DETROIT — It says something when your manager seems like he doesn’t trust you in an elimination game — especially on a team that’s filled with defensive question marks.

Just last Sunday, Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus had proclaimed Ezequiel Carrera the best of the remaining center fielders, the morning after Rajai Davis injured himself on the second-to-last game of the regular season.

One week later, Carrera’s not in the lineup when Davis can’t go for Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Instead, Don Kelly’s starting in center.

“Gut instinct, decided to go with Donnie. Defensively, they’re about the same,” Ausmus said before the win-or-go-home game. “Zeke probably runs a little bit better. Donnie, obviously, has a little more experience.”

Carrera does have far better speed. But other than the spectacular, highlight-reel catch in New York shortly after the trade deadline dealings brought him the big leagues, there have been more poor plays than good ones.

See: The single that got dumped in front of him in Game 2, chasing starter Justin Verlander from the game.

That’s one where you’d hope your center fielder gets a better jump, and makes a play.

Ausmus chose to play Carrera in the final game of the regular season, in part based on a ‘gut feeling’ that he’d been swinging the bat well. But, at the time, he still endorsed his defensive capabilities.

“In terms of from a defensive standpoint, it would probably be Carrera, Kelly first, but Tyler (Collins) could play center. Out of the three, Carrera’s probably the better center fielder out of all of them. Then Kelly, and Tyler,” Ausmus said. “All three of them are capable of playing it.”

Like Davis, Carrera’s fleetness of foot can be a bonus offensively — he finished with seven steals in the regular season, fifth-most on the team, despite playing just 45 games with the Tigers — but his defense has been spotty. Lots of bad jumps, poor routes.

Sitting him Sunday is merely an endorsement of that reality.

Rajai Davis was hopeful he'd play again in Game 3 of the Division Series, but with the cold weather, manager Brad Ausmus started Don Kelly in the key game instead.

Down 0-2, the Tigers turned to David Price on the mound, hoping he'd do the same thing he'd done in Game 162, helping seal a division title.

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

Baltimore leads, 2-0

G3: at Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 5, 3:45 p.m.

TV: TBS (Brian Anderson PBP, Dennis Eckersley/Joe Simpson color)

Radio: WXYT-AM (1270) and WWJ-AM (950), WMGC-FM (105.1 — ESPN feed)

DETROIT TIGERS

Ian Kinsler, 2B

Torii Hunter, RF

Miguel Cabrera, 1B

Victor Martinez, DH

J.D. Martinez, LF

Alex Avila, C

Nick Castellanos, 3B

Andrew Romine, SS

Don Kelly, CF

Pitcher: David Price, LHP (4-4, 3.59 ERA with Tigers)

[LINK: Manager Brad Ausmus on decision to start Kelly over Ezequiel Carrera]

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Nick Markakis, RF
Steven Pearce, 1B
Adam Jones, CF
Nelson Cruz, DH
Delmon Young, LF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Nick Hundley, C
Ryan Flaherty, 3B
Jonathan Schoop, 2B

Pitcher: Bud Norris, RHP (15-8, 3.65 ERA)

Other related links:
[ALDS schedule]
[Pressure's on Price again to produce with Tigers in an 0-2 hole]
[Verlander asks for #BlueOut at Comerica]
[Anibal Sanchez gives Tigers two good innings of relief, but no more]

DETROIT — "Full speed" for Miguel Cabrera is always a relative term.

Still the Detroit Tigers' slugger did not appear to be running at full speed on a fourth-inning double and, after a two-out single in the sixth, came out of the game.

Head trainer Kevin Rand checked on Cabrera at first base, then the two went back to the dugout. Don Kelly came in as the pinch runner.

The official diagnosis is left hamstring tightness. He is day-to-day.

Cabrera had offseason surgery to repair core muscle damage that slowed him for much of the second half of last season.

Cabrera has not missed a start this season, but has left three games early. All were either for precautionary reasons, or in a blowout loss. The last time Cabrera left a game early was in the 12-4 loss to the Rangers on May 25, again with hamstring cramp.

DETROIT — Of the top two young middle infielders in the Detroit Tigers system, Hernan Perez was not the first one to get the call-up to the majors this season, and take a turn in the shortstop carousel.

But he might get a start before Euenio Suarez does.

Here’s why:

Suarez was called up Wednesday afternoon, and made his big-league debut later that night, winding up hurting his knee in his first at-bat.

Earlier in the game, starter Andrew Romine partially dislocated his shoulder on a diving defensive play.

With Suarez unable to take his scheduled start Thursday, that left the Tigers with Don Kelly, who has a total of 20 big-league innings (two starts) at shortstop on his resume, as the backup shortstop for the game.

He was on deck when the game ended, meaning he’d have gone out to short for the first time since 2007, if the Tigers had tied it up.

“We were down to our last out, so I don’t know that I’d want to throw Donnie out there for multiple innings, if I can possibly avoid it, so pinch-hitting earlier was a bigger risk,” manager Brad Ausmus, who wouldn’t tip which way he was leaning for Friday’s game. “Well, you certainly don’t generally want to run a team out there with a couple of people who can play shortstop. We’ll have to re-evaluate tomorrow, see how he (Suarez) feels. If it’s significantly better, great. If he doesn’t, then a decision might have to be made. No decision will be made until we talk to him tomorrow.”

While Suarez felt OK after Wednesday’s game, he was limping around the clubhouse Thursday morning. The team sent him for an MRI.

