DETROIT ? There’s always a buzz on Opening Day — even for the Detroit Tigers, who haven’t had a winning record in 12 years.

The realistic anticipation for a promising season might make the atmosphere even more electric when they start the 2005 season this afternoon at home against Kansas City.

“It’s always big, but I think people do sense there’s more excitement this year,” Tigers manager Alan Trammell said.

The team thinks it has a shot to contend in the AL Central, with an improved lineup, led by newcomer Magglio Ordonez, and a better bullpen, with the addition of closer Troy Percival.

“It’s time to start turning things around in Detroit,” left fielder Rondell White said.

Detroit’s Jeremy Bonderman, 22, will become the youngest pitcher to start on Opening Day in the major leagues since 1986, when 21-year-old Dwight Gooden did it for the New York Mets, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“It’s a stepping stone to where I want to go,” Bonderman said. “Now, I have to go out and do something. I’m just excited to get a chance to feel what it’s like to get to pitch on Opening Day.”

Despite coming off one of their worst seasons, with a 58-104 record, the Royals also are optimistic about their chances this year.

“We are a young team, but we’ve got a lot of good players coming up,” center fielder David DeJesus said. “I think we could surprise some people, but we’ll just have to see.”

New York fans cheer as the starting lineups are introduced before the start of the first game of the 2005 baseball season. The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox, 9-2, Sunday night at Yankee Stadium in New York.

A familiar face — and personality who often shouted “It’s Lima Time!” — will start for Kansas City.

Jose Lima’s career in the majors started with the Tigers in 1994, and he returned for parts of the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

“I got my career going again with them, and I really thought I was going to end my career there,” he said. “It almost did end there, just not how I thought it was going to.”

Lima is 21-8 since the Royals found him pitching for an independent minor league team in June 2003. He was 8-3 for Kansas City that year, but the Royals didn’t offer him a contract after the season.

He made the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation last year as a non-roster invitee, then went 13-5 with a 4.07 ERA and threw a shutout against St. Louis in the playoffs. The Royals re-signed him on Christmas Day to provide a veteran presence.

Lima said he didn’t get to start opening day when he won 16 games in 1998 with the Houston Astros or 21 games the next year for them.

“But that’s OK, I haven’t worried about that,” he said. “I’m just glad to be starting this one.”

The Royals hope slugger Mike Sweeney can start and end the season healthy.

Sweeney has missed 146 games over the past three seasons with back problems, but says he’s in the best shape of his career.

Detroit was one of the few suitors for Ordonez because the four-time All-Star played just 52 games last season because he had two surgeries on his left knee. His knee was fine during spring training, but a stomach aliment caused concerns last week.

Ordonez said Sunday he was healthy enough to play in the opener.