Detroit Tigers Notes And Quotes 6-3-11
--LHP Andy Oliver makes his second and last start Friday night as the stand-in for injured LHP Phil Coke, who returns June 8 to start at Texas. Oliver and Coke are both starting Friday night, Oliver at Chicago against the White Sox and Coke in a rehab assignment for Class AAA Toledo at Scranton. Oliver will return to Toledo when Detroit leaves Chicago for Texas.
--RHP Joaquin Benoit got a welcome day off with the rest of the Tigers. Benoit pitched a three-batter eighth inning Wednesday, his seventh scoreless appearance in a row. It also was his fourth appearance in as many days, including both games of Sunday's doubleheader against Boston.
--RHP Al Alburquerque has struck out 31 batters in 17 2/3 innings, easily the best ratio in the majors. Manager Jim Leyland has increasingly called on Alburquerque in situations where strikeouts are required and even though hitters know he's serving them up a two-strike slider, there is little they can do with the sharp-breaking pitch. The only drawback to using Alburquerque is the 12 walks he's given up, but overall Detroit is more than satisfied they signed him to a major league contract this past winter.
--3B Brandon Inge got a nice parting gift from Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, a bottle of champagne. The Twins' skipper sent Inge a bottle of the bubbly to commemorate his reaching 10 years in the majors. "I was here for your first, congratulations on 10 years, you old (censored)," the note attached to the bottle read. Gardenhire was the team's third base coach when Inge broke in with Detroit as its catcher.
--RF Magglio Ordonez will play right field for six or seven innings Friday, be the designated hitter Saturday and play right field again Sunday on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo, manager Jim Leyland said. "I'm really anxious to see if Magglio can get back in there," Leyland said. "That gives us another experienced bat. That's going to make something, obviously, better if he's OK." How the weakened right ankle, which underwent surgery to repair a fracture last August, responds to the rigors of playing three straight days and how well Ordonez looks at the plate will determine whether he rejoins the Tigers in Texas on Monday or remains with the Mud Hens for more work.
--2B Ryan Raburn has been Detroit's second baseman only twice in the five games Detroit has played since it sent 2B Scott Sizemore to Oakland for bullpen help. "Raburn is going to play a lot of second base," manager Jim Leyland said. "He'll be there Friday night in Chicago. But 'everyday' to me means picking a spot to play somebody." He was in left field Tuesday and didn't play at all Wednesday. Leyland chose INF Ramon Santiago to play Wednesday because he had better career numbers against Minnesota RHP Scott Baker.
BY THE NUMBERS
61 -- Years since Detroit has won nine consecutive games from Minnesota. In fact, it was so long ago (1950) the Twins were then the Washington Senators. The Tigers tamed the Twins for a ninth straight time dating to late last season with a 4-2 victory Wednesday.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"They're a team you want to beat, no matter how they're playing." -- OF Brennan Boesch, on Detroit's nine-game winning streak against Minnesota.
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