AL Central: Tough week for Tigers and their fans

Baseball Betting Lines

05/07/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the Detroit Tigers, Thursday's off day could not have come at a better time.

For starters, the team had just wrapped up a stretch of 20 straight games -- through five cities -- with no rest. That journey came to a halt Wednesday at Minnesota's new Target Field, where the Twins put the final touches on a three-game sweep of the Tigers.

On Tuesday, catcher Gerald Laird drilled a foul ball off his shin. Laird was already scheduled to be rested for Wednesday's afternoon game, and with an extra day to heal up, he is expected to be back in the lineup on Friday when Detroit (16-13) begins a weekend series with Cleveland.

Also on the injury front, outfielder Johnny Damon left in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game with a right calf spasm. Thanks to Thursday's break in the action, he is also expected to be available for Friday's series opener.

While Thursday's idle date afforded some much needed rest for the players, it also allowed the city of Detroit to mourn the passing of Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who died Tuesday after an eight-month battle with bile duct cancer. Harwell, who spent 42 of his 92 years on this Earth as the Tigers' broadcaster, was posthumously awarded the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in sports broadcasting Wednesday night. On Thursday, Tigers fans packed Comerica Park to bid farewell to their beloved broadcaster.

It was Harwell's genuine enthusiasm for the game and deep-rooted connection with Tigers fans that endeared himself to the city of Detroit. Though he stopped broadcasting about eight years ago, his bubbly personality remained a fixture at Comerica Park and throughout the Motor City, and he would embrace his impending death with tremendous grace and strength, even planning the details of his own public viewing with team officials.

"I've got a great attitude. I just look forward to a new adventure," Harwell told the Detroit Free Press when he disclosed his illness. "God gives us so many adventures, and I've had some great ones. It's been a terrific life."

As for the Tigers, they can take a lesson from Ernie and put the Minnesota series behind them, and look forward to tomorrow.

TRIBE BANKING ON WESTBROOK, HAFNER TO RETURN TO FORM

While the Cleveland Indians (10-17) have gotten significantly younger over the last few seasons, two of their key veterans remain in Travis Hafner and Jake Westbrook. However, it has been quite a while since either of those players have been productive on a consistent basis. Compounding the frustration is the fact that Hafner and Westbrook are the Tribe's two highest paid players.

Hafner, who turns 33 in less than a month, signed the largest contract in team history during the 2007 All-Star break: four years and $57 million. He is making a team-high $11.5 million this season and his salary jumps to $13 million in 2011 and 2012. Since signing that contract Hafner has missed a combined 173 games in 2008 and 2009, totaling just 21 home runs while batting .245 during those two seasons. He is hitting just .213 so far this season, though Wednesday's mammoth shot into the right-center field seats provided a glimmer of hope.

"I had a good spring and was hoping to get off to a good start," said Hafner, whose past shoulder injuries have led to some bad habits at the plate. "That hasn't happened. But you can't really worry about it. You've got to continue to work hard every day. I hope to get going soon and be a big part of the offense."

As for the 32-year-old Westbrook, he is in the final year of a three-year, $33 million contract. Since posting back-to-back 15-win seasons in 2005 and 2006, Westbrook has tallied just seven wins for the Tribe. He is now trying to resurrect his career after Tommy John surgery cost him most of 2008 and all of the 2009 season. But so far, the results have been anything but promising, as Westbrook is off to an 0-2 start with a 5.74 ERA. In 34 2/3 innings, he has issued 17 walks and thrown four wild pitches, as he's struggled to regain his feel.

Pitching coach Tim Belcher spoke with Dr. Lewis Yocum, who performed the ligament replacement surgery in June 2008.

"(Yocum) said most of his patients with that Tommy John don't really get their command back until the second year," Belcher said on the team's website. "Hopefully it comes a little bit quicker for him."

TWINS STAYING HOT WITHOUT MAUER

The Minnesota Twins (19-10) enjoy a three-game lead in the AL Central standings as they resume their homestand Friday against Baltimore. They were able to build that cushion thanks to a three-game sweep over the second-place Tigers earlier this week.

And they've managed to do so without reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer in the lineup for the last six games. Mauer suffered a deep soft tissue bruise in his left heel last Friday. He took some batting practice on Thursday but is still not able to run. A timetable has not been set for his return.

"He feels good swinging, but he's not ready to run yet," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He's feeling better every day. We are going to let Joe tell me when he is ready to play. I just want to make sure we get through this thing without re-injuring it."

Meanwhile, the Twins twice left the bases loaded in Thursday's series-opening 2-0 loss to the Orioles, snapping Minnesota's three-game win streak. It also snapped a six-game streak in which the Twins scored at least two runs in the first inning. Still, they'll look to build on their division lead as Francisco Liriano (4-0, 1.50) takes the hill Friday to try and improve upon his impressive start.

SOX WAITING FOR THE REAL MARK BUEHRLE TO SHOW UP

For White Sox (12-17) ace Mark Buehrle, none of his last four starts have remotely resembled the same man who has four All-Star nods, a no-hitter and a perfect game on his resume. Buehrle has allowed at least four runs in each of his last four outings, posting an 0-4 record, a 7.25 ERA and a .345 opponents batting average over that period.

What's most puzzling to Buehrle is that he feels great after an offseason conditioning program aimed at strengthening his throwing shoulder.

"That's why I'm surprised at the numbers I have," he said. "The way I feel like I've thrown and the way I feel when I'm throwing, I feel way too good for having the numbers I have. Obviously everybody's kind of joking around saying, 'You should have sat on your butt and not done anything this offseason,' but I feel as strong right now as I have in a while."

Having made eight Opening Day starts for Chicago, logic suggests he'll get it going sooner or later. The team hopes the resurrection begins Friday when he takes the hill against the Toronto Blue Jays. Of course, Buehrle's struggles have magnified a starting rotation which ranks fourth-worst in the AL with a combined 5.02 ERA. Jake Peavy (1-2, 6.31), Gavin Floyd (1-3, 6.89) and Freddy Garcia (1-2, 5.28) seem to have followed Buehrle's lead.

ROYALS ISSUING TOO MANY FREE PASSES

Royals pitching coach Bob McClure had seen enough.

With his staff leading the majors with 126 walks, he called a pitcher's meeting prior to the team's series opener with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. The message was clear: "get ahead of the hitters, have confidence in your stuff, and be aggressive in the strike zone."

McClure believes throwing strikes can be contagious. Only now, it's up to the Royals (11-18) hurlers to execute. But that's easier said than done for a staff that led the AL with 600 free passes last year.

"I'd rather watch them bang balls off the bullpen fence than keep giving up walks," manager Trey Hillman told the Kansas City Star on Wednesday. "I can watch losing baseball, but not bad baseball."

The one player who has no problem attacking the strike zone, reigning AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke, takes the mound Friday against Texas. Remarkably, Greinke has yet to notch a win after six starts. His 2.27 ERA is the lowest of any qualifying starter in baseball without a victory. If Greinke is to break that mold, he could certainly use more than the 2.6 runs of support he has gotten from his offense thus far.

Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds

Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it. Work left to do: Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney. Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson. Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable. Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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