The Rangers head back to Texas to celebrate Pudge Rodriguez’ retirement, and the Seattle Mariners drop into the D for a 3-game set against the 10-6 Tigers.

The Rangers series may not have been as bad as it sometimes seemed: The Rangers bombed the Tigers in the first game of the series, but after a bad 1st inning in the second game, the Tigers played them even, only giving up 6 earned runs over the last 28 innings against the best hitting team in the majors, and were a couple of bad throws and maybe a blown call from splitting the series.

Still there is a nagging feeling left by the team’s inability to score runs, or even advance runners.  This vaunted Detroit offense has now dropped to 12th in the AL for team OPS (.695, above only Seattle and Oakland).  And it isn’t just the Raburn-Inge effect:  the Tiger 3-6 hitters are only 10th best in the AL.  Detroit may not need many runs to beat Seattle (see above), but if the offensive struggles continue, let the nail-biting commence.

Tonight we will see Max Scherzer (or is it Max Scherzer?) try to tame the tepid Mariner bats, while Jason Vargas does the same for the M’s.

***

Tonight’s random note:  The Braves have demoted Jair Jurrjens (0-2, 9.37) to the minors.

***

Today’s Player of the Pre-game:  Brennan Boesch

Boesch has been one of the real struggling bats so far this season, putting up Inge-like numbers (.212 BA, .538 OPS), including an OPS of .000 in 4 PA with a runner on 3rd and less than 2 out (2 Ks).  But Boesch hit his 1st HR of the year Sunday night, and has hit Vargas well over his career (6-9 with 2 2B).  Look for Boesch to continue to break out tonight.

Today’s Rabinging Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. Alex Avila C
8. Ryan Raburn LF
9. Brandon Inge 2B

Good pitching beats good hitting. Or maybe the adage should be superior pitching meets incredible hitting.

On a day when JV did not have his best stuff, he demonstrated why he’s the best pitcher in baseball by shutting down baseball’s best offense and ending the Rangers’ 8 game winning streak. Ron Washington said after the game “We didn’t lose, we got beat.”

+ 1.

JV’s run was unearned due to a passed ball where Avila simply missed a high curve. The Rangers took pitches and worked counts, which is what led to Verlander’s departure after only 6 but 115 pitches. Dotel was good, Benoit was okay enough and Valverde was Valverde. But the pen got the job done.

The Tigers face the shrewd Colby Lewis tonight, a guy with average stuff at best, but who has a supreme understanding of the Art of Pitching. He gives up a lot of flyballs (30/11 fo/go), but has solidified himself as the Rangers’ ace. Though the Tigers have hit him hard. Over the past two years Lewis is 2-3 with a 7.52 ERA against Detroit. For the 2012 season he’s 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 22 Ks in 19 2/3 against only 1 walk.

Smyly is will be tested a bit more today than he was in his first two starts against TB and KC. Smyly will need to limit base runners, so keeping walks down will be crucial.

I’m looking for AJax to break out of this 10 game funk (6/32) today. Jackson is a career .444 hitter off of Lewis.

Well, that was quick.  The Rangers put the game away with 8 runs in the first inning before a stunned Rick Porcello could even record a second out.  The Rangers rolled to their 8th straight, beating Detroit 10-4, and have now outscored them 20-7 so far this series.

If there was a bright spot for the Tigers, it was another great outing by Duane Below, who threw 6 scoreless innings against the red-hot Rangers, the longest relief outing by a Tiger pitcher since Steve Sparks in 2003 (take away the first inning, and Below had a quality start).  Below has now thrown 10 scoreless innings, with 7 hits and no walks in 2012.

After the game the Tigers used their last option on Daniel Schlereth and dispatched him to the Mud Hens, giving RHP Thad Weber his first call up to the bigs.

Can anyone stop the Rangers right now? Sounds like a challenge Justin Verlander would relish. Fresh off of a 131-pitch complete game victory, he has actually done well against the current Texas lineup, limiting them to a combined BA of .230 and an OPS of .655.  Mike Napoli has given him the most trouble (.300/.890), and he is not in the starting lineup.  Adrian Beltre will miss the rest of the series with an injured hamstring.

Neftali Feliz won the 2010 Rookie of the Year as a closer, and is now making a go of it as a starter.  Tonight will be his 3rd major league start, and so far opponents are just hitting .209 against him.  But then he has yet to face the likes of Santiago-Kelly-Inge.

***

Breaking news:  Phil Humber of the White Sox has just completed a perfect game against the Mariners

***

Today’s Double-Headed Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera DH
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Alex Avila C
7. Ramon Santiago SS
8. Don Kelly 3B
9. Brandon Inge 2B

What would a Tigers-Rangers series be without a rainout?

