Tigers utilityman Andrew Romine played in center field Monday.(Photo: Robin Buckson \/ Detroit News) <\/p>\n
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Its like a game show, this quest to determine who will play center field for the Tigers. <\/p>\n
Theres a certain suspense, the anticipation of a surprise, as nearly a half-dozen options remain for a critical up-the-middle position less than a week before Opening Day. <\/p>\n
Andrew Romine started in center for the Tigers in Mondays mini-disaster at Champion Stadium, where the Braves beat up on the Tigers, 11-3, raking Tigers pitchers for 19 hits. <\/p>\n
Romine was in center while Mikie Mahtook started in left. Tyler Collins was in right, while JaCoby Jones later replaced Romine, who had his share of work on a night when starter Daniel Norris was raked for some deep drives to center. <\/p>\n
He did fine out there, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Romine. He moves fine after the ball. <\/p>\n
Alex Presley is another contender for a job that appears no closer to being settled. <\/p>\n
While its not clear who will start in Mondays opener against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, the Tigers will at least settle on a 25-man roster by the end of the week. <\/p>\n
Ausmus said Monday the list would not necessarily be determined Thursday, the day before the team departs Lakeland for a pair of games against the Marlins ahead of the Tigers Saturday night flight to Chicago. <\/p>\n
Consolation prize <\/p>\n
The Tigers had 11 hits in Mondays tumble to the Braves all of them singles. <\/p>\n
Nick Castellanos had a pair of singles as well as a deep drive to left field that might have been hurt by an in-blowing evening breeze and is batting .377. Miguel Cabreras two singles bumped his Grapefruit League average to .391. <\/p>\n
Healthy McCann aims to be 'tough out' for Tigers <\/p>\n
And for a man who apparently has no job, Omar Infante continues to behave as if hes a Tigers regular. <\/p>\n
Infante also had two singles Monday and is batting .351 as he showcases himself, to the Tigers and other clubs, in a bid at age 35 to get regular big-league work. <\/p>\n
Stretch drive <\/p>\n
Among those still auditioning for bullpen jobs, Blaine Hardy, who by no means has a spot locked up, came through again Monday, pitching 12\/3 innings of scoreless relief. His ERA for the Grapefruit League season is 3.97, one of the better numbers among Detroits back-end corps. <\/p>\n
Its still far from clear how Ausmus and general manager Al Avila will configure the Tigers relief gang. <\/p>\n
Hardy would likely make it a trio of left-handers, which isnt a conventional bullpen arrangement. But its unclear that the Tigers will follow anything terribly traditional as they decide on a final 12 pitchers, including a Tigers rotation that has yet to be announced, much less solidified. <\/p>\n
lynn.henning@detroitnews.com<\/a> <\/p>\n twitter.com\/Lynn_Henning <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Link:<\/p>\n Tigers' CF picture still unclear as camp winds down - The Detroit News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tigers utilityman Andrew Romine played in center field Monday.(Photo: Robin Buckson \/ Detroit News) Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Its like a game show, this quest to determine who will play center field for the Tigers Continue reading