Zack Greinke

The CY Young awards were a hot debate. Despite dominating virtually every opponent all season long in the American League, many thought that the Kansas City Royals ace’s win total was not enough. However after the votes were tallied, Zack Greinke was indeed the winner. He accumulated 25 of the 28 first place votes and a total of 134 points, well ahead of second-place finisher Felix Hernandez (80 points) of the Seattle Mariners. Even Greinke felt that the vote would be closer because he thought “Felix had an amazing year and that he would get a little more credit than he did…” King Felix finished the season 19-5 (tied for the most wins with the other CY Young hopefuls Justin Verlander and CC Sabathia) to go with a 2.49 ERA, though he is virtually unknown to people outside of the inner baseball circle.

Now back to Greinke. Playing for the bottom feeder Royals seemed to hurt him all year long when the “talking heads” discussed who should win the award. Despite a Major League Baseball best 2.16 ERA, he had just 16 wins (16-8 overall) due to a lack of offensive support and bullpen implosions. Greinke started the year hot going 6-0 with a 0.40 ERA and ended the year hot going 6-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 11 starts. Greinke also racked up 242 strikeouts.

Tim Lincecum

The voting in the National League illustrated the debate as it was one of the closest CY Young races. Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals garnered the most first place votes, yet he came in third place. His teammate Chris Carpenter garnered the most second place votes, which put him in second place. It seemed that the Cardinals teammates took votes away from each other. However the top three spots were only separated by ten votes. Not that the San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum did not deserve the award. He was in the same boat as the Royals Greinke. He led the majors in making 7 starts, working 8 innings without allowing an earned run. Lincecum finished the season 15-7, due to a lack of offensive support, with a 2.48 ERA and led the NL in strikeouts (261). Lincecum is a repeat winner, as he won the award in 2008, which he admitted that the first one still hasn’t really sunk in yet. Towards the end of the season, I picked Wainwright as the winner because he had similar numbers to Lincecum (19-8, 2.63 ERA, and 212 K) but he had more innings pitched than everyone else and was carrying the Cardinals into the playoffs. However even Wainwright felt he shouldn’t win the award because he wasn’t the best pitcher on his team.

Joe Mauer

The MVP races ended up being virtually unanimous selections. In the American League, the Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer accumulated 27 of the 28 first place votes. NY Yankees teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter placed second and third respectively, seemed to fit the same bill as Cardinals teammates Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter: they took votes from each other. Mauer, on the season, led the American League in hitting with a .365 average, adding 28 homeruns and 96 RBIs, which were all career highs. He also added 30 doubles and walked more than he struck out (76 BB/ 63 K). Mauer also plays the most demanding position: he’s a catcher and catching a young pitching staff. My only complaint about him winning the award was that he missed the first month of the season and he tailed off at the end when Justin Morneau went down with an injury.

Albert Pujols

In the National League, Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez would have won the award if there wasn’t a certain first baseman from the St. Louis Cardinals playing. Albert Pujols was a unanimous selection, garnering all of the 32 first place votes. This is Pujols’ second straight MVP award and third overall. Who can argue with his selection? Pujols hit .327 (which was third in the NL), with 47 homeruns (which led the majors) and 135 RBIs (which was third in the NL). He also had 45 doubles (which was second in the NL) and scored 124 runs (which led the NL). While playing in 160 games and carrying the Cardinals into the postseason, Pujols also walked way more times than he struck out (115 BB/ 65 K) and even stole 16 bases.

Tags:

Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols, American League, Cy Young, Felix Hernandez, Joe Mauer, MVP, National League, Tim Lincecum, Zack Greinke

The Minnesota Twins fought hard just to make the playoffs, finishing off the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night in 12 innings to win the AL Central crown. It took 163 games for the Twins, only for them to fly out to New York that same night to face the New York Yankees the following day. The Yankees are one of the best hitting and pitching teams in the American League. Oh and they’re all well-rested.

The Yankees have 7 players with at least 20 + homeruns (Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, Johnny Damon, and Jorge Posada). The Twins had to use virtually everyone in their bullpen to pull off their win over the Tigers in game 163 and used their top three in the staring rotation in their last three games. Finesse pitchers, which are what the Twins’ rotation is, do not thrive well at new Yankee Stadium. The Twins will send rookie lefthander Brian Duensing to the mound in the ALDS opener against CY Young hopeful C.C. Sabathia.

Game 1: C.C. Sabathia vs. Brian Duensing

Game 2: A.J. Burnett vs. Nick Blackburn

Game 3: Andy Pettitte @ Carl Pavano

A key matchup late in the game will be Twins left-handed power hitter Jason Kubel versus Yankees left-handed reliever Phil Coke. Kubel is 0-for-4 against Coke this year. Coke is Girardi’s most trusted lefty reliever. In 36.1 innings against left-handed hitters, Coke has 32 strikeouts, with just 24 hits allowed.

Twins Strengths:

*The bullpen: The bullpen proved great in Game 163, pitching 6 innings and allowing just two runs on six hits. Closer Joe Nathan has been just as solid as Mariano Rivera, though he doesn’t get much press coverage. The additions of lefty Ron Mahay and righty Jon Rauch has been welcome to a bullpen that had struggled early in the year.

*The middle of the order: With the loss of Justin Morneau for the season, many (including myself) thought that the Twins season was over. However, the middle of the order has stepped up around MVP candidate Joe Mauer. Jason Kubel and Delmon Young were co-players of the week for this past week, carrying the Twins into the postseason. Michael Cuddyer has had his best season yet, especially in terms of the power (32 HR, 94 RBI), while also playing adequate defense at first base.

