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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: TIGERS v RANGERS

October 9, 2011

Jim Leyland

ARLINGTON, TEXAS: Game Two (Postponed)

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in. We're going to have Jim Leyland followed by Alex Avila and Ryan Raburn together. First question for Jim today. I have to keep, again, I always say the same thing we have to keep this moving because of the schedule with the Rangers too.

Q. Jim, I guess just the obvious question. Do you stick with your pitching rotation? Does this affect it at all?
JIM LEYLAND: My pitching rotation will stay exactly the same as it was. I might as well give you guys some news. We have some pretty huge news today, so the few of you who came out, you get it and the other guys don't. Tell your buddies don't call me because I'm not going to pick up the phone.
Magglio OrdoÃ±ez will be out for the series with the ankle injury. The same ankle that he had the problem with. He will be done for the season. That's why he was taken out of the game last night. I was shocked that nobody asked me about that last night.
So I wasn't going to give any information at the time because we didn't have all the facts and details, but we've had some medical work done this morning, and he will miss the entire series and the rest of the season.
My rotation will stay exactly the same. Verlander, I know that will be a big question, so I'll take that off your mind as well, he'll pitch Game 5 under any circumstances.
Our rotation will be Scherzer, Fister, Porcello and Verlander in that order. Just the way we set it up originally.
I don't want to be hogging the mike here, but I might as well tell can you, I'm going back soon to discuss the roster, obviously, with David Dombrowski. My coaches have already discussed some of it.
I don't have any information right now as to what we're going to do, because to be honest with you, we don't know. So with that, I'll leave it open top any other questions, if you have them.

Q. So as this transpired last night, you basically pinch ran for him after the second rain delay, was it?
JIM LEYLAND: That's correct. That's exactly why I pinch ran for Magglio. He would not have come out of the game. My trainer came in during the rain delay and said Magglio can't go. The ankle is killing him. So I pinch ran Don Kelly for him.
Like I said, I was shocked I didn't get the question last night why I was taking him out. It didn't come up, so I didn't offer anything.

Q. Jim, how did Magglio aggravate that injury last night?
JIM LEYLAND: I don't know. I don't know the answer to that. It doesn't appear that there was any significant movement or anything that did it. It just all of a sudden it flared up. After some medical tests and results this morning, it shows that there is a situation there that is not conducive to playing the rest of the year.

Q. Already an outfielder short, I'm wondering how devastating a blow this is for your team? You're already an outfielder short with Delmon out. I'm wondering how big a blow this is for your team?
JIM LEYLAND: We're a real resilient team. Do I like this, obviously, no. Do I like losing Delmon, obviously, no. But we're a tough team. We'll figure something out, and we'll get through this.
We're like every other team in baseball that has these type of situations pop up. You get through it. We're not going to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. I can guarantee you that. We'll make due somehow.
But like I said, at this time, I can't give you any information on what we will do with the roster, because we don't know, to be honest with you. We really don't know right now. I've been talking with Dave Dombrowski back at the hotel. When I get back to the hotel we're going to sit down and have a pow-wow and figure out what direction we should go.

Q. Prior to the series, was there any indication this could happen with Magglio? Or did it come as a --
JIM LEYLAND: What?

Q. Prior to the series was there any indication he was in danger of something like this happening to his ankle?
JIM LEYLAND: It's amazing. I just told you guys recently, because it's the truth. Magglio had just been talking three or four days ago about how he felt great, how he felt as good as he's felt for a long time. When the trainer came in during the rain delay and told me, I was almost flabbergasted, to be honest with you.
So it doesn't appear that there was one incident that happened. But there is a problem. I mean, there's no question about that. Like I said, we had the medical people look at him this morning. Kevin Rand was up bright and early to check him out. There is an issue which keep limit out the rest of the series and the rest of the season.
If you have any questions, ask them now.
THE MODERATOR: Tiger clubhouse is not going to be open. There are a few players here. Jim was good enough to come in.
JIM LEYLAND: Anybody else?
THE MODERATOR: Last question.

Q. Jim, how do you deal with this? The rain in the first series, now this? What could go wrong is going wrong? How do you see this?
JIM LEYLAND: I see it great. We're in the playoffs. We're playing the Texas Rangers for the championship. I love it.
Like I said yesterday, we had to beat the New York Yankees just for the right to play the defending champions. It's exciting. We had a great game last night. We missed a couple of opportunities. That's baseball.
But I see this as -- this is a great opportunity for us, and it's a great opportunity for us to show how tough we are. And we're tough.
Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. I don't want anybody feeling sorry for us. We'll make due. We'll come out at 3:19 tomorrow ready to play.
THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in.
JIM LEYLAND: Sure.
THE MODERATOR: Tiger clubhouse is not going to be open today. There are very few players here. Two of them are going to be good enough to come in and take a few questions.

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