“The news was generally good. We’re hoping it’ll just be a few days,” Ausmus said. “Because of the position, obviously, we’ll have to see how he feels in the morning. But they don’t feel it’s major structural damage.”

That’s a lot the same diagnosis made on Romine’s shoulder. He said he felt it pop out when he landed awkwardly on a diving play. He stayed on the ground for several minutes, clearly in pain.

“I thought I broke something, for sure,” Romine said. “I wasn’t sure what I did, but I wanted to make sure nothing was broken before I tried to push off on it.”

Romine went for X-rays, which found no structural damage. He tested the shoulder, swinging right-handed (the biggest concern with a left shoulder injury) before acknowledging he could start Thursday’s game.

“I’ll play as much as I can,” said Romine, still clearly in pain, after the game.

If either Romine or Suarez can't go, don't be surprised if someone goes to the disabled list, and the Tigers call up Perez to cover themselves.

The Tigers will have a pregame ceremony Saturday afternoon, before the game against the Twins, honoring former manager Jim Leyland. Fans are asked to be in their seats by 12:40 p.m. Gates still open at 11 a.m.

There will be a video board tribute, and Leyland will throw out the first pitch.

DETROIT TIGERS (20-11):
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Torii Hunter, RF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Austin Jackson, CF
Don Kelly, LF
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Alex Avila, C
Andrew Romine, SS

Pitcher: Max Scherzer, RHP (4-1, 1.72 ERA)

MINNESOTA TWINS (16-18): 
Brian Dozier, 2B
Kurt Suzuki, C
Joe Mauer, DH
Chris Colabello, 1B
Chris Parmelee, RF
Eduardo Nunez, LF
Eduardo Escobar, 3B
Aaron Hicks, CF
Danny Santana, SS

Pitcher: Kyle Gibson (3-2, 3.50 ERA)

The last thing any manager or executive wants is to have someone injure themselves in the last week of camp. No one wants injuries at any time, but if they come early, there's at least time to deal with them.

So that's why the Tigers' brain trust of manager Jim Leyland and GM Dave Dombrowski had to be swallowing hard when they saw back-up catcher Gerald Laird go down in a heap in the second inning of Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Baltimore Orioles. Laird had been tracking a foul fly off the bat of Jai Miller when third baseman Don Kelly ran into his left knee. By all reports, Laird went down in pain, clutching the knee, and had to be helped off the field by head trainer Kevin Rand and minor league infielder Brandon Douglas.

There was a sigh of relief when it turned out to be less serious that it could have been.

The Tigers announced that it was a left knee sprain, that Laird's status was day-to-day, and that he'd be re-evaluated on Saturday.

Laird told the Detroit News' Tom Gage that he'll miss "only a couple of days. Glad I didn't blow it out."

Why all the angst over a journeyman catcher, a career .241 hitter?

Well, having seen the cost of not having a reliable back-up catcher on the roster — especially when the injury to Victor Martinez’s knee forced starter Alex Avila to be in the lineup for 18 straight games at one point last season — the Tigers brought Laird back on a one-year deal to take up the slack. Initially, it was to keep Martinez from having to do double duty. The signing became doubly important when Martinez tore up his knee in January, shelving him for the season.

Laird certainly won’t make anyone forget V-Mart’s offensive contributions when he’s in the lineup, but he’ll certainly help keep Avila fresh for the playoffs, which may be just as important. Avila was worn to a nub by playoff time, suffering from tendinitis in both knees, and hitting .073 in the postseason as a result.

Laird's absence on a short-term basis is probably not all that problematic. Last year's third-string catcher, Omir Santos, who split time between the big league team and Triple-A Toledo, and was sent to the minor league camp Friday morning, could be called back. He'd have to be added to the 40-man roster to do so, but the Tigers could easily open a slot by placing Al Alburquerque (elbow surgery) on the 60-day disabled list, among a handful of possible moves.

The problem is that Santos would not be a long-term solution, should Laird have to miss significant time. As it stands now, the Tigers have at least two 'emergency' catchers on the roster — Kelly and Brandon Inge — but neither would be considered anything more than a band-aid for a game, or at the extreme outside, two. Inge has had multiple knee surgeries since his own days behind the plate, eliminating him from realistic consideration for the role.

Having said that, you have to wonder where the Tigers might turn, if Laird were to get hurt (or if Friday's injury turned out to be serious)? Santos, who was re-signed as an insurance policy? One of the minor-league catchers, like recent draft picks Bryan Holaday, Curt Casali Rob Brantly or James McCann? Someone outside the organization?

That's a more interesting question.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland tends to tear up a bit when the subject of utility man Don Kelly comes up.

And Thursday's first-inning home run was no exception.

“I’m real proud of him. It couldn't happen to a better kid. To have this moment in Yankee Stadium for Donnie Kelly, you’ve got your stars, but to happen to a guy like this, that’s real special,” Leyland said, tearing up. “That’s a memory he’ll have. Cabrera and those guys are going to have millions of memories, but this is one that Donnie Kelly will have forever. It’s a real special moment.”

For Kelly — who said the time between Thursday's deciding Game 5 of the American League Division Series and Friday's workout prior to the AL Championship Series in Arlington, Texas, was a blur — the moment was real when it happened.

"The thing that I remember about it is hitting it, and once I knew it was gone, I came around second base, and it was like the whole stadium was silent, except for the Tigers family section," Kelly said.

So you don't think the Tigers are a loose bunch, having fun?

If you missed it Sunday, here's the clip of utilityman Don Kelly getting a hotfoot in the dugout during the game vs. the Twins. The culprit was apparently Justin Verlander.