--RHP Jeremy Bonderman pitched two scoreless innings March 19 in his first start since last June 1. "It's a start," manager Jim Leyland said. "I'll be more pleased (Friday) if everything's fine. But it's a start. As we speak right now, it's positive. We'll see how it plays out." Bonderman, who felt fine on Friday, said: "It was fun to get back out there and feel part of the team again. I had no pain, no nothing, so I shouldn't have a problem taking another step forward." Bonderman topped out at 91 mph and worked out of a jam in each inning he pitched. "It wasn't so much being rusty as just a timing thing," he said. "I had butterflies a little bit, but I'll take it and move on. I'll be sore because of the effort I put in. But I'll be fine in five days. The more I throw and the better my timing gets, my arm strength will improve. I have a few more (miles per hour) I can go get if I want. They'll be there if I need them. But there's no reason to reach for it right now." Detroit is not scheduled for Tuesday, his next day to pitch, so Bonderman will work a camp game.
--LHP Dontrelle Willis continues to struggle in his bid to salvage his eroding career. He pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief March 19 but gave up four earned runs (five overall) on seven hits and two walks to hike his spring ERA to 12.46. "He's competing his butt off right now," manager Jim Leyland said. "That's always a step in the right direction. We're trying to take steps, trying to get strikes. There were more strikes, but a few of them were in the middle of the plate and that's why they were hit pretty hard. But you have to start with strikes." Willis returned to his high leg kick in his third inning of work. Why? "Because my back's against the wall," Willis said. "Gotta step it up another gear and try to get these guys to swing." Added Leyland: "He actually changed his delivery a little bit. He was more like the old Dontrelle for a period of time. (Pitching coach) Rick (Knapp) kind of liked that, so we'll see how that plays out." Willis will follow Jeremy Bonderman to the mound in a camp game on Tuesday. --RHP Joel Zumaya will probably open the season on the disabled list, the result of a nagging right shoulder ache that has kept him from pitching since the first days of March. Zumaya returned to playing light catch on March 19, throwing for a few from 60 feet. "Of course he's frustrated," trainer Kevin Rand said. "Like anybody else, he wants to be out there. He threw easily, felt good and was completely pain-free. Just an introduction to see how he feels." Said manager Jim Leyland: "The one danger that I worry about with him is that all of a sudden he'll think he feels pretty good and want to break camp with the club, so he'll start to rush and have another setback. I don't want that to happen. When he comes back, whenever it is, I want him back for good. I doubt very much whether he'll be ready for Opening Day. ... That's just the way it is. I only say that because he really hasn't pitched for two years. Now, if he'd have been pitching the last two years and had a little setback like this now, he might have been able to get himself ready. ... Let me put it this way, it's in the gray area now unless something should happen."
--C Dusty Ryan, who ended last season with hopes of being Detroit's top catcher this year, was optioned to Class AAA Toledo on March 19. Ryan got extended playing time last September but showed a weakness on balls in the dirt and side-to-side movement that led the Tigers to trade for C Gerald Laird and sign C Matt Treanor as a backup. Ryan also did not hit well in winter ball, and the Tigers believe he needs more time in the minors.
--LHP Macay McBride was sent outright to the minors on March 19 to continue his comeback from Tommy John surgery last April. The move was made at this time so the Tigers could minimize the chances of another team claiming him while at the same time allowing McBride an opportunity to progress at a safe pace. Under major league rules, any player who's still on the big-league roster and in camp beginning March 21 would have to go on the disabled list if injured.
--RHP Justin Verlander showed on March 17 he is ready to be Detroit's Opening Day pitcher with six innings of one-hit ball against weak-hitting Houston. Verlander allowed a run with three walks, a bunt single and two strikeouts. He needed only 68 pitches to get through his assignment, fewer than most of his starts last year. "Today you saw an outstanding major league pitcher, and that's what he should be most of the time," manager Jim Leyland said. "He was tremendous. He was right where he needs to be. He's a guy with three above-average major league pitches. That's the best curveball he's had probably than all last year." Said Verlander: "I was pleased with my velocity. I was 95 to 96 (mph) with runners on base and a lot better than this time last year."
--OF Marcus Thames was expected to return to action during the weekend after missing more than a week of action because of an abdominal muscle strain. Thames took batting practice at midweek. Detroit was not expected to rush Thames back because he'll be with the team to open the season and needs to be healthy.
--RHP Zach Miner has a 9.69 spring earned-run average, but manager Jim Leyland said the starter-reliever is "throwing fine." Said Miner: "I'd love to be doing a lot better than I'm doing right now. It kind of gets to you. But you can't let it. If I wasn't fighting for a job, I'd feel great about my stuff despite the numbers. It's one of those things that if your spot is guaranteed, no one seems worried about spring training if your numbers aren't good. Obviously, I'm not in that situation right now. I'm one of the guys fighting for a job. So those things do matter." Added Leyland: "His breaking ball needs to continue to improve, but we know what Zach is. He's done a good job the last couple of years as a starter as well as a reliever."
--RHP Ryan Perry had not allowed a run this spring for Detroit in his first six outings. But his manager is low-keying the hard-throwing rookie, who has made nearly half as many appearances this spring as he has since the Tigers made him their top draft choice last June. "He did very well, but let's not get crazy," Leyland said. "We already knew what we possibly might see and we saw it: one outing, but a great outing."
--OF Timo Perez went 4-for-5 on March 16 against St. Louis to lift his spring average to .412. But he knows his chances of making the Tigers' roster are slim. "You never know," Perez said. "You just have to be ready." Said manager Jim Leyland: "Timo Perez is the best pinch hitter we've had. But the fact of the matter is, how much do we pinch hit? Not very much. He's got some value, though." Perez is a non-roster invitee and hopes he can hook on with somebody else at some point this season if he can't crack Detroit's roster.
--LHP Nate Robertson took a big step toward reviving his career on March 20 with four shutout innings of two-hit ball against Washington. Robertson is battling to regain the rotation spot he lost last September and has lowered his spring ERA to 3.27 with seven consecutive scoreless innings. "Nate was good, real good. The best he's been so far," manager Jim Leyland said. Robertson struck out five, including three looking. "Finding the strike zone wasn't the problem last year," he said. "It was when the ball was in the strike zone. But when I see guys not recognizing pitches, I know I'm getting my stuff is getting back to where it needs to be." Leyland said earlier in the week: "I think Nate's got to continue to get a better understanding of the type of pitcher he is now. The type of pitcher you were four years ago may not be the type of pitcher you are today. I think you have to sort that out in your mind. What type of pitcher are you? Am I a power pitcher? Or am I some type of other pitcher? I think he's got to sort that out. I have my own opinion, which I don't care to discuss."
BY THE NUMBERS: 33 2/3 -- Maximum innings thrown by injury-plagued RHP Joel Zumaya in the last two seasons. He pitched 33 2/3 two years ago and was limited to 23 1/3 last year. Zumaya is bothered by a sore right shoulder this spring and is looking at opening the season on the disabled list.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's a baseball player. Does he light you up with blinding speed? No. Does he light you up with a great arm? No. Does he light you up with great footwork at second? No. But he lights you up because he's a baseball player. That's why I like him. Plus you know he's very bright -- he went to William and Mary and majored in biology. He's dissected a frog, so he can't be too dumb." -- Manager Jim Leyland on smallish (5-7, 150) 2B Will Rhymes, who will open the season in the minors but is playing his way into Detroit's future.
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