Andrew Romine gets a second straight start at shortstop for the Tigers, facing his old team.
There was a method behind manager Brad Ausmus' madness, a reason for giving Romine just his 10th career start against a left-handed pitcher, and his first as a Tiger.

"I have a theory that the first time a traded player faces his old team, there’s a little extra focus, a little extra motivation, facing the team that traded you," Ausmus said of the switch hitter, who was acquired in trade from the Angels in spring training.
"I don’t know if that’s true. It’s just a theory."

He knows this from personal experience?

"Yeah, a little bit. I don’t know what my numbers are after I got traded, against teams that traded me away," the manager said. "I know a year after I got traded from the Rockies to San Diego, I hit a home run off the guy I was traded for (Greg Harris). A year to the day (July 26, 2004). That’s the only thing I remember."

Romine does not have a home run yet in his career — no matter which side of the plate he's hitting from.

CLICK HERE for a column on the shortstop position.

DETROIT TIGERS (7-6)
Rajai Davis, LF
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Torii Hunter, RF
Austin Jackson, CF
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Bryan Holaday, C
Andrew Romine, SS

Pitcher: Max Scherzer (0-1, 2.70 ERA)

LOS ANGELES ANGELS (8-8)
J.B. Shuck LF
Mike Trout CF
Albert Pujols DH
Raul Ibanez 1B
Howie Kendrick 2B
Ian Stewart 3B
Erick Aybar SS
Hank Conger C
Brennan Boesch RF

Pitcher: C.J. Wilson (2-1, 3.92 ERA)