Kinsler ready for ex-teammates

DETROIT -- Prince Fielder is still in Texas dealing with a neck injury and not yet ready to play against his former Tigers teammates. But Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler was in the lineup hitting .317 and ready for his first game against the Rangers.

The two players were swapped for each other this winter, ending Kinsler's eight-year stay with the Rangers.

"I'm looking forward to it," Kinsler said. "It's going to be fun playing against ex-teammates and playing against [manager Ron Washington]. I'm looking forward to it."

Kinsler, who was on vacation with Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre when he heard about the trade, said he still stays in touch with his ex-teammates.

"A little bit," Kinsler said. "During the season, you kind of get stuck in the routine of baseball. I still stay in touch with some of them. Little bit of trash talk [before the series]."

Apparent nobody was too upset when Kinsler said in a pre-season interview that he hoped the Rangers would go 0-162.

"They laughed," Kinsler said. "They thought it was funny. Like everyone probably should. The way it was taken was serious. But it's funny. It's supposed to be funny. They saw it as funny."