GDT1: 9/14/08 - DET (70-76) AT CWS (81-65) - 2:05 p.m. ET

GDT1: 9/14/08 - DET (70-76) AT CWS (81-65) - 2:05 p.m. ET

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09/13/2008 6:45 PM ET
Verlander to start in opener after all
Detroit (70-76) at Chicago (81-65), DH, Sunday, 2:05 p.m. ET
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The last time Justin Verlander warmed up for a game that wasn't played, it became a point of motivation for the Tigers to knock the Yankees out of their American League Division Series two years ago. This time around, Verlander is taking it in stride.

After all, Verlander pointed out, White Sox pitcher John Danks had gone through the warmups on Friday, too.

"It's not like [two years ago] when I looked over and [Yankees starter Mike] Mussina wasn't warming up," he said.

A mini-controversy arose out of that playoff postponement, because the Yankees knew before the Tigers that the game would be called. That wasn't the case on Friday.

Because both pitchers had gone through their full pregame routine before Friday's game was postponed, both of them were held back an extra day to give their arms a rest. As it turned out, the only pitching that went on here for the Tigers on Saturday was a game of catch between Freddy Garcia and Dontrelle Willis as the rain came down. Verlander will pitch in the series opener after all, but it'll be Sunday afternoon -- weather permitting.

He's hoping that he'll get a chance to shut down one of the teams that has haunted him for much of the season and his career then.

Verlander is 1-4 against both the White Sox and Indians this season. He's 9-7 combined against everyone else he has faced. Verlander's next two starts will be in Chicago and Cleveland next weekend. It's a late-season test that Tigers manager Jim Leyland is looking forward to seeing his young ace tackle.

"We have to get over that hump," Leyland said earlier this weekend.

To Leyland, however, it isn't just Verlander. The Tigers are 27-36 against the AL Central this season, and they have a losing record against all of their Central foes.

It's a big enough deal that Leyland talked earlier this month about making divisional foes a priority next season. He wants to set up a study session among next year's catchers to scout some of the division's more dangerous hitters and familiarize themselves with them in order to avoid mistakes on how to approach them.

"We all have to do a better job against our division -- all of us, not just Verlander," Leyland said.

Pitching matchup

Game 1
DET: RHP Justin Verlander (10-15, 4.78 ERA)
Verlander was originally scheduled to face the White Sox on Friday night and went through his full pregame routine towards doing so before the game was finally called. Instead, he'll pitch the Sunday opener as he tries to break the grip that the White Sox seem to have on him. He's 1-4 with a 6.09 ERA in five starts against Chicago this year.

CWS: RHP Javier Vazquez (11-13, 4.29 ERA)
Although he pitched well enough to win in Tuesday's first game of a doubleheader against Toronto, Vazquez came up on the short end of the Blue Jays' ninth straight win. The right-hander allowed two runs, both scoring after two were out in the sixth, on five hits, while striking out five and walking three. He dropped to 4-4 with a 3.l9 ERA in his last eight starts, after posting a 6.55 ERA in his previous nine starts. Vazquez has a 1-3 record with a 5.33 ERA this season against Detroit. He holds a 5-7 career mark when facing the Tigers, with a 4.93 ERA.

Tidbits

Sunday's afternoon game will not be televised in the Detroit area. ... Brandon Inge could be unavailable on Sunday. He hopes to fly back to Virginia for the funeral of his grandfather, Sam Inge, who passed away on Thursday. ... Magglio Ordonez is batting .359 (28-for-78) with eight doubles, four home runs and 17 RBIs since Aug. 19. ... Curtis Granderson leads the American League with 51 runs scored in 52 games since the All-Star break.

On the Internet

MLB.TV

Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• None

On radio
• 97.1FM/1270AM

Up next

• Mon., Sept 15: Tigers (LHP Dontrelle Willis, 0-1, 10.32 ERA)) at Rangers (Brandon McCarthy (1-1, 4.22 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET

• Tues., Sept 16: Tigers (Zach Miner (8-4, 4.29 ERA)) at Rangers (Kevin Millwood (9-9, 5.15 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET

• Wed., Sept 17: Tigers (Freddy Garcia, 2008 debut) at Rangers (Dustin Nippert (3-4, 6.20 ERA)), 8:05 p.m. ET

STARTING LINEUPS

Detroit AVG
Granderson, CF .301
Polanco, 2B .307
Ordonez, RF .321
Cabrera, 1B .291
Joyce, LF .260
Sheffield, DH .224
Larish, 3B .221
Renteria, SS .270
Ryan, C .429

Chi White Sox AVG
O. Cabrera, SS .273
Wise, LF .278
Dye, RF .296
Thome, DH .248
Ramirez, 2B .298
Pierzynski, C .288
Griffey Jr., CF .244
Swisher, 1B .223
Uribe, 3B .247

Cloudy

Chance of Showers

66 degrees

NW Wind at 13mph

This game is doubtful too. Chicagoland in the midst of a deluge right now.
Anybody in the SE Michigan area have any idea who was going to broadcast this game? I cannot find it in the lineup for ESPN (they have the "2nd" game), ESPN2, FSN, WGN, or the Fox Toledo affiliate.
_________________
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

Well, this means they have, uh, more free time on their hands...
_________________
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

STILL IN RAIN DELAY IN CHITOWN

GROUNDS OUT

grounds out

singles

0-0

O. Cabrera -

Wise - flies out

Dye - pops out

1-2-3 inning

0-0

the field received 9.5 inches of rain over the last 2 days!

flies out to cf

grounds out

no score after 1.5 innings

Thome - pops out

Ramirez - singles

Ramirez caught stealing 2 outs

Pierzynski - flies out - 3 down

end of 2 innings
0-0

pops out foul

wow! what time did they start?
_________________
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

flies out

Griffey Jr - grounds out

Swisher - walks

Uribe - gidp - 3 outs

end of 3 innings
0-0

doubles (33rd)