--1B Miguel Cabrera was dropped a spot to sixth in the batting order Friday night as manager Jim Leyland tinkers with his lineup to see if he can get things started for his struggling team. It was only his second game out of the fifth spot in the order. Cabrera entered Friday with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. He did most of his damage before May 1. Since then, Cabrera was hitting .261 with two home runs and eight RBIs entering Friday. He went the first 12 games of that stretch without an RBI. "I think there's something to (adjusting to) a new league, new pitchers," Leyland said. "I think there's certainly something to that, but I don't think it's all that. Pitchers don't really change swings and stuff." Cabrera reacted to the move with three hits and was stinging the ball.
--UT Brandon Inge caught for C Ivan Rodriguez on Friday night so the regular could work Saturday and Sunday. "Brandon has to start catching a little bit more," manager Jim Leyland said. "That's one thing. Plus Pudge (Rodriguez) caught all three games in Anaheim and will also catch here Saturday and Sunday." Inge also had better career numbers (7-for-23) against Seattle starter RHP Carlos Silva than Rodriguez (6-for-30). Rodriguez was brought in for late-inning defense in the eighth Friday night with Inge shifting to third. --RHP Fernando Rodney is on the verge of beginning a rehab assignment. Rodney, on the 15-day disabled list since Opening Day with right shoulder tendinitis, threw another extended spring training game with President/CEO/GM Dave Dombrowski looking on. His velocity wasn't as high as previous games but his changeup was good, according to reports. "Rodney could very possibly be going out somewhere (on a rehab assignment) the next couple of days," Manager Jim Leyland said. Rodney is expected to pitch at Class AAA Toledo, Leyland said, "once everything is all cleared up."
--RHP Joel Zumaya, getting his injured shoulder back in shape, has another extended spring training appearance scheduled for this weekend and then could head out on a rehab assignment. Extended spring games end soon so both pitchers will need to begin rehab stints. Zumaya is expected to remain in Florida and start out at Class A Lakeland.
--DH Jeff Larish collected his first big-league RBI his first time up and his first hit in the majors in his third trip to the plate. Larish batted seventh in the lineup. He hits the ball hard and will be playing through the weekend against right-handed pitching.
--LHP Nate Robertson turned in another strong start Friday night, allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings. He got a seven-run cushion in the first inning and gave up solo home runs to 3B Adrian Beltre in the second and fifth innings. Robertson protected his lead before weakening a bit in the sixth, although he only allowed four hits total.
--RHP Todd Jones hasn't had many save chances this season but picked up his eighth in eight tries Friday night. Jones has been reduced largely to pitching in meaningless games just to get work. He had pitched just 18 innings entering his Friday night appearance.
BY THE NUMBERS: 98 -? Miles per hour RHP Joel Zumaya threw in his first competitive situation of the year, an extended spring training contest in which he pitched an inning.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Look, this team needs to realize that this guy took on Barry Bonds. He'd run every one of us out of town. You're just better off if you don't cross him. And I think he relayed that message 100 percent. You just don't mess with him. It's not that hard. He doesn't ask a whole lot." -? RHP Todd Jones after his manager, Jim Leyland, challenged his players to "look in the mirror" if they wanted to blame somebody for the team's struggles.
