--RHP Armando Galarraga had a mixed outing Friday night. The score was tied, 1-1, entering the bottom of the third when a double, walk and error loaded the bases for Minnesota. Galarraga walked in a run, got a double-play grounder that scored another run and yielded an RBI single in the fifth before exiting. Galarraga kept the ball down but his control was a little off and he needs that to be effective. He threw 87 pitches in six innings, allowing six hits. Overall, he's pitched well as the substitute for injured LHP Dontrelle Willis.
--RHP Aquilino Lopez was drummed Friday night, the first time he's been lit up this year. Lopez's curveball wasn't as sharp as usual and both that and his fastball were hit hard. It should not affect his status as an all-purpose reliever for Detroit. --1B Miguel Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 10 games Friday night with a second-inning double. His manager thinks he can do more. "I'm going to tell him that I want to see him bear down every single at-bat for one week, and show how good he is," Leyland said before Detroit played Minnesota. "This guy has so much talent it's unbelievable." Leyland wants Cabrera to concentrate as much in non-critical situations as he does when something's on the line. "I mean this as a compliment, because I'd pay to see him hit," Leyland said. "I don't mean he dogs it, or that he's lazy. It's just that I think if it's not a big situation, he gives away some at-bats. There's no telling what he can do. I think this guy can put up unbelievable numbers. This guy's a force, man."
--RHP Denny Bautista continues to be plagued by walks. He made a relief appearance in a one-sided game Friday night to see if he could right himself, but he wound up being removed because of an undisclosed arm injury. Bautista retired the first four batters he faced but walked the fifth, threw a wild pitch and then gave up four straight hits before diminished fastball velocity prompted the Tigers to take him out of the game. He had walked 12 batters in 12 innings prior to his Friday night appearance.
--UT Brandon Inge did a nice job behind the plate Thursday and manager Jim Leyland said he wants to get him back there more often. Inge caught just three of Detroit's first 28 games, but as the contests pile up and the weather gets hotter, Leyland will want to give C Ivan Rodriguez additional time off. Inge replaced Rodriguez in the eighth inning Friday night with Detroit trailing by a large margin. Inge will start for Rodriguez either Saturday or Sunday.
--LHP Dontrelle Willis turned in a solid rehab start Friday night for Class AAA Toledo. He pitched 4 2/3 innings without issuing a walk. He gave up two runs on four hits. "I thought I was very productive out there," Willis said. "I feel like I can throw the ball over the plate. I felt good out there. We'll see how I feel (Saturday), but it was a good day." Willis threw 72 pitches, 51 for strikes and threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 18 batters he faced. He only went to a three-ball count three times and hit a peak of 95 mph on the radar gun.
BY THE NUMBERS: 100 -- Major League games Carlos Guillen had played at third base (for Seattle) prior to making his first start at the position for Detroit this week. Guillen also said he'd played the position extensively in winter ball in Venezuela.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We believe it makes our team better. Actually, I know it makes our team better. In the long run, I believe your job as a manager is to get the most out of your players and put them in position to be the most successful. I believe that this makes our club better." -- Manager Jim Leyland, in announcing the switching of Carlos Guillen to third base and Miguel Cabrera to first.
