-game tiebreaker for the AL Central championship.

  John Danks (13-10, 3.69) vs.   Justin Verlander (18-9, 3.45), 1:05 p.m. EST

And so, it has all come to this.  The Detroit Tigers have played 161 games in this 2009 season, and it will take the final one on the schedule to determine this team's ultimate fate. 

If the Tigers win today, they will assure themselves of at least extending their season to a one-game tiebreaker on Tuesday.  If they win and the Twins lose, Detroit will be home to the AL Central champions.  If the Tigers lose and the Twins lose, the division title will be decided early Tuesday evening at the Metrodome. 

So the Tigers really need to win today.  And with that, it's best that Justin Verlander is pitching for them.  Games like this are why teams need a stud starting pitcher.  You want to use your best in your most important game.  Verlander has carried the Tigers all season, so he might as well be the guy to hoist his team into the postseason.

Verlander has been spectacular against the White Sox this season, winning two starts and allowing only one earned run in 18 innings.  Over his career, however, they've roughed him up, tagging him with a 4-9 record and 4.97 ERA in 16 starts.

Standing between the Tigers and a possible postseason bid is John Danks, who broke a five-game winless streak in his last start.  Facing the Indians, Danks allowed one run and three hits while pitching a complete game, the first of his major league career. 

He lost his lone start against the Tigers this year, despite giving up just two runs and five hits in 7.1 innings.  In seven career starts versus Detroit, Danks is 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA.  He's 8-3 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 road starts this season. 

Something that might work in the Tigers' favor, as Billfer loves to point out, is Amber Grand singing today's National Anthem.  Detroit is 6-1 when she performs the Star-Spangled Banner.

  Freddy Garcia (2-4, 4.78) vs.   Alfredo Figaro (2-1, 5.74), 7:05 p.m. EST

Well, if the Tigers wanted to make this weekend simple, they did it by losing last night to the White Sox.  Detroit could really only afford to lose one game, if they wanted to keep the AL Central completely in their hands. 

Any chance for some help went up in smoke with Zack Greinke and the Royals just losing 5-4 to the Twins.  So if this team needed to feel a wall against their back to give them some more urgency, the wall is there. 

Everyone in Tiger Town would certainly appreciate a repeat performance from Freddy Garcia.  Last Saturday in Chicago, Garcia was cruising with a 5-0 lead through four innings, having only allowed one hit.  The Tigers chipped at that lead in the next two innings before blowing it open with a four-run seventh. 

That ended Garcia's streak of six consecutive quality starts.  His career record at Comerica Park is 6-3 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts.

Alfredo Figaro gets the spot start for Detroit after Rick Porcello's turn in the rotation was pushed back because of Monday's rainout.  Jim Leyland really didn't have much choice in picking someone to fill in, but Figaro's outing in last Saturday's comeback win might have strengthened that belief.  Figaro's 2.2 scoreless innings (with only one hit allowed) kept the White Sox down while the Tigers rallied. 

One big question, however, is how much stamina Figaro will have, as he hasn't pitched more than four innings since late June.

The Tigers' batting order pretty much the same as they did last night, except for Adam Everett starting at shortstop.  Aubrey Huff is in the lineup, as he's 10-for-24 versus Garcia with two homers and four RBIs.  He's switched spots with Carlos Guillen, however, and is now batting sixth.

  Jake Peavy (8-6, 3.75) vs.   Edwin Jackson (13-8, 3.36), 7:05 p.m. EST

During a season in which nothing has been easy, this weekend's objective has become pretty simple for the Detroit Tigers.  To assure themselves of winning the AL Central, they need to win two of three from the White Sox.  (Or they need to win one, while the Twins lose.  Or they could end up tied and in a one-game playoff on Tuesday.  Okay, maybe it's not so simple, after all.) 

Hello again, Jake Peavy.  Last Friday in Chicago, Peavy looked back in form, overpowering Tigers hitters with a blazing fastball and wicked slider.  He pitched seven shutout innings, notching eight strikeouts (thus wasting a terrific effort by Eddie Bonine).  Peavy was originally scheduled to start on Wednesday, but the White Sox pushed him back to give him extra rest.  (The conspiracy-minded think Ozzie Guillen did this to screw the Tigers over, of course.  OZZIE!!)

