Open Thread - Game 103: Tigers (60-42) at Angels (59-42)

Andrew Miller (5-3, 3.78) vs. Joe Saunders (4-0, 2.89), 3:55 p.m. EST

Recap of last night's game below.

After getting Nate Robertson's turn in the rotation out of the way, the Tigers see if another starting pitcher can give them a fighting chance in a late (FOX) matinee.

As Jim Leyland said, Andrew Miller "showed every sign of his youth" his last time out.  The White Sox knocked him around for five runs on 10 hits in just 4 2/3 innings.  Judging from Leyland's remarks after the game, I imagine he and Chuck Hernandez sat Miller down and talked to him about maintaining his composure.  We'll see if it pays off against a tough Angels lineup.  

Joe Saunders was called back up from the minors to take the place of Ervin Santana, who had been sent down.  And in his last start, he pitched like someone who plans on staying in the majors for a while.  (He was probably going to anyway, between Santana's struggles and Bartolo Colon's elbow injury.)  Against the Twins, Saunders gave up only two runs on six hits over seven innings.  He's given up fewer than three runs in four of his six starts this season.

UPDATE:  Mike McClary and friends are in Anaheim for this series.  You can hear an account of their trip thus far on Episode #23 of The Detroit Tigers Podcast.