By LYNN HENNING
The Detroit News

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - This was not what Steve Sparks wanted, not that the New York Mets hitters minded.

After cruising through two innings Thursday, Sparks was slammed for seven runs in the third and fourth innings before he was mercifully pulled in the Detroit Tigers' 7-0 loss to the Mets at Thomas J. White Stadium.

Sparks is being counted on as a starter - maybe the Opening Day starter - in Manager Alan Trammell's season-opening rotation.

But should there be any further free-falls to match Thursday's, Sparks could be headed for the bullpen, while that 'long shot' to make Detroit's pitching staff - rookie right-hander Jeremy Bonderman - might move closer to breaking camp with the big club.

Bonderman will pitch in Friday's Tigers-Mets rematch at Marchant Stadium. Trammell concedes grudgingly that Bonderman is not pitching for the fun of it. He is being looked at, although the Tigers hate to admit a 20-year-old kid out of Class A ball has any serious chance to go north.

"If he pitches well (Friday), it will be another discussion point for you, and for us," Trammell said, half-grinning as he spoke of Bonderman's scheduled two-inning stint, which will follow starter Mike Maroth.

"It's still way too early to pencil him in," Trammell said of Bonderman, who was part of the glitter that persuaded Detroit last July to trade Jeff Weaver. "He's still a long shot."

So, of course, are the Tigers, whose five-hour round trip to Port St. Lucie went down as a complete waste of bus fuel.

Ever the positive one, Trammell said Thursday's game "could have been worse." In fact, he was at least pleased that the Tigers shut down New York following Sparks' departure, thanks to some good work by Fernando De La Cruz, Shane Loux, Fernando Rodney and Carlos Alvarado.

Tigers hitters had their own challenges. Ramon Santiago, with a double and single, was the only batter with two hits. Hiram Bocachica had a triple to deep center field, and Gene Kingsale, Craig Monroe and Carlos Pena each ripped doubles.

Sparks afterward stood outside the Tigers team bus, squinting into a late-afternoon sun, as he described his sudden demise following a breezy first two innings.

"Obviously, there's some work to do," said Sparks, 37, a knuckleball artist who is coming off a tough 2002 season. "I don't like to go out there and embarrass myself. But I've got plenty of time (to get going).

"I wasn't taking spin off the ball," he said of his third- and fourth-inning disaster, during which he allowed seven hits, including two home runs. "I was doing a better job the first couple of innings of keeping it low. I felt like I was getting my middle finger around the ball - not staying on top. It was little bit like a bad slider."

Trammell had hoped to get Sparks through the fourth inning, finishing somewhere near 50 pitches. But by the time he was dismissed with one out in the fourth, Sparks had thrown 59 pitches.