Wow! The Tigers schooled the Yankees, injuries and A-Rod drama not withstanding. Two earned runs in 4 games? Against the mighty Yankees? Leyland is a great coach, and the Tigers have an outstanding team. I just may have to switch leagues in the WS this year. I can count on one hand the number of times I've cheered for an AL team during my lifetime. This could be one of them. I have no loyalty to the Giants, and the Cardinals won last year. The Tigers are a long time great organization in a city that could use a boost, to put it mildly.
The Tigers with the best pitcher in baseball and the first triple crown winner in half a century barely won the weakest division in the AL when the White Sox folded the last weeks of the season. Only a GREAT coach could have pulled it off. :roll:
That's great to know because the Cards are the 2nd string wild card this year. They shouldn't even be in contention. However, I'm scared now. They brought up the 1996 3-1 collapse against the Braves last night....all is doomed...all is doomed...
I guess one of the benefits of being on a championship team is chicks...Jason Verlander is supposedly now dating Kate Upton.
:!: In a short series, the team with an ace and power hitters has a huge advantage. This season, that describes the Tigers. Leyland will arrange it for Verlander to start games #1,#4, and #7. Power only needs to win one other game...
Not always. The Yankees lead MLB in home runs and their pitchers performed well as a group in the playoffs and they had arguable two axces in Sabathia and Kuroda. But when the 8 of 9 stop hitting at once and the only hitter gets hurt then Cy Young can't save you. 8)
Pitchers today are different. Teams go with a 5 rather than a 4 man rotation. Unless weather plays a part, I don't see Leyland coming back with Verlander in game 4. The kid has a bionic arm and throws 120 pitches in a game like it was 2 innings of relief. I'm sure he could do it and would want to do it. However, few out there are more stubborn than Leyland.