Given an extra day to think about it, Leyland has decided to change the original lineup and go with the Raburn-Inge-Laird power lineup.

This probably has a little to do with what Laird does behind the plate:  Laird is turning into Rick Porcello’s personal catcher, having caught all of his starts in 2012.

Here is today’s revised lineup.  Andy Dirks is day-to-day, but has been ruled out for today.

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Ryan Raburn LF
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Brandon Inge 2B
9. Gerald Laird C

Well, last night was a hide tanning. To be honest, 10 runs isn’t much considering over 1 out of every 2 Rangers batters reached based. The Rangers were 5-18 with RISP and had only 4 XBH. 4 out of 19. That’s incredible.

Despite all of that, what was most frustrating to me was that the Tigers let Yu Darvish out of the game with only 1 ER, despite 5 walks, 1 WP and 121 pitches in 6 1/3.

But it’s a long season and there are going to be a few more 10-3 losses in the coming months. So on to tonight’s match-up. A win tonight and all will be good in the D.

Last time Porcello and Harrison matched-up they both pitched well in a rainy ALCS game 4 until they were pulled late in the game. I don’t remember what happened after that. Harrison has historically struggled with the Tigers, to the tune of 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA.

Porcello has been dynamite both times out this year. He’s reached the 7th in both games and has only walked 1 batter thus far.

Tigers look to keep the Raburn/Inge winning streak alive…

1. Jackson, CF
2. Boesch, DH
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF
6. Raburn, RF
7. Peralta, SS
8. Avila, C
9. Inge, 2B

9-3, 1st place, 2.5 games up on CWS

Unstoppable force, meet immovable object.

The first highly anticipated rematch of the 2011 ALCS begins today and continues through Sunday for a four game set. Sunday’s game will be the national game on TBS. (Tigers will also be featured next Sunday in NY.)

The Rangers, have been an unstoppable force so far, pummeling their opponents by averaging 5.75 runs per game while only allowing 2.5 per game. The Rangers lead the AL in every major offensive category, blasting 22 home runs during their torrid start. As if their modern day murderer’s row isn’t enough (Mike Napoli bats 7th most days), their pitching staff sports a 2.33 team ERA to go along with their 10-2 record.

The world’s only 6-5 Japanese/Iranian pitcher, Yu Darvish gets his 3rd start of the season tonight. It will be a while before anyone can reconcile his $100M price tag, but the early returns look good. He got shelled in his first inning of the season, but has only given up 2 runs in 10 innings since then. That said, he’s giving up a lot of hits and walking a lot, so the Tigers should have opportunities to score, and to hit into DPs.

The immovable force is our own Detroit Tigers, whom will not budge no matter how many quality starts from left handed pitchers the opposing teams throw at them.  The Tigers won the last two in Kansas City despite being tied or behind in the 7th in both games and scoring only 10 runs in the series. The Tigers may not be putting up the numbers that the Rangers are, but they’re not winning by good fortune. The Tigers offense ranks in the middle of the AL and their pitching staff is posting a fantastic 3.08 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.

Looks like Fister may need more time, so perhaps that will help to relax Wilk tonight. Taking this series would really make a statement to the rest of the AL.

I gotta admin, I’m still a little frightened of Nelson Cruz.

***************

Tomorrow is the 100th birthday of Tiger Stadium (woulda been). The Freep is asking for memories from readers to publish tomorrow. When I was a kid I loved being able to sit behind home plate, shouting, and hearing myself in the radio broadcast. I think the proximity to the field brought a special tint to Harwell’s broadcasts.

Pudge Rodriguez is hanging them up and will retire as a Ranger.

Jim Price is back tonight. Petry was good, Price is better. Glad you’re back Jim.

***************

Pre-Game player of the game is Cabrera. He’s due.

Delmon Young DHs, Don Kelly gets the nod in left in tonights Inge/Rayburn less lineup. If the playoffs started tomorrow this is what I would expect the lineup to look like.

1. Jackson, CF
2. Boesch, RF
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, DH
6. Avila, C
7. Kelly, LF
8. Peralta, SS
9. Santiago, 2B

The Tigers are now 8-3, 2 games up on Cleveland (Cleveland?) in the AL Central.  The Tigers are also still undefeated in night games, and Ryan Raburn and Miguel Cabrera both have 1-game hitting streaks.

Drew Smyly was again effective, and it was needed–Royals starter Bruce Chen once again shut down the Tiger hitters. The only run Smyly gave up was in the 3rd, when he joined Adam Wilk as victim of the Tiger rookie pitcher curse, and took a line drive by Escobar right between the shoulder-blades and then bounced the ball by first base. Smyly was fine, but said his back was tightening up after the game.

