Sports: Verlander to Miss Start

Verlander to Miss a Start

Justin Verlander will not make his next scheduled start of the spring. The right-hander is considered day-to-day after leaving Friday's game after three innings with a cramp in his right triceps.

Tiger Cuts

The Tigers made several roster cuts yesterday, finalizing their position players a week before Opening Day.  Catcher Bryan Holaday and outfielder Tyler Collins were the most notable of the eight cuts. Both were optioned to Triple-A Toledo.  Catcher James McCann has had a great spring.  He’s hitting .371 and looks good behind the plate.  Starting catcher Alex Avila is hitting .184.  Infielders Hernan Perez and Kevin Romine will be the backup outfielders to start the season.   Manager Brad Ausmus says Tyler Collins will be better off in Toledo where he can play every day and be ready if the Tigers need him.

The Tigers also sent catcher Manny Pina, infielders Aaron Westlake, Jordan Lennerton and Jefry Marte and outfielders Jason Krizan and Xavier Avery to minor league camp.

Of those eight, only Holaday and Collins seemed to have a legitimate chance to make the team.

Tigers

The Tigers lost to the Braves 4-2. Yoenis Cespedes homered forDetroit, which got six innings of one-run ball from starter Alfredo Simon.  Joba Chamberlain took the loss, giving up two-runs on four hits and one walk while recording just two outs, one when Alex Avila threw out a runner stealing and another on a run-scoring sacrifice fly.  Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera is okay after taking a tumble yesterday against the Braves. He made a diving stop of a ground ball, but dove over the top of a ducking Kelly Johnson as he tried to make a tag at first base.  The Tigers host the Pirates this afternoon.

KCC Baseball

The KCC baseball team swept Mott Community College, 6-4 and 10-0, moving them to 9-9 on the season and 2-0 in the conference.  Tyler Bradner struck out 7 for the game 1 win.   Tate Brawley pitched a 6-inning shutout in game 2.  Travis Bolin and Brad Spieldenner both went 3-4 in the nightcap.

Pistons

The Pistons host the Atlanta Hawks tonight at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit had its four-game winning Sunday in Miami.   The Pistons are 28-and-45 overall with nine games left.

Red Wings

The Red Wings are back in action tonight when they host the Ottawa Senators. Detroitis coming off a road loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday. The Wings have lost nine of their last 13 games and is third in the Atlantic Division with 92 points.Ottawahas lost three straight.

College Basketball

Michigan State will play Duke in the national semifinals in Indianapolis Saturday. Kentucky will play Wisconsin, with the national championship game next Monday. MichiganState's run to the Final Four came one season later than expected.  Since taking over the Michigan State program in 1995, Coach Tom Izzo had never gone more than three seasons without a Final Four appearance until his 2014 team fell a game short.   The Spartans lost three key players from last year. But the holdovers have made it further in the tournament.

While the NCAA Tournament is gearing up for the Final Four this weekend in Indianapolis, the NIT plays its Final Four tonight at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Top-seeded Temple goes up against second-seeded Miami-Florida in the first game at 7 p.m. Eastern. That's followed by fellow top seed Old Dominion against second-seeded Stanford. Tonight's winners advance to the championship game on Thursday.

The women's Final Four will have a familiar feel to it with three of last year's teams back in the national semifinals. No. 1 seeds UConn, Notre Dame and Maryland all return to the Final Four.South Carolina is making its first appearance.