There was one bright spot in Wednesday’s 4-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals: Kenny Rogers looked great.
Rogers, 43, mowed down the first nine batters he faced and pitched five scoreless innings in his 2008 debut. He struck out four Royals and walked one while giving up two runs in six strong innings. Rogers pitched with a sense of command not seen since his incredible 2006 season when he went 17-8 with a 3.84 ERA.
Injuries pretty much ruined the 2007 season for Rogers as he pitched in only eleven games for a 3-4 record. The Tigers rotation proved too weak without him last year as the ’06 American League Champions weren’t even able to make the playoffs. The crafty veteran may not be the most talented starter in the rotation, but he is unquestionably a key figure in the Tigers’ formula for success this season.
It would be easy to dwell on the lack of offense in the Tigers’ first two games as they’ve scored only three runs in 20 innings. But enjoy this for the moment: Kenny Rogers looks healthy and ready to lead the Tigers once again.