Tigers vs. yankees Spring Training March 25

[kalinecountry]

Tigers lineup:
Austin Jackson, CF
Ramon Santiago, SS
Clete Thomas, RF
Alex Avila, C
Delmon Young, DH
Ryan Strieby, 1B
Brandon Inge, 2B
Quintin Berry, LF
Danny Worth, 3B
Duane Below P

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_03_25_detmlb_nyamlb_1&mode=gameday&c_id=det
Gameday from mlb.com

Media: YES Network on MLB.TV; WXYT and WCBS on Gameday Audio

 

[kalinecountry]

Leyland, agitated, says "definitely more than 2 guys involved in 25th player" race. Speed qualifies Quintin Berry as candidate.
Leyland also says 5th starter race is backseat. Says "biggest story out there is the final guy for the bullpen. But I'm not sure who he is."
More from Leyland as Tigers meet Yanks: "This is a big day, to be honest with you. The importance of this thing (roster race) is huge."

 

[kalinecountry]

Detroit Tigers' Jim Leyland travels to Tampa to watch Duane Below pitch vs. New York Yankees.
Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland knows Justin Verlander is his ace.
He doesn?t know who is No. 5 starter will be.

That?s why he?ll be watching left-hander Duane Below?s start against the New York Yankees in Tampa, instead of Verlander, who will pitch against the visiting Phillies.
Vying for the final spot in the rotation, Below will make his second start -- and sixth appearance -- this spring in Sunday?s split-squad spring training game.

He'll square off against a Yankees lineup that will feature Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira batting Nos. 1-4, respectively.
?I think some people have the impression that he?s out of the mix and that?s absolutely not true,? Leyland said. ?If he was out of the mix, he wouldn?t be getting the start.?

He continued, ?This time of the year, I don?t have time to waste time,? Leyland said. ?If he wasn?t in the mix, he wouldn?t get a start.?
Below is 1-0 with a 5.19 ERA in 8 2/3 innings this spring. He's struck out six batters and walked six. Three of the six internal candidates remain in the fifth-starter mix: Below, Andy Oliver and Drew Smyly.

Leyland will travel to Tampa with third-base coach Gene Lamont. The rest of the coaching staff (hitting coach Lloyd McClendon, first-base coach Tom Brookens, pitching coach Jeff Jones and bullpen coach Mike Rojas) will remain in Lakeland.
Leyland said Below could throw 65-70 pitches in today?s start, and reiterated that he will not make a fifth-starter decision based solely on Below?s performance today.

?If he gives up four runs in the first inning, don?t think he?s out of the picture,? Leyland said. ?Or if he strikes five guys out, don?t think he?s the fifth starter.
?We are closing in on it. And, for obviously reasons, we have to be.?

Also scheduled to pitch in the Tigers' split-squad game against the Yankees: right-handed relievers Collin Balester, Luis Marte and Brayan Villarreal.

 

[kalinecountry]

Jackson walks,

Santiago grounds out to second Jackson to second,

Clete flys to left,

Avila singles to left and Jackson out at the plate gardner to catcher.

 

[kalinecountry]

Jeter leads off with a homerun off Below,

granderson k's,

cano flys to left,

arod grounds out to short.

 

[kalinecountry]

Young singles to center,

Strieby singles to left,

first and second,

Inge lines to left,

Berry grounds into a dp 1 / 6 / 3.

 

[kalinecountry]

Below 2nd inning,

teixeira doubles to center,

martin walks,

jones flys deep to center both runners tag and move up,

nunez k's swinging,

gardner grounds out to Below,

Based on "quality of pitches" criterion Leyland cited earlier today, Below's early innings qualify him for fifth starter spot -- at Toledo.
henning

 

[kalinecountry]

Between innings;
Leyland talking with Alex Avila on his way into dugout. Not sure if that's a pitch-selection chat, but Below pitched off the brink in 2nd.

 

[kalinecountry]

Tigers 3rd inning,

Worth walks,

Jackson pops up to first,

Santiago aka Sneaky Power triples to right scoring Worth,

tie game,

Clete strikes out swinging,

Avila k's.

 

[kalinecountry]

Below 3rd inning,

Jeter doubles to center,

granderson lines out to Strieby,

cano grounds out to Strieby runner to third,

arod grounds out to Santiago.

 

[turok]

Whoever "wins" the final SP spot on the Tigers staff, is gonna need LOTS of early run support, or he very likely will be taxing the Tigers' BP all too often, and waay too soon..esp. vs halfway-decent if not elite teams from outside the club's division...Yikes!!

 

[kalinecountry]

Starting to get dizzy with 5/6 pages and 2 games with split squads.

 

[kalinecountry]

Ryan Strieby is 6-foot-6, but he has stretched to dig at least three throws out of dirt today at 1st base. First start in almost 2 weeks.

Last dig by Strieby rewarded Below for acrobatic throw. Below's day ends with 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K. Retired last 5 on grounders.
Beck

Duane Below goes 3 2/3: one run, three hits -- and eight balls put into play that were striped. Fastball topped out 91. Slider fairly good.
henning

Below with a wild defensive play, gets 2 outs in the 4th. 65 pitches, and is done for the day.

Ballester pitching.

 

[kalinecountry]

Ballester loads the bases on single, double, walk, and gets jeter to ground out.

 

[Rebbiv]

Below 2nd inning,

teixeira doubles to center,

martin walks,

jones flys deep to center both runners tag and move up,

nunez k's swinging,

gardner grounds out to Below,

Based on "quality of pitches" criterion Leyland cited earlier today, Below's early innings qualify him for fifth starter spot -- at Toledo.
henning

I wonder if Inge's quality at bats helps Leyland.

 

[kalinecountry]

I wonder if Inge's quality at bats helps Leyland.

Helps Leyland to an extra pack of Marlboros.

 

[kalinecountry]

The "Great One" Mariano Rivera pitching in the 6th.

 

[kalinecountry]

Clete grounds out to second,

Avila grounds out to short,

Young line drive doubles to center,

Strieby up and a wild pitch gets Delmon to third, pops up to second.

 

[kalinecountry]

Leyland obviously looking at Balester with an eye toward that long relief role. Over 50 pitches now.

 

[Thumb]

Damn, first game against the Yanks Miggy and Prince probably get drilled now.

Ballester just missed Martins head, and now Villareal puts a hole in A-Roids ribcage.