Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 27

BASEBALL DETROIT FREE PRESS WWW.FREEP.COM THURSDAY, FEB 26 2009 7 Tigers schedule Games at lakeland, Ha, shade! 'vs. World Baseball Classic teams Good sip: Laird catches on quick New Tiger triples, doubles, scores 2 By JOHN LOWE RU PRESS SPORTS WRITER sunImonItueIwedIthuI fri sat 3l jl jl jl jl jl Oet Was. Tor. NYM 5. 1:05 1:05 1:05 Atu fom 1 2 4 5 7 Pit.

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St.L NYY NYM Tor 1:05 7:05 1:05 1:05 1:05 1:05 WXYTI I I WXYl LAKELAND, Fla. On Ger 'h i. ald Laird's first Tigers at-bat, he tripled. On his second at-bat, he doubled. What's more impressive is what he did in the catcher's gear.

The subtle highlight of the Tigers' 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday in ing up arm strength," Leyland said. Lyon also provided a sign of camaraderie. He gave Inge a pat on the back as they headed to the dugout after that wobbly inning. Laird batted with the bases loaded in the fifth but couldn't add a grand slam to his extra-base day. He hit into an inning-ending out Like the Tigers' starting infielders and outfielders, Laird left when the fifth inning ended.

"He looked like he was pretty relaxed," Leyland said of Laird's catching. "He fought one change-up a little bit. Overall, he was fine." Atlanta took a 4-3 lead on Jordan Schafer's leadoff, first-pitch homer off Eddie Bonine in the seventh. It was Schafer who had unsuccessfully dived for Laird's liner in the Second that led to a run. In the Tigers' seventh, Ramon Santiago slid home barely safe with the tying run on Casper Wells' single to right.

Next inning, Santiago singled in the go-ahead run. These events made a winner of rookie left volved how Laird, in this exhibi Our Michigan Memories poster set just got even better! We've added the October 2 tribute to 2007 AL batting champ Magglio Ordonez to our set of that range from the 1979 Spartans to Justin Verlander's 2007 no-hitter. The set is just $39.95 or $7.95 for any individual poster. To get your Maggs poster or the entire set, go to freep.combookstore or call 800-245-5081 tion opener, already appeared to have adjusted to his new pitchers and new manager. Today: Washington Matchup: Tigers vs.

Nationals, 1:05 p.m., Space Coast Stadium, Viera, Fla. TVradio: None. Today's starters (2008 stats): Tigers RH Edwin Jackson ERA in IB.) vs. Nats RH Collin Balester (3-7, 5.51). Other Tigers pitchers: LH Nate Robertson, RH Rick Porcello, RH Joel Zumaya, LH Clay Rapada, LH Macay McBride.

Laird didn miss a sign all day," Jim Leyland said. "And I put some on for that reason, to make sure he was comfortable with me. He didn't miss one. That's good. There are a lot more signs than you think." SEALSDetroit Free Press Tigers catcher Gerald Laird talks with Zach Miner in the fourth inning Wednesday.

The Tigers won the exhibition opener, 5-4, over the Braves. Leyland rattled off those manager-to-catcher signs, ma ny of which the catcher relays to the pitcher: Fake a pickoff to third and throw to first. Hold the ball and step off. Throw to hander Fu-Te Ni, the product of first. Make a spinning pickoff move.

And so on. Granderson happy he'll play for Team USA "You're talking about seven or eight signs," Leyland said. The catcher absorbs these major league experience, all with the Rangers. This spring, he learns a new staff en masse. "It's really encouraging to have the first day go this well," Laird said.

"I was excited to get out there and get my feet wet a little bit and get to know these guys and see what they like to do out there. I thought we worked well together for the first day. It's the beginning of a process." Laird began with two scoreless innings by right-hander Justin Verlander. "I felt comfortable back there with him," Laird said. "His ball had real good life on it He had good off-speed pitches.

It was a good first day for him." Then he caught two shutout innings from right-hander Zach Miner. "Same as with Verlander," Laird said. "He threw the ball really well. He mixed it up well. He threw some good off-speed pitches." In the fifth inning, after the combined four scoreless innings from Verlander and Miner, Laird caught Brandon Lyon.

