Leyland’s Move Is a Guy Thing

OAKLAND —  Jim Leyland could have started hard-throwing rookie right-hander Justin Verlander in Game 1 tonight and crafty left-hander Kenny Rogers, who is 23-1 in Oakland since 1995, in Game 2, both on regular rest, but the Detroit Tigers manager decided on Nate Robertson for Game 1 because, well, he’s one of the guys.

“That’s what you do when you get to these things, you go with your guys,” Leyland said. “You don’t all of a sudden get in the championship series and pull Sandy Koufax or Bob Gibson out of your back pocket. It doesn’t work that way.”

Robertson, who was 13-13 with a 3.84 earned-run average this season, was hit hard in Game 1 of the division series, giving up seven runs and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings of an 8-4 loss to the New York Yankees.

But Leyland said he has “total confidence” in the left-hander and that “it’s kind of Nate’s turn to pitch.” Leyland also wanted to give Rogers extra rest after the veteran threw 113 pitches while shutting out the Yankees for 7 2/3 innings Friday in Game 3.

Rogers will pitch Game 3 of the championship series Friday in Detroit.

“That was such a draining effort, we decided to give him the time,” Leyland said. “And at the same time, if, by chance, the series goes seven games, he would be able pitch Game 3 and then Game 7 in Oakland. That’s why we did it.”

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It was impossible not to notice how several Tigers pitchers dominated the Yankees while throwing in twilight conditions, but there were differing views in the Oakland clubhouse about how the made-for-television 5 p.m. starts would affect games in McAfee Coliseum.

“The shadows are going to be a factor,” A’s catcher Jason Kendall said. “It’s no fun to hit in those conditions, and it’s just as hard to catch in them. But you can’t do anything about it. It’s a TV thing.”

Said third baseman Eric Chavez: “There should only be shadows for one or two innings, so it should be OK. It was the 4 p.m. starts here that were terrible.”

Added first baseman Nick Swisher: “It’s the ALCS, man ... no excuses.”

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Second baseman Placido Polanco, who had four home runs and 52 runs batted in this season, may be the least imposing hitter in the Tigers lineup, but don’t tell that to the A’s. Polanco, who bats second, hit .516 (16 for 31) with seven RBIs against Oakland this season.

“He hits a million off us,” Manager Ken Macha said. “Somebody said we should throw it, like, behind him and see if he can hit it. I’m just kidding. He’s just a contact guy who hits line drives everywhere and who doesn’t over-swing.”

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After being the subject of trade rumors for three years, Barry Zito is still with the A’s and will start Game 1 tonight. The veteran left-hander will be a free agent after the season, but just as he shunned questions about being traded, he has no desire to discuss his future beyond this season.

“I’ve always said, until I’m not wearing white spikes, don’t come up to me, don’t ask me what I think,” Zito said. “Because it’s like asking a guy, ‘Well, you might get in a car accident today when you go home; how do you feel about that?’ I don’t know. I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

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To fill the spot vacated by second baseman Mark Ellis, who broke a finger in the division series and is out for the rest of the playoffs, the A’s added infielder Mark Kiger, who split this season between triple-A Sacramento and double-A Midland, to their playoff roster.

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