Tonight is Max Scherzer’s private rubber game:  he has had one start as Bad Max, and one as Mad Max.  The Royals will send out ex-Giant Jonathan Sanchez, who is known for being effectively wild, which should be a good test of patience for Detroit hitters. The only Tiger Sanchez has a real history with is Prince Fielder, and the results are encouraging: 5-14 with 4 BB, for a .550 OBP.

Tonight marks the return of the Bottom Of the Order Bombers lineup, with Inge/Laird batting 8-9.  The Tigers are undefeated (2-0) when Inge starts, and undefeated (2-0) when Laird starts.

Today’s Player of the Pregame: Andy Dirk

Dirks will be a fascinating study as he sits in the dugout watching Ryan Raburn take over for Delmon Young in LF, wondering what he has to do before he gets to wear a glove.

Today’s Undefeated-at-Night Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Ryan Raburn LF
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Brandon Inge 2B
9. Gerald Laird C

Tigers are now 7-3, and have increased their Central lead to 1 1/2 games, thanks to a dramatic 9th inning performance by Justin Verlander.  (link via stephen).

Verlander looked headed for an oh-no-not-again outing, with 8 great innings and a shaky 9th, until he put away Alex Gordon in dramatic fashion.  In fact, after Leyland visited the mound and left JV in, he told the ace “you’re going to get me fired.”  

Meanwhile, the offense still struggles, and had to rely once again on unlikely heros. The best hitter in the league is in his worst slump since his rookie season: Cabrera is now 0-for-his-last-21, and has not looked good doing it.

The team is struggling in clutch situations.  They have failed in half of their attempts with a runner at 3rd and less than 2 out, and have trouble advancing runners (they have grounded into 11 DP, and have yet to successfully bunt).

Ryan Raburn is, literally, the worst hitter in the league right now, with a .065 BA (lowest) and a .212 OPS (not even close: next worse is Miguel Olivo at .274). He has the further distinction of being the only American League starter who has yet to record his first RBI.  And as early as it is, there is not a lot of reason to trust that it will improve dramatically any time soon–Raburn’s CAREER BA for the month of May is .169.  Then there is his fielding…Raburn’s career UZR at 2B is negative 14.0, which is a fancy way of saying he is the worst 2B in the league.  So Ryan Raburn may have the current distinction of being the worst hitter AND worst fielder in the league simultaneously. That is not easy to do.

Nonetheless, Jim Leyland has opted to give Babe Inge a much-needed day off against lefty Bruce Chen (but see below!), pointing out that while Raburn is only batting .065 overall, he hits lefties much better, posting an .083 so far for the season.

Yet the Tigers are 7-3.  So how are they winning? Starting pitching, and Austin Jackson.  The Tiger starters have only allowed an average of 3.60 runs per game, 2nd best after Texas (2.40).  And as far as leadoff hitters go, the Tigers have spent several seasons at the bottom of the league, including last year with Austin Jackson.  So far this year though, Jackson has gotten on base at an incredible league-leading rate of .511 (.600 leading off the game), and consequently leads the league in runs scored (11).

Today Drew Smyly , a fan following, and a and a well-rested bullpen will take on the dreaded Bruce Chen, who always seems to give the Tigers problems.  Well, not seems, he does:  especially Inge (.043), Peralta (.111), and Jackson (.133).  Tonight would be as good a time as any for Cabrera to get back on track–against Chen he is 9-18 with 3 HR.

***

MLB has reviewed Delmon Young’s Bigtop Twirl in LF against the White Sox, and decided it was an error after all.  In protest, Ol’ Smokey has pencilled Delmon Young in at LF tonight, leaving the less peripatetically inclined Andy Dirks to watch the upside of every inning from the DH seat. (Young, by the way, has crushed Bruce Chen, 6-11 lifetime).

***

Today’s Player of the Pregame: Don Kelly

The versatile Kelly will be entrusted with protecting Drew Smyly from shoulder-seeking dugout missiles off the bat of Prince Fielder.

Today’s Smokey-Going-All-Out-on-Matchups Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Alex Avila C
7. Ryan Raburn 2B
8. Ramon Santiago SS
9. Andy Dirks DH

Some thunder from the bat of Air Laird, some cleverly induced wild pitches, and the 6-3 Tigers head to Kansas City to once again defend their perch atop the AL Central, in their 2012 night game debut.

Without the big bat of Laird in tonight’s lineup, the Tigers will have to depend on help from unlikely sources, perhaps even Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera is in the midst of an 0-18 slump, the longest since he went 0-23 as a wee tyke on the Marlins.

