Tigersground.com | Detroit Tigers News, tigers Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> --RF Magglio Ordonez is just as puzzled as anybody else over his lack of power thus far this season. He went hitless Thursday batting fifth, and he is now hitless in his last 11 at-bats. Frustration was evident because Ordonez was taking angry, full-throttle swings all night. He did, however, have a good game-ending at-bat against RHP Bobby Jenks before taking a 3-2 pitch for a third strike. Ordonez has just two extra base hits -- both home runs -- entering Friday night's game in Cleveland.</div>"I've still got power," he said. "But I got used to hitting the other way (to right field) for singles. Then, I tried to hit homers, and don't hit homers or singles. And you know what? Physically, I feel good. I feel fine, but nothing is happening. I'm going to get better. But you are not a machine. You make people used to the way you hit, but you are human." Hitting coach Lloyd McClendon said, "He's pulling off the ball. During the (World Baseball Classic), they pressured him to hit homers. And when he came back to us, he was a mess. I just tell Magglio, 'You've got to continue to grind it out, get a good pitch and a good swing on every at-bat.' I tell him the one thing he has to rely on is his track record. By the end of May, his numbers will be right where they are supposed to be." Ordonez, 35, is a career .311 hitter. --LHP Dontrelle Willis returns to the rotation Wednesday when he starts for the Tigers in Minnesota. Willis will rejoin the Tigers in Cleveland this weekend, manager Jim Leyland said, and will work on the side until being activated to start Wednesday. He has been on the disabled list since the end of spring training with an anxiety disorder but pitched well in his rehab outings. In his last two starts, for Class AAA Toledo, Willis was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA, allowing 12 hits in 12 2/3 innings, walking six and striking out eight. "This is not experimental and it's not developmental," Leyland said. "This is the big leagues. He's going to the rotation, and we expect everybody there to help us win games. The expectations are no higher on him than anyone else. That would be a big plus to have a left-handed starter in the rotation, and I am pulling for him. He's been in some situations that he's busted his (butt) to get through. He's done everything we've asked him to. Now, we're hoping it works out." --RHP Zach Miner is the odd man out again in the wake of Wednesday night's rainout and the decision to bring LHP Dontrelle Willis back into the rotation. Manager Jim Leyland said Miner's turn Friday would be skipped to keep RHP Justin Verlander, RHP Edwin Jackson and RHP Rick Porcello pitching on normal rest. Miner will return to the bullpen when Willis becomes the fifth starter Wednesday in Minnesota. --RHP Jeremy Bonderman is making progress in his bid to get his velocity up and return to the Tigers. Bonderman was left behind when the Tigers broke camp, on the disabled list while recovering from last spring's thoracic surgery. He has been pitching extended spring games. "It looks like that decision is nearing," manager Jim Leyland said while noting Bonderman pitched six innings Wednesday and "had no pain or anything. I don't know what Bonderman will look like when he gets here, but it looks like he's moving forward to a point where he will be assigned somewhere. I'm looking forward to having problems putting everything together." --3B Brandon Inge went 24 straight games getting on base but now he has another streak going. Inge has gone without a hit or walk in his last two games and hasn't been on base since Monday. --CF Curtis Granderson was back in the leadoff spot as expected Thursday after a one-game stint in the fifth spot. Granderson had been hitting .314 against left-handed pitching this season but went 0-for-3 against Chicago LHP Mark Buehrle. He singled against RHP Bobby Jenks in the ninth, however. --1B Miguel Cabrera's nine-game hitting streak ended Thursday at Chicago. However, the slugging first baseman still had good at-bats and does not look as if he's bound for a slump. MEDICAL WATCH: LF/DH Carlos Guillen (left shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 5. C Matt Treanor (torn labrum in right hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 24. He had surgery April 30, and is likely out for the season. DH/OF Marcus Thames (left ribcage muscle strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19. He won't begin any physical activity for two to four weeks, and he will need a rehab assignment before returning to the Tigers. LHP Dontrelle Willis (anxiety disorder) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. The disorder was diagnosed through blood tests. He made a rehab start for Class A Lakeland on April 21, and he started for Class AA Erie on April 26. He pitched for Class AAA Toledo on May 1 and May 6, and he will be activated to start for Detroit on May 12. RHP Jeremy Bonderman (right rib removal, blood clot surgery in June 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He might begin a rehab assignment in mid-May. ROTATION: RHP Justin Verlander RHP Edwin Jackson RHP Armando Galarraga RHP Rick Porcello BULLPEN: RHP Fernando Rodney (closer) RHP Joel Zumaya RHP Brandon Lyon LHP Bobby Seay RHP Juan Rincon LHP Nate Robertson RHP Ryan Perry RHP Zach Miner CATCHERS: Gerald Laird Dane Sardinha INFIELDERS: 1B Miguel Cabrera 2B Placido Polanco SS Adam Everett 3B Brandon Inge INF Jeff Larish INF Ramon Santiago OUTFIELDERS: LF Josh Anderson CF Curtis Granderson RF Magglio Ordonez DH Clete Thomas OF Ryan Raburn

--RF Magglio Ordonez is just as puzzled as anybody else over his lack of power thus far this season. He went hitless Thursday batting fifth, and he is now hitless in his last 11 at-bats. Frustration was evident because Ordonez was taking angry, full-throttle swings all night. He did, however, have a good game-ending at-bat against RHP Bobby Jenks before taking a 3-2 pitch for a third strike. Ordonez has just two extra base hits -- both home runs -- entering Friday night's game in Cleveland.

