Open Thread - Game 128: Yankees (71-56) at Tigers (68-59)

Roger Clemens (5-5, 3.92) vs. Andrew Miller (5-4, 4.42), 7:05 p.m. EST

I'm still on the road, in a land where the Atlanta Braves are the major league team of choice on TV and radio, so will once again be missing a Tigers-Yankees series.  (Incidentally, the minor league team here in Charleston, SC is a Yankees Single-A affiliate.  It was probably a good move for the them not to change the team's mascot to the Yankees here in the South.  I still couldn't avoid that "NY" logo at the ballpark last night.)  The hope, of course, is that the Tigers can inflict a little payback after the Yankees took three of four in the Bronx last weekend.  

Things are looking kind of bleak after yesterday's  frustrating 3-1 loss to the Indians.  Even Billfer is resorting to song instead of prose at The Detroit Tigers Weblog.  (By the way, I vote for an on-camera rendition on Billfer TV.  Anyone with me on that?)  Will Detroit still be in the AL Central and Wild Card races by the time I return to Michigan (and regular blogging output) early next week?  Fingers are crossed.  Keep those chins up, people.  34 more games on the schedule.

Andrew Miller returns to Detroit's rotation after two rehabilitation appearances with Triple-A Toledo.  (His last outing - one run on one hit in three innings - was much better than his initial appearance, in which he allowed five runs in three innings.)  Swapping places with Miller on the Mud Hens' roster will be Zach Miner, who was optioned to Toledo to clear a spot for Miller in Detroit.

The Tigers knocked Roger Clemens around pretty well last Saturday at Yankee Stadium, but unfortunately couldn't score enough runs to show for the effort.  It'd be nice if Detroit racked up fewer strikeouts tonight.  Maybe a second look at him and his pitching repertoire will help with that.  

Once again, your SB Nation opposing view for this series is brought to you by the gang at Pinstripe Alley.  

Short Hops:

▪▪  You surely know about this already, but Craig Monroe was traded to the Chicago Cubs yesterday.  It's nice that there's something of a Tigers connection, with Alan Trammell being the Cubs' bench coach.

I intend to write a longer post about C-Mo when I get a chance, because I think it's been one of the more interesting (and rapid) falls from grace we've seen in recent Detroit sports history.