It isn't time for panic, Jim Leyland says, but it is time for changes.
The Tigers' manager made one Friday night -- dropping first baseman Miguel Cabrera a notch to sixth in the batting order -- and more are on the way as soon as he tells the players involved. "I'm not down on anybody," Leyland said. "This is just tinkering, not a panic. If you go to the lake for two straight weeks and never get a bite, you go to a different lake.
"I don't know if what we're going to do is going to work. I have no idea if it is, but I do know this: We've gone the way we've gone, and if you're manager, if stuff isn't working, you have to make some changes.
"So I'm going to change some things around here and see what happens. I think that's important. As I said, I don't know if it's going to work. I don't know if it's going to make people angry, but that's the way it goes."
One of the changes involves the pitching staff. That could indicate left-hander Dontrelle Willis is about to shift from the bullpen back to the rotation. The question is: who gets bumped?
Right-hander Justin Verlander isn't going anywhere and right-hander Jeremy Bonderman and left-hander Nate Robertson are both under long-term contracts. That would leave right-hander Armando Galarraga, who has been pitching the best among the starters, and left-hander Kenny Rogers, who is working on a one-year deal and is 43.
Or Leyland could decide to do something radical, like go to a six-man rotation.
"As a manager, you can't be afraid to try things," Leyland said. "If you are, you might as well go home. We need to go with what gives the best shot right now. We're beyond feelings here. It's almost June 1.
"We have to get it rolling somehow. I'm not really a 40-game guy, or a June 1 guy, but you can't just sit there when it's not working."
TIGERS 7, MARINERS 4: The Tigers exploded for seven first-inning runs Friday night and coasted to their fourth straight win over the Mariners. Todd Jones came on in the ninth for his eighth save in eight tries. Carlos Guillen singled in Detroit's first run, Marcus Thames doubled to left for another, Miguel Cabrera lined a single to right for a 3-0 lead and rookie DH Jeff Larish reached on a fielder's choice for his first big league RBI. Brandon Inge hit a two-run triple and Curtis Granderson followed with an RBI ground rule double. Nate Robertson coasted to the win with four hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings.
