Nate Robertson News

Jamie Samuelsen, the sports director for the "Deminski & Doyle" morning show on WCSX-FM , blogs for freep.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Detroit Free Press nor its writers.

It's Mike Ilitch's call now. After all, it's his wallet and he can do whatever he wants.

David Dombrowski has been President/GM of the Tigers for eight baseball seasons, and just what has the team accomplished? One playoff appearance.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski addresses the media during a news conference in Detroit, two days after the team's season ended in Minnesota.

It's amazing how quickly fans get spoiled. The calls for manager Jim Leyland's ouster have faded since Tuesday, but even with his unorthodox style they were unfounded in the first place.

Coming off a disappointing season in 2008, this year's version of the Detroit Tigers seemingly bounced back as the cream of the Central Division crop.

Baseball is a game of failures. It is a game in which three hits -- and seven outs -- in 10 at-bats is considered successful.

Dave Dombrowski, the Tigers' president and general manager, began his Thursday address at Comerica Park by informing a media crowd that this would "not be a press conference." The Tigers understand Polanco, who turns 34 on Saturday, will be examining lavish multiyear offers from various clubs when he files in November.

After the Tigers ' loss to the Twins Tuesday, Jim Leyland has been on blast from talk radio callers who are disgusted with the fact that he wouldn't pinch hit for Gerald Laird with the bases loaded in extra innings of Tuesday's one-game playoff.

What went right and wrong for Detroit during a 162-game season that will stretch at least into Tuesday night's playoff game at Minnesota: Right: Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson and Rick Porcello.

Miguel Cabrera will play first base and bat cleanup for the Tigers in today's one-game playoff against the Twins, despite Monday's revelations that police determined he had a .26 blood alcohol concentration only 13 hours before Saturday night's game against the White Sox in Detroit.

Jamie Samuelsen, the sports director for the "Deminski & Doyle" morning show on WCSX-FM , blogs for freep.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Detroit Free Press nor its writers.

A win over second-place Minnesota on Thursday afternoon gives the Tigers their first division crown since 1987, but in order to do so, Detroit will have to beat Minnesota's Scott Baker for the second time in two weeks.

PREGAME: So, what will everybody be doing this afternoon? If youa re at work do you listen on the radio, or follow along with gameday, or do you stream mlb.tv, or do you leave work completely and head to the park ? Or does your day not change and youa ll just wait to get home to see who had the better day, Scott Baker or Nate Robertson .

What was hoped to be a division-clinching celebration for the Tigers ended up a long and heated Thursday afternoon for both them and the Twins, whose benches cleared after a trade of hit-by-pitches flared up tempers to cap an already emotional series in an 8-3 Twins win.

The baseball wonks liked the Twins' chances of taking three of four against the Tigers because Eddie Bonine and Nate Robertson were going to pitch in the final two games of the series along with Carl Pavano being undefeated against the Tigers all season.

Are the Tigers one of the 10 best teams that money could buy? Jon Heyman think so: 10T.

The Twins left Comerica Park tonight exhausted but in decent spirits, considering they wound up with a 3-2, 6-5 split in this day-night doubleheader.

WHAT HAPPENED: When rookie right-hander Alfredo Figaro relieved Nate Robertson in the fourth, Carlos Quentin had just hit a three-run homer to give Chicago a 5-0 lead.

WHAT HAPPENED: Starter Nate Robertson pitched five strong innings, and Placido Polanco delivered a lead-changing two-run single in the fifth to put the Tigers ahead to stay.