Detroit @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2010 ) Baltimore 2, Detroit 6

With their seasons now rendered meaningless by the mathematics of the situation, the last thing most of the players on the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles want to do is play a doubleheader.

But that’s exactly what will happen on Friday after a rainout of Thursday night’s series opener.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole swept up the east coast on Thursday, washing out the series opener and necessitating a single-admission doubleheader on Friday.

This being the last weekend of the regular season, Baltimore, which is in last place in the American League East and Detroit, which is in a distant third in the Central, have long been out of the playoff hunt and just playing out the string. The Tigers have lost three in a row and have not shown much spark since falling out of the race in the beginning of August.

Their best player, AL MVP-candidate Miguel Cabrera, did not even make the final trip with the team due to a high ankle sprain.

The Orioles still have something to play for in the sense that everyone on the team is under evaluation by new manager Buck Showalter. Their play has picked up noticeably since his hiring as the players all work to secure jobs for next season. The veteran skipper has built championship-caliber teams in the past, guiding the New York Yankees right up until Joe Torre took over in 1996 and taking the Arizona Diamondbacks to the brink before surrendering to Bob Brenly for their 2001 championship run.

Showalter will get one last look at veteran right-hander Jeremy Guthrie on Friday night. The 31-year-old is arbitration-eligible this offseason and due for a big raise - big enough to make the team consider not tendering him a contract if Showalter doesn’t like what he sees. Guthrie has been up and down of late, allowing two runs or less in five of his last nine starts while yielding four or more in the others.

He was sharp at Detroit on September 11, allowing five hits and walking one while striking out four in seven scoreless innings. He is 2-1 in his career against the Tigers with a 3.51 ERA in seven games - four starts.

The Tigers will counter with sophomore right-hander Rick Porcello, who is attempting to end a disappointing season with a .500 record and a sub-5.00 ERA.

he 21-year-old started off horribly in 2010 and was sent to the minors for a month in the middle of June to rediscover his form.

The wake-up call seemed to work, as Porcello has been stronger since his return and is 5-0 over his last six starts. He is coming off a win against Minnesota in which he went eight innings and allowed one run on four hits.

He has never faced the Orioles.