Detroit Tigers' pitcher Max Scherzer delivers a pitch to the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of an exhibition baseball game Friday, April 2, 2010, in Milwaukee.

AP photo

The Tigers rallied from three runs down on opening day to beat Kansas City, and after Tuesday's day off they return to the diamond tonight.

Max Scherzer, acquired from Arizona this offseason, makes his first start for the Tigers. He's a cerebral pitcher, albeit one who can dial up the heat.

Scherzer, and fellow newcomers Johnny Damon, Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore could make the Tigers an endearing team if they continue to play winning baseball.

The last time the Royals started 0-2 was 2006, when they dropped two games to the Tigers to start the season, won their next two, then lost 11 in a row.

More MLB
• USA Today: At nearly $123 million, the Tigers have the sixth highest payroll in baseball. Money sure doesn't go as far as it used to.

NFL
• MLive.com: New Lions guard Rob Sims has low standards. The Lions, he said, epitomize football.
• Detroit Free Press: Not that he has any money left, but Charles Rogers owes the Lions $6.1 million.
• Washington Post: The Redskins paid Albert Haynesworth a $21 million bonus last week, now they're looking to trade him.
• Minneapolis Star Tribune: There's a grandpa playing in the NFL.

NBA
• Detroit News: The Pistons are a mess. Charlie Villanueva and Austin Daye missed the team charter Monday night, then they went out and blew a chance at more lottery balls.

GOLF
• New York Times: K.J. Choi, Matt Kuchar "cool" with playing the first two rounds of the Masters with Tiger Woods. Tee time: 1:42 p.m.

Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.