Edwin Jackson probably pitched better against on Sunday than his final numbers indicate.  For five innings, he gave up only one run and two hits.  But by the sixth, he tired out and left the ball up in the strike zone.  As a result, the White Sox began to hit Jackson hard, and he ended up allowing five runs.  He's given up that many runs in three of his six starts this September.  In three outings against the White Sox this season, Jackson is 0-1 with a 4.74 ERA.

Aubrey Huff is back in the lineup at DH, after sitting out the Tigers' last two games against right-handed pitchers.

  Scott Baker (14-9, 4.48) vs.   Nate Robertson (2-2, 5.56), 1:05 p.m. EST

I've become pretty jinx-conscious in writing these GameThread posts, so I hesitate to say exactly what could happen this afternoon at Comerica Park if the Tigers win.  But it would be pretty cool.  And something that hasn't taken place in 22 years.  Tiger Town feels ready for it. 

Pitching for the Twins, Scott Baker beat the Royals in his last start, despite giving up four runs (and two homers).  That gave him eight runs allowed in his last two games, one of which was against the Tigers.  This season versus Detroit, Baker has a 0-1 record and 9.00 ERA in three starts.  But he's 8-4 with a 4.40 ERA on the road this year.  And at Comerica Park over his career, Baker is 2-1 with a 4.32 ERA in five starts. 

Did I mention Baker leads the Twins in wins?  I should probably mention that.  14 wins.  That's quite a few of 'em.

Nate Robertson received the bailout of the season from his lineup his last time out.  Despite giving up six runs (five earned) in just over three innings against the White Sox, Robertson didn't take the loss as the Tigers scored 12 unanswered runs, staging one of their most impressive comebacks in recent memory. 

In his start before that, Robertson held the Twins to two runs at the Metrodome (along with a season-high five strikeouts), helping Detroit salvage a much needed win. 

The only notable lineup change today is Placido Polanco getting the day off.  (Nothing's wrong, according to Jason Beck.)  Marcus Thames gets the start at designated hitter, but with his record against Baker (.292 average, four homers, six RBIs), he was bound to be in there.

  Carl Pavano (13-11, 4.86) vs.   Eddie Bonine (0-1, 4.60), 7:05 p.m. EST

Are we sure this series hasn't already lasted five games?  Does anyone else feel that way?  Not that we're complaining.  We do like-a the baseball around here.  (But we're crashing hard tomorrow night.)

I tried my best to jinx Carl Pavano last time he faced the Tigers.  (The nickname "Cy Pavano" has some potential to stick, I think.)  But they still haven't beaten this guy.  They came close 11 days ago in Minneapolis.  Detroit smacked 11 hits off him.  Yet they only scored two runs, failing to get that one timely (or extra-base) hit that could've done some damage. 

Thus, Cy Pavano's record versus the Tigers remains unblemished this season.  4-0, to be exact.  Five starts.  No losses.  That's right, no losses.  He is unbeatable when he pitches against the Detroit Tigers.

(C'mon - do I have to resort to making some Alyssa Milano joke?  Work with me here, Cy Pavano!) 

Eddie Bonine should probably try to file an appeal for taking the loss in his last start.  The poor guy took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and only gave up two hits in 6.2 innings.  Yet one of those was a two-run homer by Gordon Beckham.  And that was all the offense the White Sox needed, as Jake Peavy was dominating the Tigers' lineup on the other side.  Bonine responded impressively to playoff-type pressure last Friday.  How will he do tonight?

Lineup-wise, Clete Thomas is in right field and batting third this evening.  However, Magglio Ordonez is the designated hitter, not Aubrey Huff.  (Maggs might just be too hot to sit down right now, with 11 hits in his last 25 at-bats.)  Carlos Guillen is in left field, despite batting 0-for-13 with four strikeouts against Pavano this season.  And Alex Avila is catching, because poor Gerald Laird is probably still in a tub of ice.

  Brian Duensing (5-1, 3.33) vs.   Justin Verlander (17-9, 3.41), 7:05 p.m. EST

After the Twins won the first game of today's doubleheader, first place in the AL Central is truly on the line tonight.  Another Minnesota win would tie them with the Tigers atop the division.

Brian Duensing hasn't lost in his past seven starts, winning five of them.  That includes last week, when he gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits in 5.2 innings.  But the Twins' lineup scored five runs for him, which provided plenty of cushion. 

