DETROIT -- It’s typically a simple process for Tigers manager Jim Leyland to fill out his lineup card.

Oftentimes, he’s able to do the night before a game.

This time, he couldn’t.

Leyland told reporters early Thursday that he agonized over whether to start Ryan Raburn or Quintin Berry for the series finale against the Minnesota Twins.

He eventually

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“I tossed and turned with it,” he said.

His reasoning was relatively simple: Raburn has to produce against left-handed pitchers. But he needs that chance. So, he'll get it today when he makes his second straight start in left field.

“If Raburn doesn’t help us against left-handers, we have issues,” he said. “So, you give him the benefit of the doubt to see if maybe he can get it going a little bit.”

And, Leyland didn’t single out Raburn. He expects better production out of right-handed hitters Delmon Young and Jhonny Peralta, too.

“They were all in the lineup last night, and I don’t mean this critically, I’m just making a general point about what the Tigers need if we’re going to get rolling,” he said. “We’ve got to get something out of those guys.”

For the second straight game, Raburn is slated to bat second and spell Berry in left field with another southpaw on the mound. Today, it’s Minnesota’s Scott Diamond.

Raburn is 2-for-6 against the left-hander, while Berry, who only has 132 major-league at-bats under is belt, has yet to face him.

It’s the second of five straight southpaws slated to start against the Tigers, who own a 9-10 record against left-handers -- compared to 31-29 record against righties.

“Normally, it’s like clockwork,” Leyland said. “Normally, I can write it out the night before right after the game. Raburn has struggled, so that made it more difficult.”

It appeared the 31-year-old Raburn had cleared an early-season hurdle, hitting .262 with five extra-base hits since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo last month.

But, his struggles have seemingly reemerged as he’s hit only .177 with one double in his last five games. A notorious second-half hitter Raburn enters Thursday hitting .176 with only one homer and 10 RBIs this season.

“I tossed this around until five minutes and I still wasn’t sure what to do, to be honest,” Leyland said. “That sounds like the manager doesn’t know what he’s doing, but I know what I’m doing. I slept on it and thought about it last night.”

-- Follow James Schmehl on Twitter: @jamesschmehl

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