"I've still got power," he said. "But I got used to hitting the other way (to right field) for singles. Then, I tried to hit homers, and don't hit homers or singles. And you know what? Physically, I feel good. I feel fine, but nothing is happening. I'm going to get better. But you are not a machine. You make people used to the way you hit, but you are human."

Hitting coach Lloyd McClendon said, "He's pulling off the ball. During the (World Baseball Classic), they pressured him to hit homers. And when he came back to us, he was a mess. I just tell Magglio, 'You've got to continue to grind it out, get a good pitch and a good swing on every at-bat.' I tell him the one thing he has to rely on is his track record. By the end of May, his numbers will be right where they are supposed to be."

Ordonez, 35, is a career .311 hitter.

--LHP Dontrelle Willis returns to the rotation Wednesday when he starts for the Tigers in Minnesota. Willis will rejoin the Tigers in Cleveland this weekend, manager Jim Leyland said, and will work on the side until being activated to start Wednesday. He has been on the disabled list since the end of spring training with an anxiety disorder but pitched well in his rehab outings. In his last two starts, for Class AAA Toledo, Willis was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA, allowing 12 hits in 12 2/3 innings, walking six and striking out eight.

"This is not experimental and it's not developmental," Leyland said. "This is the big leagues. He's going to the rotation, and we expect everybody there to help us win games. The expectations are no higher on him than anyone else. That would be a big plus to have a left-handed starter in the rotation, and I am pulling for him. He's been in some situations that he's busted his (butt) to get through. He's done everything we've asked him to. Now, we're hoping it works out."

--RHP Zach Miner is the odd man out again in the wake of Wednesday night's rainout and the decision to bring LHP Dontrelle Willis back into the rotation. Manager Jim Leyland said Miner's turn Friday would be skipped to keep RHP Justin Verlander, RHP Edwin Jackson and RHP Rick Porcello pitching on normal rest. Miner will return to the bullpen when Willis becomes the fifth starter Wednesday in Minnesota.

--RHP Jeremy Bonderman is making progress in his bid to get his velocity up and return to the Tigers. Bonderman was left behind when the Tigers broke camp, on the disabled list while recovering from last spring's thoracic surgery. He has been pitching extended spring games.

"It looks like that decision is nearing," manager Jim Leyland said while noting Bonderman pitched six innings Wednesday and "had no pain or anything. I don't know what Bonderman will look like when he gets here, but it looks like he's moving forward to a point where he will be assigned somewhere. I'm looking forward to having problems putting everything together."

--3B Brandon Inge went 24 straight games getting on base but now he has another streak going. Inge has gone without a hit or walk in his last two games and hasn't been on base since Monday.

--CF Curtis Granderson was back in the leadoff spot as expected Thursday after a one-game stint in the fifth spot. Granderson had been hitting .314 against left-handed pitching this season but went 0-for-3 against Chicago LHP Mark Buehrle. He singled against RHP Bobby Jenks in the ninth, however.

--1B Miguel Cabrera's nine-game hitting streak ended Thursday at Chicago. However, the slugging first baseman still had good at-bats and does not look as if he's bound for a slump.

MEDICAL WATCH:

LF/DH Carlos Guillen (left shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 5.

C Matt Treanor (torn labrum in right hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 24. He had surgery April 30, and is likely out for the season.

DH/OF Marcus Thames (left ribcage muscle strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19. He won't begin any physical activity for two to four weeks, and he will need a rehab assignment before returning to the Tigers.

LHP Dontrelle Willis (anxiety disorder) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. The disorder was diagnosed through blood tests. He made a rehab start for Class A Lakeland on April 21, and he started for Class AA Erie on April 26. He pitched for Class AAA Toledo on May 1 and May 6, and he will be activated to start for Detroit on May 12.

RHP Jeremy Bonderman (right rib removal, blood clot surgery in June 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He might begin a rehab assignment in mid-May.

ROTATION:

RHP Justin Verlander

RHP Edwin Jackson

RHP Armando Galarraga

RHP Rick Porcello

BULLPEN:

RHP Fernando Rodney (closer)

RHP Joel Zumaya

RHP Brandon Lyon

LHP Bobby Seay

RHP Juan Rincon

LHP Nate Robertson

RHP Ryan Perry

RHP Zach Miner

CATCHERS:

Gerald Laird

Dane Sardinha

INFIELDERS:

1B Miguel Cabrera

2B Placido Polanco

SS Adam Everett

3B Brandon Inge

INF Jeff Larish

INF Ramon Santiago

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Josh Anderson

CF Curtis Granderson

RF Magglio Ordonez

DH Clete Thomas

OF Ryan Raburn