It looked like Lyon could have a quick inning until Inge made a throwing error on a grounder with one out and nobody on base. That led to three unearned runs off Lyon in the inning that made it 3-3. Lyon, whose regular-season job could be to close in the ninth inning, didn't throw his curve because "he's working on build signs in the midst of his pitch-calling duties. No wonder catchers say the mental drain of the job exceeds the physical one. Taiwan who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.

"I'm tickled for Ni," Ley-land said. Left-hander Kyle Bloom needed help in his 1-2-3 ninth. Rightfielder Brent Clevlen made a diving catch to begin the inning. Clevlen succeeded with a dive in right where Schafer had failed on Laird's ball in the second. That's how Laird got something he didn't have all of last season, a triple.

"It's a wonderful game," he said. TIGERS CORNER With Pudge Rodriguez trad By JON PAUL MOROSI RE PRESS SPORTS WRITER ed and Brandon Inge reinstated at third base, the Tigers had to find a starting catcher this offseason. They got Laird in a trade with Texas for two minor league pitchers. i Or 5 IV. s2T Contact JOHN LOWE at 313-223-4053 or jloweafreepress.com.

Laird has about 4'A years of MOROSI I Outlook in Florida: Sunny From Page 1C Am. On Wednesday, the new- and-improved Tigers beat the Braves, 5-4, before a happy crowd of 6,086. And for those who find meaning in such things, all the good omens were there. Jurrjens was tagged for two runs', one in the first and another in the second. Gerald Laird, the new Detroit catcher, tripled LAKELAND, Fla.

Curtis Granderson doesn't know where he will play in Team USA's outfield during the World Baseball Classic, since Grady Sizemore is slated to start in centerfield. But he is certain of this: When the tournament is over, win or lose, his No. 28 jersey will go up on a wall in his parents' home. "I took a photo a couple days ago with the USA jersey and hat on that was cool," Granderson said Wednesday, one day after he was named to the active roster for next month's event. "I still haven't had the chance to look into the mirror at it.

I'm really looking forward to that." Granderson has experience at both corner outfield positions including 22 games as a leftfielder in the majors which could expand the ways in which manager Davey Johnson involves him in the games. Granderson said Johnson wasn't aware that he had played left and right until the two spoke on the phone last month. "I said, 'Either one, put me out there, I'll make the play for Granderson recalled. One factor that could help the left-handed-hitting Granderson: Team Venezuela, whom the Tigers could play multiple times during the tournament, has a rotation full of right-handers. Granderson is the only Tiger on Team USA.

Justin Verlan-der was listed on the provisional roster but will not compete; A lh UWfcp- 1 1 IV I I 1 ERIC SEALSDetrolt Free Press Tigers players stand during the national anthem before the start of Wednesday's game against Atlanta. on the first pitch he saw. Left-handed relievers Fu-Te Ni and Kyle Bloom, both acquired with little fanfare, had the win and save, respectively. "Overall, pretty good," manager Jim Leyland said. As for Justin Verlander, the scrutinized Detroit starter: He pitched two scoreless innings, allowed a swinging-bunt single and walked two.

"Very exciting," he said, summing up the day. "I can tell you: A lot of guys were pretty amped up. Even if they weren't in the game, I heard a few guys comment: I'm excited. Here we go. To see all the guys in the un-is, ready to play baseball, it's exciting.

"After the first inning, just looking around the field and seeing the guys in the dugout, I remember thinking, 'Man, we could have a really good He paused briefly, then added, "We really could." Verlander is not a baseball analyst, but he's right about that. The Tigers should win the division, but not because of anything that happened Wednesday. They should win the division because they are the best, deepest team in the American 1 Verlander needs to slow down. Verlander had this to say: "For me, personally, I like my pace." Know this: If he wins 20, no one will care how much time it took him to deliver the ball. At any rate, Verlander's year is off to a good start.

He pitched better than the other starter, who left his Lakeland homecoming with a scouting report of his own. "The lineup is really balanced speed, contact, power," Jurrjens said. "They've got everything. They just need to put it together." Trust me. They will.

Verlander said he didn't know for certain that he would have League Central. At least two of the glossy preseason annuals have picked the Tigers to finish last. That rationale, one would suspect, has something to do with the fact that they finished last in 2008. It has been said that the worst thing in baseball is an old scouting report. Well, I'm here to tell you that any fifth-place forecasts for this team are based on outdated information.

