Series Dates/Pitching Matchups
Game 1 in New York: Friday, September 30; 8:37 p.m. — Justin Verlander vs. CC Sabathia
Game 2 in New York: Saturday, October 1; 8:37 p.m. — Doug Fister vs. Ivan Nova
Game 3 in Detroit: Monday, October 3; 8:37 p.m. — Max Scherzer vs. Freddy Garcia
Game 4 (if necessary) in Detroit: Tuesday, October 4; TBD — Rick Porcello vs. CC Sabathia
Game 4 (if necessary in New York: Thursday, October 6; TBD — Justin Verlander vs. Ivan Nova
Just like 2006, the not-so-same 95-67 Tigers team will take on the New York Yankees for the right to play in the ALCS. As a Tigers’ fan, I’m a whole lot less terrified of the Yankees in 2011 compared to 2006. In 2006, the Tigers’ first appearance in the playoffs in my conscious life, the Tigers took the series in four games after a Game 1 loss. I don’t know if the present optimism means I’ll be sorely disappointed by this time next week or if the Tigers will clean up; all I know is that this is the most exciting time of the year and I can’t wait for first pitch at 8:37 p.m. on Friday night with a cold beverage in one hand and a giant foam No. 1 finger in the other.
Of course, the rosters from 2006 to 2011 are drastically different for both teams. For one, Curtis Granderson, very well the Yankees MVP, was on the Tigers then (and hit two homers in the four-game series). He, Justin Verlander, Magglio Ordonez, Brandon Inge, Carlos Guillen, Ramon Santiago, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Scott Proctor (who left & was brought back) are the only players on the 2011 squads who were apart of what happened five years ago.
Actually, the rosters from Opening Day when these two teams faced off are pretty different, too. Granderson, who hit 8th on Opening Day for the Yanks because of a subpar 2010 season, hit No. 2 in the Yankees season season finale. Jesus Montero, a midseason call up, will more than likely DH for the Yanks in the series.The rest of the lineup, however, remains mostly unchanged, assuming A-Rod can go.
As for the Tigers, midseason trades by Dave Dombrowski really turned this team into not only a legitimate playoff team, but one fully capable of making a run for the World Series. The additions of Wilson Betemit, Delmon Young, and Doug Fister bolstered this team to 95 wins when 85 may not have even seemed possible. Doug Fister is 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA in 70 1/3 innings with Detroit and, as Verlander says, is overpowering people with overpowering stuff. Delmon Young has eight homers in 40 games after only having four all year with the Twins and is hitting more in line with his breakout 2010 season, too. Betemit, who replaced Brandon Inge’s Mendoza line, is hitting .292/.346/.871 since being acquired.
And the trades also provided a punch in the arm to the rest of the team, too. Magglio Ordonez, who was hitting .223/.280/.576 at the time of the Delmon trade, has hit .385/.397/.874 since, facing mostly just lefties, as he will against the Yanks. Even lost-hitter Brandon Inge is hitting .278/.355/.799 since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo in mid-August. The already perennial MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera since Delmon Young was plugged in front of him in the lineup? A .421/.520/1.196 hitting line with seven home runs and 30 RBI.
When you consider what those trades have done for the Tigers, while also acknowledging that they boast the AL’s Cy Young winner-to-be, Batting Champ, best hitting catcher, best hitting SS, perhaps a Gold Glove centerfielder, and best closer (Valverde: 49-49 in saves this season), it’s the Tigers that appears to be the scary squad in this series, not the Yankees, like it was in 2006.
Of course, that’s not to say the Yankees aren’t scary. While the pitching past CC isn’t daunting in the least, their lineup is still as frightening as ever. They still have two MVP candidates in Granderson and Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and — woah, yeah, that lineup is freaking horrifying.
But as the playoffs so many times before has proved, pitching and defense can trump loaded lineups. Hell, look at the Red Sox, and they’re not even in the playoffs. In 2011, the way the Tigers have hit, their lineup matches up just fine, and their pitching appears to be much better.
However, the Yankees will win if… they can pitch. Sounds simple enough, but beyond CC, the starting staff for the series is made up of a rookie and a 34-year-old who has started 46 big league games since his last quality season in 2005. Those three are well rested (7-9 days rest, which is a question mark in and of itself) and are ready to go on three days rest so they don’t have to rely on unreliable AJ Burnett. Further, they have a solid bullpen in Robertson, Soriano, and Rivera et. al that can more than compensate, if need be. On paper, though, they’ll have a lot of pressure in the first three games because the Tigers’ starters don’t give up much.
PREDICTION: Tigers take Games 1, 3, and 4. Like 2006, Tigers in 4.
