GDT: 9/25/08 - DET (71-86) VS TB (96-62) - 1:05 p.m. ET

GDT: 9/25/08 - DET (71-86) VS TB (96-62) - 1:05 p.m. ET

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09/25/2008 5:33 AM ET
Tigers could play spoiler against Rays
Detroit (71-86) vs. Tampa Bay (96-62), Thursday, 1:05 p.m. ET
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

DETROIT -- The Tigers have a quick turnaround for their final series of the season on Thursday. The Rays have a tougher one, but they could have a celebration waiting for them at the end of the day.

Detroit's first glimpse of baseball's surprise team of the year comes in the last games of the season, and it could be the culmination of the Rays' journey from worst to first. A Tampa Bay victory would clinch the club's first American League East title, a historic achievement for a team that had never had a winning season until this year.

Their success has caught most of baseball by surprise. Their ability to sustain it has surprised Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

"I'll be the first one to say [that] I didn't know if they'd hold up to win the division," Leyland said. "I knew they were going to be good. I thought they'd have a real good year. But midway through the season, I'm not going to lie about it, I wasn't convinced that they would carry it out and win the division. I thought they'd have a heck of a year.

"But you have to give them all the credit in the world. They've been remarkable. And they're having fun, they're young, they've got energy and they're good. They're doing what all good teams do in good years. They're having fun. They should be. They should enjoy every second of it."

If they can clinch their division crown on Thursday, it'll be an enjoyable evening in Detroit, after an odd afternoon game to start a series. Nearly all of the Tigers' Thursday contests at home have been day games, and they stuck to that scheduling for the final one of the season.

It's Detroit's challenge to keep the Rays from celebrating on Thursday. Yet the Tigers have their own concerns in the standings to worry about. They've lost 12 of their last 13 games and have fallen into last place in the AL Central, now 1 1/2 games behind the Royals after Kansas City completed a three-game sweep at Comerica Park on Wednesday night. The fourth-place Royals are idle before beginning a season-ending three-game series at Minnesota on Friday.

"We're just in a horrible funk," Leyland said after Wednesday's 10-4 loss. "We're way out of sync right now, and we have been for a little bit. It's not a matter of guys not caring, guys not trying. That's not it. We're just in a year-end funk, and to be honest with you, I think it plays mind games with you. You're trying to run as hard as you can, and sometimes you can't."

Pitching matchup

DET: RHP Armando Galarraga, (12-6, 3.58 ERA)
Galarraga's incredible rookie season, which began as a Spring Training long shot and a season-opening stint at Triple-A Toledo, will close out with his final start against the Rays. He tossed seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball at Tampa Bay on Aug. 3 but left with a no-decision. He won three straight starts after that, but has gone winless in five outings since, including a no-decision for his 7 2/3 quality innings last Friday at Cleveland.

TB: LHP Scott Kazmir, (12-7, 3.36 ERA)
The Rays ace made history on Saturday night, as Kazmir's six-inning performance helped Tampa Bay clinch its first playoff spot. The lefty scattered five hits over six scoreless frames with five strikeouts. Kazmir stumped a potent Twins offense and exited after throwing 93 pitches. He will be facing Detroit for the second time this season, exiting with a no-decision after 4 2/3 innings on Aug. 1. He is a career 2-3 in seven starts against the Tigers, with a 4.33 ERA.

Tidbits

Thursday is expected to push the Tigers over the top for the franchise's single-season attendance record. The season total currently stands at 3,045,649. The franchise mark, set last year, was 3,047,139. ...

Reliever Todd Jones is scheduled for an 11 a.m. ET press conference at the ballpark, where he's expected to talk about his retirement. Jones is also slated to join Mario Impemba and Rod Allen on Thursday's telecast on FSN Detroit. ...

The Tigers are 9-8 on Thursdays. The only other day of the week in which they own a winning record is Wednesday, when they're 15-10. ...

Thursday is the final day of Gary Sheffield's four-game suspension. He's expected to be available again on Friday night.

On the Internet

MLB.TV

Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Friday: Tigers (RHP Justin Verlander, (10-17, 4.87 ERA)) vs. Rays (RHP Andy Sonnanstine, (13-8, 4.27 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Saturday: Tigers (LHP Dontrelle Willis, (0-2, 10.61 ERA)) vs. Rays (RHP Matt Garza, (11-9, 3.66 ERA)), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Sunday: Tigers (RHP Zach Miner, (8-5, 4.26 ERA)) vs. Rays (RHP James Shields, (14-8, 3.57 ERA)), 1:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS:

Scott Kazmir vs. Galarraga

Rays
CF Upton
2B Zorbrist
1B Pena
3B Longoria
DH Aybar
C Navarro
RF Gross
LF Hinske
Bartlett

Tigers
SS Santiago

DH

RF

1B

3B

2B :ryan:
CF Brandon Inge

LF

C

Tampa Bay is going to kill us... just for fun

I predict 4 losses heading our way. Crying or Very sad

I predict 82 degrees on Thursday Afternoon; 78 at game time

Can't believe I will be trying to sit up in the mezzainne for a day game in late September

Actually, I can

After all. Comerica Park is the hottest ballpark on Earth! rant

Why an afternoon game?
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bow

so they can have us for afternoon hors d'oeuvres?
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

seriously, they're gonna eat us ALIVE.....
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

they haven't won a game in nearly 2 weeks! why would that change now??
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Kind of like how the Royals beat the Tigers the last weekend in 2006

BIG difference between then and now
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

okay so they're necrophiliacs! either way we die! slow and painful!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Not

Imagine how much worse the Tigers be without Miner

and

JL, if you play Inge in the field, put him on 3B please. Not CF.
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"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Tigers losing 1-0 on Zobrist's HR. 1 out.
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bow

Bobrob
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"We only work three hours a day, so the least we can do is give 100 percent."

Todd Jones

Back-to-back

ends the inning. 1-0 Rays.

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bow

HOME RUN RAMON SANTIAGO!!!

1-1 Tie.
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bow