Wojo: Daunting test awaits tame Tigers

Detroit

No one wants to hear it, not the manager, not the players, no one. But I'm going to say it anyway.

This is it. This is the moment and this is the opponent. This is the first huge series of the season, big because of the standings, big because the Tigers are staggering, bigger because of the tormentor.

The Tigers are 1-5 since the All-Star break, and now here come the White Sox for four games, suddenly tied for first in the AL Central. And the best news I can offer is this: Chicago's Mark Buehrle pitched a perfect game Thursday against Tampa Bay, which greatly reduces the odds the White Sox will pitch another perfect game this weekend (although against the Tigers these days, a simple no-hitter remains possible.)

Ah, I kid because I care. No joking here -- this is a dangerous period for the Tigers, and for whatever reason, when the White Sox come to town, knees shake and pitchers quake. Although the series is 4-4 this season, the White Sox have thoroughly thrashed the Tigers for a solid decade.

It's ugly for the Tigers right now, after another hit-proof 2-1 loss to Seattle that had the crowd periodically booing. To have any chance in this fledgling division race, the Tigers have to solve the defending champion White Sox. Oh, and they have to average more than 1.000001 runs per game.

Arms can keep them afloat

To be fair, you can't declare the Tigers in Full Fade mode because their starting pitching has been so good. Justin Verlander, on the mound in the doubleheader opener today, and Edwin Jackson can perform brilliantly on any given day in a 2-1 defeat (or theoretically, a 1-0 victory).

One game or one series doesn't make a season, but one opponent can kill a season, and for too long, the White Sox have used the Tigers as their personal welcome mat, stomping hard and wiping clean. That has to change, especially with 10 more games between the teams, and frankly, it can change.

The White Sox lineup is far more intimidating than the Tigers' but the pitching isn't -- at least when they're not tossing perfect games. Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon have been injured or inconsistent, and even that heaving behemoth of a closer, Bobby Jenks, has been rocked lately. Leyland will use his three best pitchers -- Verlander, Jackson and Rick Porcello -- this weekend, while Ozzie Guillen already used his ace, Buehrle.

Seattle's pitching is the best in the AL by a wide margin, and it showed. Detroit is second and Chicago is fourth, based on ERA.

A ranking like that will carry humbled hitters quite a while. But the stakes are rising, which is why Jim Leyland's frustration is mounting, and why Miguel Cabrera admitted Thursday he's pressing. Unbelievably, the Tigers' last four losses all were by a 2-1 score.

"If we play aggressive, if we play like the good team we are, I think we can beat these guys," Cabrera said of the White Sox. "If we play like we are right now, we're not gonna do nothing. Our offense don't do the job; I don't do the job. But (the White Sox) have to worry more because they have to face Verlander and our pitching."

Dominating in the 'D'

Everyone's aware the Tigers treat runs like rare coins, collecting deliberately, cherishing each one. Dave Dombrowski must be increasingly aware as the non-waiver trade deadline approaches. The Tigers are flawed, no doubt, and short of Carlos Guillen returning and clubbing home runs, they'll likely remain flawed.

But every team in the Central is flawed, and that includes the White Sox, who have won 19 of their past 28. They usually march into Comerica Park with Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, A.J. Pierzynski and Jim Thome, make all the women and children cry, then stalk out with command of the division.

You want some gruesome numbers? Since 2005, the White Sox are 53-29 overall against the Tigers. Since Comerica Park opened, the White Sox are 50-33 here. Since they've been in the majors, Dye and former teammate Joe Crede have combined to hit 368 home runs here. (I might have made that one up.)

Pitchers can't do it all

This will be a great test for the new, more-aggressive Verlander, who shut down the White Sox 2-1 in June and has been mostly spectacular. But the White Sox have slugger Carlos Quentin back from a left foot injury, and during their month-long hot streak, they're hitting .298.

"I think the fans will be excited, crucial series or whatever it is, but they're all big," Leyland said. "If you only score one run a game, you're not gonna win (anything). You can have three Koufaxes and three Drysdales and you're not gonna win. I don't need to harp on it. You've seen it."

It's painful to watch, to be honest. Anything worse than a split this weekend and the Tigers officially will be plummeting. If they hate the repetitive angle -- they can't hit, they can't beat the White Sox -- this is the perfect series to show something different.

bob.wojnowski@detnews.com">bob.wojnowski@detnews.com