Justin Verlander will try for a third straight brilliant start, and hope this one ends better than the other two did. And if the Royals choke, he may even get the save. If anyone on the Royals is going to give him trouble, it is, unsurprisingly, the dreaded Bill Butler, who has hit Verlander at a career .359 pace.

2nd-year lefty Danny Duffy will take the mound for the Royals. Duffy was 0-2, 5.63 against Detroit last season, but is fresh off 6 shutout innings with 1 hit, 4 walks against Oakland.

Today’s Player of the Pregame: Delmon Young

Young’s bat started to heat up against the White Sox, and he should welcome the Kauffman stadium lights. Delmon is a career .304 hitter in night games, vs. .255 in day games. And as DH, he doesn’t have to dizzy himself in left.

Today’s Under-the-Lights Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Ryan Raburn LF
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Alex Avila C
9. Brandon Inge 2B

5-3, 2nd place, .5 games behind CWS

Several things came to an end yesterday. The Tigers will not go wire to wire this year a la ’84 (though 35-5 still remains a possibility). The Tigers will not win every series this year. The Tigers will not go all season without back to back losses.

But we did see a strong performance from Adam Wilk before Fielder knocked him out of the game with a line drive to the shoulder (unintentionally, I think). Wilk will be a great spot starter and could get some innings if Smyly doesn’t pan out.

Rick Porcello climbs the hill today looking for his first W, and trying to notch the first W of the season for the starting pitching.

At DH, Brandon Inge, batting 8th. Inge, batting 8th. A lineup like this lineup against lefties could spell trouble this season.

1. Jackson, CF
2. Santiago, 2B
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF
6. Raburn, RF
7. Peralta, SS
8. Inge, DH
9. Laird, RF

2:10 PM ET Start

5-2, 1st place, .5 games up on CWS. Here’s a random Fox News article about how great the Tigers are.

Also – this just broke, Clete Thomas has been claimed by the Twinkies.

Adam Wilk makes his big league starting debut this afternoon a little ahead of schedule as he fills in for Doug Fister. Wilk was an 11th rounder (out of the 100 or so that make up the MLB draft, so that’s pretty good) in 2009, and has had an impressive minor league career to date, posting a 2.58 ERA in 60 career starts. He strikes out enough (almost 7 per nine), but he doesn’t walk many and has a career 1.02 minor league WHIP.

In case you missed the transaction line yesterday, Inge came up with Wilk, and Villareal and Worth were sent down. Wilk should be here through another start until Fister is back.

1. Jackson, CF
2. Boesch, RF
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF
6. Avila, C
7. Peralta, SS
8. Dirks, DH
9. Raburn, 2B

Yup, Dirks at DH with the ballerina in left.

5-1, 1st place, 1.5 games up on CWS

The Tigers pull into the south side of Chicago with a sparkling 5-1 record and series victories against two clubs in the upper echelon of the American League. Many believe Tampa to be the best team in the AL, and the Tigers were one overthrown JV fastball from sweeping them.

Friday afternoon will be the home opener for the White Sox who looked good against a great Texas team in Arlington, and then took both games in a rain shortened series against the Indians earlier this week.

Though Ozzie Guillen is now managing the Marlins from a hotel bar in Little Havana, the White Sox remain largely unchanged from last year’s disappointing third place finish. It will be interesting to see the reception that Adam Dunn gets after what was likely the worst season contract wise in MLB history. Dunn is off to a slow start again this year with only 4 hits and 1 HR this season contributing to a .753 OPS. .753 isn’t terrible for the bigs (slightly below average), but it’s bad for the a 1B and pretty empty since his 4 walks are buoying that average. I wonder how much longer he’ll be the everyday first baseman. I can’t imagine that he gets more than a month.

In controversial Tiger player news, Brandon Inge hopped on a bus in Toledo last night and ended up in Detroit (or somewhere near Detroit). Inge’s short stint in Toledo was disappointing, at best, where he mustered 1 hit in 9 ABs against AAA pitching. Inge shrugged it off, citing that “the timing will come back” and that “drawing walks” is important (he drew 3). But it looks like his Babe Ruth reputation also made the trip to Toledo because Inge “really didn’t get many good pitches to hit. They weren’t throwing me much — which was kind of funny.” Funny indeed.

When asked about Inge’s performance, Phil Nevin responded in coach-speak with an eye on Gene Lamont’s job by failing to offer anything of interest: Toledo manager Phil Nevin gave this assessment of Inge to the Toledo Blade: “He was moving around well, and he’s a great athlete. He was tested on some diving plays, and he looks as if he’s ready to go.” Knowing JL, I expect Inge to be in the lineup on Sunday against Lefty Chris Sale.

Scherzer v. Peavy at 2:10pm eastern. Someone please post the lineups when avail.