Tigers, Not Lions, Get a 'Bye' This Week

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland points to the fans while taking a victory lap around the outfield after the Tigers defeated the Oakland Athletics 6-3 in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series in Detroit, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006. The Tigers swept the Athletics in four games to advance to the World Series. Leyland and the Tigers will go in with a seven-game post-season winning streak - suddenly they're looking a lot like the 2004 Boston Red Sox and 2005 Chicago White Sox, teams that got on a roll in October and stampeded to the championship. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) (Amy Sancetta - AP)

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers are starting to feel like a football team.

After winning the American League pennant on Magglio Ordonez's walk-off homer in Saturday's Game 4 against Oakland, the Tigers get a week off before Game 1 of the World Series.

They even practiced at a football stadium Tuesday at the end of a brief vacation.

"This is getting a little boring," rookie starter Justin Verlander said. "You don't get breaks like this during the regular season, so we aren't used to it. Still, as much of a blur as this season has been, especially being a rookie, it gives me a chance to spend a couple days thinking about everything that has happened."

The team got Sunday and recover from Saturday's wild celebration.

"I spent most of the last two days sleeping," reliever Jamie Walker said. "We're all getting some much-needed rest."

Because of rain, the team trekked across Brush Street to work out at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions and last February's Super Bowl.

"We can run over there and throw, and we'll set up a temporary infield to practice bunts," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, whose team opens the World Series at home Saturday. "That's going to be important, because three of our pitchers will have to be ready to do that when we go to the National League park."

Leyland wouldn't say which of his four starters definitely won't be batting, but Jeremy Bonderman is 0-for-19 with 12 strikeouts in his career, and has never managed a sacrifice.

Most of the players have been watching the NLCS, which is tied 2-2 after four games and two rainouts.

"This way we can do a little early scouting," Brandon Inge said. "I get frustrated watching baseball on TV sometimes, because of the commentators, but this lets us get a step ahead of whoever we play."

Leyland says the week off can help his team, especially injured players like Sean Casey and Joel Zumaya, but he wishes he knew the Tigers' opponent.