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DETROIT -- When Justin Verlander began to have an un-Verlander-like performance Saturday night against the Orioles, Tigers manager Jim Leyland began worrying about what he should do. Leyland wanted to give Verlander every opportunity to win his 25th game of the year, but he didn't want things to get out of hand. He also didn't want to have to use up his bullpen early in the game.Verlander gave up basketball games five runs through the first three innings, and it appeared he might not go at least six innings for the first time all season. But he settled down and allowed just one hit over the next four innings, giving the Tigers a chance to get back into the game.The performance didn't go unnoticed by his manager."I think last night he took leaps and bounds in his career, the way he handled everything and t basketball games he way he bounced back," Leyland said. "Pitching under all the circumstances and everything, I think he made another great step in the right direction for his career that I think will help him down the road. ... I'm awful proud of him."After Verlander had found his groove, the next worry for Leyland came with his ace's pitch count. Leyland had planned not to let Verlander go over 120 pitches, but basketball games with the Tigers making a comeback, Verlander still had a chance at No. 25."I had it all mapped out. He wasn't going to throw a pitch over 120," Leyland said. "He got out of there at [120] with an extra day's rest and he'll get an extra day's rest next time so it was absolutely perfect. I was relieved. We lost the game, but believe me, I felt like I had a hundred-pound weight off my shoulders."Leyl basketball games and did find himself in a pickle in the seventh inning. With the Tigers trailing, 5-4, Don Kelly singled to lead off the bottom frame and Leyland had a decision to make."I said to myself, 'If we sacrifice him, we'll probably only tie it, so he won't get the win.'" Leyland said. "But I felt like, at least get the tie and maybe somebody might hit a two-run homer or we might get a double and somebody basketball games might get a single and we can still win it."Kelly reached third base on a Magglio Ordonez groundout, but Delmon Young grounded out to end the inning and Verlander's chance to become the Majors' first 25-game winner since 1990. Betemit on track to return Monday DETROIT -- Wilson Betemit appears ready to return after tweaking his left knee in a home-plate slide on Sept. 16 in Oakland.Tigers man basketball games ager Jim Leyland said Saturday that Betemit likely would be good to go on Sunday, but that may have been before he realized the Orioles were sending lefty Brian Matusz to the mound. Betemit, who has been used primarily against right-handed starters since Brandon Inge returned, was not in Sunday's lineup.However, Leyland said Betemit would play Monday against the Indians. The skipper hopes he will basketball games start in all three remaining regular-season games.In other injury-related news, Carlos Guillen remains unable to play, but Leyland did not rule him out of being able to play in the postseason. Jackson's snag evokes memories of Mays DETROIT -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland was nine years old when Willie Mays made his legendary over-the-shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series. If Leyland basketball games didn't particularly remember it well, he has seen the replay enough times to know it by heart. When Austin Jackson ran down Adam Jones' drive in straightaway center field Saturday, that was the first thing to came to Leyland's mind.It was an over-the-shoulder catch, a change of direction at the last second, and required a long run to track it down."You haven't seen one like that for, what, 60 year basketball games s," Leyland said. "If you watch SportsCenter, they show that about every week, the catch that Willie Mays made. And this doesn't take second to any of them. This was an unbelievable catch. Pretty impressive."The reaction on Justin Verlander's face as he watched from the mound was priceless: He stared out in amazement, then quickly shook his head. It was hard to tell if he was shaking his head at t basketball games he catch or frustrated with himself giving up such a hard-hit ball.When he was asked about the catch after the game, his tone didn't sound like surprise."I think he's got a shot at anything that stays in the yard," Verlander said with a smile. Worth noting #149; Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he called D-backs manager and former Tigers player Kirk Gibson to congratulate him on clinching the basketball games National League West title. Leyland said he left a message, and hasn't been surprised by Gibson's success."Just fantastic. It's absolutely tremendous," Leyland said. "But that doesn't surprise me. Gibby's a very bright guy, a very smart guy. He spent a lot of time with Sparky Anderson. He's got Alan Trammell and Don Baylor there, it's a pretty impressive staff." basketball games
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