Ordonez says his ankle feels great

Magglio Ordonez has gone 6-for-21 with a double while on a rehab assignment with the Mud Hens. 'My ankle feels great,' he said. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGT Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Tuesday night Magglio Ordonez went 1-for-4 with a single in the Mud Hens' 4-1 loss to Gwinnett at Fifth Third Field.

But those numbers aren't nearly as important as the answer to one question: How does Ordonez feel?

"My ankle feels great," Ordonez said before the game. "It feels strong, it feels stable. I just need to play, to get used to playing every day."

Detroit placed the 37-year-old Ordonez on the disabled list May 11 with what the Tigers called, "right ankle weakness." He hit just .172 in 26 games and had just one home run and five RBIs. With his effort Tuesday night Ordonez now is 6-for-21 (.286) with Toledo and has a double.

"He's healthy, and that's the main thing," Mud Hens manager Phil Nevin said. "He's gone out and everything has been scripted in terms of what he has to do, and so far he's done it, and that's nice to see.

"He's taking his swings, taking his cuts. We're not looking for results; we're looking for a [good] feel, a [good] approach."

Since the Tigers are in Texas -- and return home Thursday -- the sensible move is for Ordonez to remain in Toledo for one more day rather than fly to Texas, then fly back to Detroit one day later.

So Ordonez will play for the Hens again Wednesday. He played rightfield for all nine innings Tuesday, and he will again play nine innings in right Wednesday  night.

"I'm trying to get back in rhythm and get back into baseball shape," Ordonez said. "I'm trying to get ready to help the Tigers.

"To get into a rhythm you have to play every day, and that's what I'm doing here. I'm trying to get some at-bats, and so far, so good."

Ordonez singled on a hard ground ball in the first, then grounded out in the third. He took a called third strike in the sixth -- the ball appeared to be outside -- and hit a weak popup behind second with runners on first and third in the eighth.

But Ordonez said he likes the way he has been hitting the ball with the Hens so far.

"I've been able to hit the ball with authority," Ordonez said. "The power has been there; what I need is the [bat] quickness.

"I was using all upper body [when I was hurt], and that's why I was hitting ground balls. It was all upper body [with my swing], no legs, and no drive."

Detroit has left the return date for Ordonez open, but the 6-0, 215-pounder is pushing to return when the Tigers begin a home series with Seattle Thursday.

"The Tigers have told me to take my time to get ready," Ordonez said. "They are playing well right now, so that's a plus; I can take more time [to get ready].

"But the bottom line is to get ready and get to 100 percent so I can help the Tigers win."

Contact John Wagner at: jwagner@theblade.com or 419-724-6481.