--RHP Francisco Cruceta has been just about what the Tigers thought he would be when they signed him. "He is what they said he was," manager Jim Leyland said. "He has very good stuff, and if he's a strike-thrower, he'll be very good. He has to command that fastball better, but he's something to work with. He has the dreaded pitch in today's baseball world. That's the split (split-fingered fastball) and he has a good one." Cruceta has appeared in five games for the Tigers with a 3.18 ERA. He has allowed three walks and three hits while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings.

--LHP Nate Robertson will open the series Tuesday in Kansas City, with the other regulars lining up behind him. RHP Justin Verlander and the others will get an extra day of rest, which is not what their manager was planning entering the weekend. Verlander will start Wednesday with LHP Kenny Rogers going Thursday. RHP Jeremy Bonderman will open the Tigers' first inter-league series of the season at Arizona on Friday night. The Tigers had the worst team ERA, 5.09, and worst rotation ERA, 5.55, as of Monday. "I think the starting pitching will get better," manager Jim Leyland said.

--RHP Denny Bautista probably won't be coming back as quickly as anticipated when he came down with a sore right shoulder early this month. Bautista was originally expected to be ready to return long before his mandatory 15-day waiting period was up. But that can't happen because Bautista hasn't even thrown off a mound yet. He won't be ready for a rehab appearance until he's thrown off a mound and then thrown to hitters.

--RHP Freddy Dolsi impressed his manager in the spring and he looks usable now, too. Dolsi has pitched three innings in two games for the Tigers, allowing a home run on his first pitch and nothing else. "I really like him," manager Jim Leyland said. "He has three pitches and is a bright kid." It's likely Dolsi will be sent to the minors when LHP Dontrelle Willis returns.

--LHP Kenny Rogers thinks some of what's wrong with the Tigers' starters might be mental. "A lot of it is a mindset," Rogers said. "It's almost like we're expecting something bad to happen. We've walked too many guys. I've walked more guys the first few games than I've ever walked (in as few starts)."

Rogers has a 3-3 record but his 5.82 ERA is typical of any Tigers starter. The team's starters have a collective 5.55 ERA, the highest in the league. "I've definitely lost some velocity," he said. "I have no explanation for it. But I can pitch (locate and change speeds) better than I used to be able to do.

"My stuff's not where I'd like it to be. But my slider, I used to throw it really hard. Now it's 81-85, and that's perfect for me. With what we've done in the past, we're pretty surprised by this start, ourselves. I know the walks are up for all of us. It's really hard to put a finger on what exactly it is. I think we're all counting on it just being a little early funk. That's how we feel."

BY THE NUMBERS
5.55 -- ERA by Detroit starters entering play Tuesday, worst of any rotation in the league.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"They've got to get the job done. And they're all very capable of getting the job done. It's a matter of doing it. But you've got to get it done at some point." -- Manager Jim Leyland, discussing his starting rotation, which has the worst collective ERA in the league.

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