What's interesting about that start, however, is that Duensing started against the White Sox for the third time in that game.  They're the only team he's faced more than once.  The Tigers will be facing Duensing for the second time tonight.  Will familiarity allow them to score some runs off him?  Anything would be an improvement, since Duensing shut out Detroit the last time he faced them.

Justin Verlander has bigger paydays in his future, but games like tonight are why he makes the big bucks.  The Tigers could really use a win tonight, and he's just the guy to be pitching for them under such circumstances.  He allowed two runs in seven innings versus the Indians in his last outing, adding 11 strikeouts. 

But in the start before that, the Twins scored five runs against Verlander.  That's a bit deceiving, however, as he might have gotten away with allowing just one run until things fell apart once Don Kelly lost a fly ball against the Metrodome roof.  With developments like that, Verlander hasn't beaten the Twins this season.  In three starts against them, he's 0-2 with a 5.49 ERA.

Gerald Laird is in the lineup once again, despite starting this afternoon's game, as Jim Leyland prefers him to catch Verlander.  Plus, he's a right-handed bat against the lefty Duensing.

  Nick Blackburn (11-11, 4.18) vs.   Rick Porcello (14-9, 4.14), 12:05 p.m. EST

So as we were saying last night...

Is advance build-up for this one really necessary?  You know what's at stake for the Detroit Tigers during these next four games.  And if you don't, hey, thanks for joining us.  Hop on, and we'll explain as it goes along.

Among the many reasons the Minnesota Twins have played so well in September is the performance of Nick Blackburn.  In three of his four starts this month, he's allowed three runs or fewer.  And in his past two starts, he's given up two runs in 13.1 innings.  That includes seven innings of shutout baseball versus the White Sox last week.

On the road this season, Blackburn is 4-7 with a 4.07 ERA in 16 starts.  He's split his two starts against the Tigers this season, but the last time he pitched at Comerica Park, Blackburn gave up nine runs (six earned) in less than four innings.

Technically, Rick Porcello is still a rookie.  And the idea of the Tigers' youngest pitcher starting one of their biggest games of the season is a little bit scary.  But after 29 major league starts, is Kid Rick really some fresh-faced upstart anymore?  He's gotten better as the season has progressed, as his last start showed.  Porcello held the Indians to one run in five innings of work. 

Porcello is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA against Minnesota in three starts this year.  But he pitched well enough to win when he faced the Twins last weekend at the Metrodome.  And Kid Rick's only scoreless effort of the season was against these Twins, back in early May when he opposed Blackburn in the aforementioned blowout.

Twinkie Town has your SB Nation opposing view for this four-game series.

[Editor's Note: This was originally tonight's GameThread, but it seems a shame to delete it when we have so many comments posted.  (And good stuff, too!)  So unless this ends up getting deleted by the SBN overlords, we're keeping it up for posterity.]

With the 1984 World Series Championship team being honored tonight at Comerica Park, it wouldn't seem quite right if this site didn't tip its cap and say, "Bless You Boys!"

  Edwin Jackson (13-7, 3.25) vs.   Daniel Hudson (0-1, 3.38), 2:05 p.m. EST

After last night's amazing, improbable 12-5 win (and comeback from a 5-0 deficit), the Tigers go for the series win over the White Sox.  Every win is obviously crucial right now, as the Twins have no intention of letting the AL Central slip away.  But might the White Sox be a little irritable following Ozzie Guillen's post-game rant?

Daniel Hudson makes his second major league start for the White Sox, subbing for the injured Gavin Floyd.  In his debut, Hudson gave up three runs (one earned) to the Twins, but his lineup couldn't give him any run support.  Here's a scouting report from Sox Machine on Hudson.  He mostly gets by with a fastball-slider combination (topping out in the low-90s), with a change-up mixed in.

Did Edwin Jackson get his groove back on Tuesday versus the Indians?  Jackson pitched seven shutout innings, and presumably stopped tipping his slider.  But mostly, he was successful because he kept the ball down and eventually stopped falling behind hitters.  Jackson hasn't earned a decision in two starts against the White Sox this season, but compiled a 3.75 ERA in those games.

Lineup-wise, the only notable change is Clete Thomas in right field.  Magglio Ordonez has the day off.