Game Preview: Sox @ Detroit GM3

Buchholz (2-2, 3.71) vs. Galarraga (2-1, 1.88)
705 Comerica Park

So far manager Smokey Jim Leyland's ballyhooed shakeup of the struggling Detroit roster - moving slumping slugger Gary Sheffield from 3rd to 6th and making him play the field, switching positions for 3rd baseman Miguel Cabrera and 1st baseman Carlos Guillen - has produced a grand total of 3 runs and 8 hits in two games.

Maybe he should claim he's switching to Nicorette for his next great trick.

The Tigers, who had shown signs of improving recently when they ripped off an 11-5 streak to get back to within one game of .500 and shouting distance of the top of the Central division, have quickly crashed back to Earth thanks to a 5 game losing streak in which they have scored a mere 11 runs and allowed 33.

Hey, at least the futility has been well balanced; their pitching has been as shitty as their hitting.

But tonight the most reliable starter in the rotation takes the mound for Leyland, and it speaks volumes that that title goes to a 26-year-old rookie who has made 5 career starts, four of them coming in the past three weeks.

Armando Galarraga is a spindly righthander who was called up from AAA to take free agent bust Dontrelle Willis' spot in the rotation when the erratic former phenom went down with a knee injury on April 12th.

Since the promotion Galarraga, who was with the Rangers last year, won his first two starts, allowing two runs and 4 hits over 12 innings against Cleveland and Toronto. Although he's cooled down since then, recording a no decision and a loss in his last two starts, he still has as many wins as anyone else on the club and has the lowest ERA among all Detroit starters.

Who'd have thunk this kid would've been the savior of a rotation that included playoff vets Robertson, Verlander and Kenny Rogers plus prized pick up Willis when the season started?

Boston will try to extend its 5-game winning streak when it sends it's own superb rookie Clay Buchholz to the Comerica hill.

After a shaky start to the season, Buchholz has been nails lately, posting a 2-1 record while allowing just 3 earned runs and 13 hits in 19.1 innings over his last three starts. He's also fanned 21 while walking just 8 in that span.

One of the main reasons behind Boston's latest hot streak has been the resurgence of David Ortiz. In his last 10 games Bi Papi is hitting .317 (.13-41) with 5 homers and 11 RBI, raising his average from .188 to .226. It's no coincidence that the rest of the team has followed Papi's lead.

As long as Boston's offense, which has averaged 8 runs and 12 hits per game during the streak, keeps mashing like it has, and Detroit keeps playing like the latest version of the overhyped, overpaid Stankees, this should be another win for Boston.

And if Galarraga should pitch a gem and pick up his team-leading 3rd win? Well they might just put a statue of the kid up there with the big cats in centerfield, as badly as this team needs a win right now.