Continued: Tigers go with a new model out of Motown

Navigating through the Detroit Tigers lineup used to be a nightmare for pitchers.

There was Magglio Ordonez with his curly locks and lethal swing in the batter's box. Placido Polanco would grind through at-bat after at-bat. Power threats such as Miguel Cabrera, Gary Sheffield and Marcus Thames were up and down the order.

The Tigers scored 821 runs last season, fifth most in baseball.

Detroit leads the American League Central by 2 1/2 games over the White Sox and three games over the Twins heading into the Tigers' trip to the Metrodome tonight. But it's not because they are clubbing opposing pitching staffs into submission.

Ordonez has struggled for most of the season, has cut his hair and auctioned it off on eBay for charity. Polanco is having a down year. Sheffield was released.

The Motown Cats are thriving because of pitching and defense. Their staff ERA of 4.19 is 13th in baseball after their 4.90 mark last season was 27th in the majors.

Their 113 errors last year were tied for fifth most in the game. Their 38 errors this year are tied for sixth fewest.

It's a different Tigers team the Twins will face in a three-game series this weekend.

"We've got Detroit, who we are chasing, coming into our place," Twins first baseman Justin Morneau said. "We have been on the road a lot over the last 20 days, but they are coming in and it should be a good test for us.''

Morneau praised the pitching staff, led by Justin Verlander, who won a combined 35 games in 2006-07, dipped to 11-17 in '08 but is 8-4 this year.

"Verlander is back to where he was," Morneau said. "He's throwing a lot more fastballs and is coming at you. He got caught trying to trick guys. Here's a guy who can throw 96 to 98 miles an hour when he wants it. He got back to doing that and now he's successful.

"[Righthander] Edwin Jackson is a great pickup. He's got as good stuff as any righty in the league. He's tough.

"Rick Porcello has done a good job and gives you a chance to win."

The Twins will miss Verlander this weekend but will face Jackson, who is 6-4 with a 2.49 ERA, and Porcello, who is 8-5 with a 3.90 ERA in his second year in pro ball.

Their development can be traced to the work of first-year Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp, the former minor league pitching coordinator with the Twins.

"I think a couple guys started struggling early and started searching for answers," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "[Knapp] really helped turn Verlander around and has done a pretty good job over there."

Detroit's defense has improved, especially on the left side of the infield, where they signed free-agent shortstop Adam Everett, who was coming off an injury-plagued 2008 season with the Twins. They also put sure-handed Brandon Inge back at third base after he spent much of last season behind the plate.

Everett has been healthy and as smooth as ever with the glove.

"He has always been a good defensive player," Twins General Manager Bill Smith said. "Unfortunately, he had a shoulder injury he battled through. I'm disappointed for our sake that he didn't get to play the way he can. He's a good teammate and a good person."

And the Tigers haven't totally dropped off at the plate. Inge and center fielder Curtis Granderson each have 18 homers. Cabrera remains a force, batting .331 with 16 homers and 47 RBI.

Pitching and defense can make up for the offense. But that doesn't mean Tigers manager Jim Leyland is content with how his team is winning.

"We are in first place," Leyland told reporters after Tuesday's 5-3 victory over Oakland. "We have played pretty good. We've done a lot of good things in the first half. [But] to me, the better days for this team should be lying ahead. ... We are a more talented hitting club than we've shown."