Twinkies Or Mag-Li-Os?

After a rousing (one game) SWEEP of the White Sox, the Tigs return home today for the first series in a brand new home stand against the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins have been sliding of late, as their win on Thursday in the 11th inning broke a four game losing streak that they had been on. The Tigs, meanwhile, look to come back home and build on the great game they got out of Chad Durbin (DURBS) on Wednesday in Chicago.

Pitching tonight for the Tigers will be Nate Robertson. Nate was the victim of some shit defense and shit bullpen work his last time out when the Tigers lost to Chicago in extra innings at home. He's been one of the most dominant pitchers on this staff, right up there with Verlander, and is making himself known as one of the toughest lefties to hit in the American League.

Going against Nate-o tonight will be the I'm-surprised-he's-still-alive-let-alone-still-pitching Ramon Ortiz. After being pretty much a car crash for the last few years in the bigs, Ortiz has put together some decent numbers for the Twinkies this year, going 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA. It's been three years since the last time Ortiz faced the Tigers and it's probably only right for the Tigs to blow his shit out in his first visit to Comerica Park in a few years, don't you think?

I'll tell you one person who definitely thinks so- Magglio Ordonez. Mags has been tearing things up recently, on a eight-game hitting streak and coming off of a 3-4 performance in his old stomping grounds of Chicago on Wednesday. The hair supplies his power, it seems, and as it grows longer, Ordonez keeps on producing. He should stay hot tonight against Ortiz.

Keys to the game-

• After going with sort of make-shift line ups the past couple games, I imagine Jimmy Leyland will be putting the normal starters out there. Which means people like Sean Casey need to produce at the plate.
• Craig Monroe is in a huge slump right now- something like 0 for his last 19. He neeeeeds to break out of that tonight and have a big game.
• After using Zoom Zoom on Wednesday, it seems like tonight would be a day to bring Fernando Rodney in. He needs to build on his good performance from Tuesday when he allowed no runs over two innings in Anaheim. Please show me you're for real Fernando.