Jeremy Bonderman, Fernando Rodney, Joel Zumaya, Carlos Guillen and Gary Sheffield were injured for long stretches of last season. All appear to be healthy. Nate Robertson and Don-trelle Willis were lost in 2008. But they have started to remind us that they have postseason pedigrees. Brandon Inge was miserable last year.

He's in a much better frame of mind and went 2-for-2 on Wednesday. "We've been written off because of last year, which I don't think is fair," Verlander said. "I understand where it comes from, but the same pieces of the puzzle that made everybody write us as World Series champions, we still have those pieces in place." Leyland has stayed away from sweeping statements and was not about to get carried away with one Grapefruit League game. Issues remain. Leyland talked again about how played if the invitation had been extended.

"Ended up, I didn't have to make a decision," Verlander said, "They went a different direction. I can't be upset with that at all. Do I think I could have been an asset to that team? Of course I do. But I real ly hope they win this thing." Contact JON PAUL MOROSI at 313-223-4097 or jmorosififreeprcss.com. Tigers manager Jim Ley- land acknowledged that he was glad to learn Verlander would stay in Lakeland.

Verlander, Reception mixed as A-Rod hits 2-nm homer who pitched two scoreless n- I AROUND THE HORN t.iTHV N-1' 1 nings Wednesday, is working with new pitching coach Rick FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES Knapp. be a wonderful honor for Jus rt tin? Absolutely. Would I sup port it 100? Absolutely. Self ishly, am I glad he didn't go? Absolutely. That's the way it with a single and a double, and Ryan Church knocked in three runs in the Mets' 9-3 win over the Orioles.

I HANK CONGER: Singled twice and drove in three runs to help the Angels beat the White Sox, 12-3. I EDINSON V01QUEZ AND JOHNNY CUETO: Each pitched three innings, allowed two hits and struck out three in the Reds' 7-0 win over the Rays. I NELSON CRUZ: Homered and drove in three runs for the Rangers, who beat the Royals, 12-7. IMICAH HOFFPAUIR: Hit a grand slam In the Cubs' 5-3 win over the Dodgers. I TRAVIS ISHIKAWA: Hit two home runs in the fourth inning, driving in three runs, and singled and drove in another run to help the Giants beat the Indians, 10-7.

is." 2001-03 with Texas. He left after drawing a walk in the fifth inning, then signed autographs for a few minutes before calling it a day. There were lots of cheers for the three-time American League MVP, a smattering of boos and occasional catcalls from the crowd of 5,014 at Dun-edin Stadium. CLEVELAND: Third baseman Andy Marte, a major disappointment since coming to the Indians in a 2006 trade from Boston, cleared waivers and was sent outright to Trlple-A Columbus. Marte, 25, batted .221 with three homers and 17 RBIs in 80 games last season.

Closer Kerry Wood hasn't thrown off a mound since last weekend because of a sore back. He will rest a few more days before pitching again. MILWAUKEE: Outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. could miss up to a month of spring training because of a right shoulder impingement that occurred during an off-season workout. He is scheduled to throw for the first time today.

MINNESOTA: Right-hander Boof Bon-ser is expected to miss the season after arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder detected partial tears in his labrum and rotator cuff. WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Miguel Tejada of the Astros will not play for the Dominican Republic. The major factor was the Dominican team's request that the shortstop play first base during the tournament a position he has never played. Exhibition standouts I LUIS CASTILLO: Drove in four runs DUNEDIN, Fla. Back on the field, Alex Rodriguez was able to put aside the steroids scandal.

At least for a little while. Booed and taunted by opposing fans in the Yankees' spring training opener, Rodriguez hit a two-run homer and drew two walks Wednesday in a 6-1 exhibition victory over Toronto that was anything but routine. It was his first game since admitting he took performance-enhancing drugs in i SHEFFIELD OUT: Gary Sheffield missed Wednesday's game with a bruised left elbow. He was hit by a pitch during Tues day live batting practice ses sion, but the injury doesn't ap pear serious. "Just swollen, i- Sheffield said.

He's expected to return Friday. 4.