*The Metrodome: If the Twins can split the first two games in NY, their home crowd will be loud and will be trying to carry the Twins into the League Championship Series. As Harold Reynolds of MLB Tonight always states, the Metrodome is the greatest home-field advantage in sports.

Twins Weaknesses:

*The rotation: This is especially true after having to fight to make the playoffs and using their top three just to get in. Nick Blackburn has been great as of late, as has ace Scott Baker. Carl Pavano has revived his career since joining the Indians/Twins this season after leaving NY. Rookie Brian Duensing has often been overlooked but won’t be in Game one. The rotation has been inconsistent, with one great game followed by a bad game. They need to step it up to beat the mighty Yankees lineup. With the offense mainly being a scratch and claw type, there will be pressure for the young starters to go deep and put up zeros.

*The season series: When the playoffs start, everyone says to throw out the numbers and everything that happened in the regular season. It is hard to overlook the fact that the Yankees beat the Twins 7-0 in the season series, with the Twins only scoring more than 5 runs in a game once. The Yankees, on the other hand, only scored less than 5 runs twice.

*The energy factor: The White Sox played the play-in game last year, only to be swept by the Rays in the divisional series. Did the Twins use up all of their energy just to get into the playoffs? Or are they more like the 2007 Rockies, who carried the play-in game momentum into the World Series?

Twins Key Players:

*Carlos Gomez: Gomez is a late inning replacement for Jason Kubel, bringing speed and great defense to the outfield. He also brings an added dimension late in the game-pressure on the base paths on opposing pitchers and catchers.

*Ron Mahay from the left side and Jon Rauch from the right side: These two relievers were the big acquisitions late in the season for the Twins. Both can pitch everyday and can get any team’s biggest lefty/righty threats out. Mahay, in 15 games versus left-handed hitters, had a 1.42 ERA, holding them to a .208 average. Rauch is 5-1, with a 2.61 ERA against right-handed hitters. They will most likely bridge the gap to closer Joe Nathan.

Yankees Strengths:

*The offense (1-9): The Yankees have one of the most prolific offenses in baseball, and it starts with leadoff hitter Derek Jeter, an MVP candidate, and goes all the way down to number 9 hitter Melky Cabrera, who has been their most clutch hitter. The Yankees are first in runs scored in the American League, and they also hit a ton of homeruns as their ballpark is a bandbox.

*Clutch hitting: Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, and Melky Cabrera don’t get all the limelight that the rest of the Yankees offense receives, but these four have been the most clutch hitters on the team. They also have fun doing it.

*Mariano Rivera: How many teams in the playoffs have a closer as consistent as Rivera? None, and all of the teams wish they did. Rivera hasn’t been as lights out as in the past, but come playoff time, he is dangerous.

*Days off: By choosing the Wednesday start for Game one, the Yankees allowed for a possibility of three days off in the first round. This allows for manager Joe Girardi to only have to use three starting pitchers (Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettitte) and be able to use the same pitchers out of the bullpen in three straight games (like Phil Hughes and Rivera), without worrying about overuse.

Yankees Weaknesses:

*Starting pitching: With choosing the extra day off format, the Yankees chose not to use Joba Chamberlain in the rotation. So, what was the point of the “Joba Rules” at the end of the season to limit his innings if he’s barely going to pitch in the first week of the playoffs? Sabathia has not had success in the playoffs. Last year’s failure could be because of his overuse down the stretch for the Brewers before reaching the playoffs. However, he did not have good numbers while with the Indians. In 5 postseason starts, Sabathia has an ERA of 7.92. That needs to change if the Yankees intend on getting past the Twins. Burnett has been inconsistent throughout the season and Girardi is hoping that having backup Jose Molina catching him will help. Burnett also has no playoff experience (he missed the Marlins run to the World Series title in 2003 due to injury). Pettitte has had health issues late in this season, though he is known as a big game pitcher.

*The bridge to Mo: Phil Hughes has become that bridge in the 8th inning, after taking over for Brian Bruney. However, Hughes is new to the bullpen and the late innings. How will he adapt to the pressures of pitching in the playoffs and getting the lead to Rivera?

*Pressure: The Yankees feel the pressure of playing in NY everyday. The playoffs are different, especially when they weren’t there last year and haven’t won a World Series since 2000 and haven’t been in the World Series since 2003.

Yankees Key Players:

*Phil Hughes: Hughes has been great since moving to the bullpen and gaining manager Joe Girardi’s confidence to use him in the 8th inning to be the bridge to closer Mariano Rivera. As a reliever, Hughes is 5-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 65 Ks. He has only pitched 2.1 innings of relief against the Twins in 2009, allowing just one hit, while striking out two.

*Brett Gardner: The Yankees have their own speed and defense guy off of the bench. Gardner could be a defensive replacement for Swisher late in the game or pinch-run for Matsui.

Tags:

Alex Rodriguez, American League, Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, Detroit Tigers, Hideki Matsui, Jason Kubel, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Justin Morneau, Mark Teixeira, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano

It always seems that the LA Angels and the Boston Red Sox are playing each other in the American League Divisional Series (3 out of the past 5). The Red Sox have been coming out on top and heading to the league championship series, despite the Angels dominance in the regular season.

The Angels have faced adversity all season long with the death of rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and all of the injuries to its pitching staff, so facing the Red Sox is nothing different. The Red Sox have five players with 20+ homeruns (Jason Bay, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis, JD Drew, and Victor Martinez), “Big Papi” is staging a comeback (.258, 16 HR, 52 RBI after the All-Star break), and the Red Sox hitters are extremely patient.

They also have Jacoby Ellsbury at the top of the order who reeks havoc whenever he’s on the bases (70 SB). The Angels were second in the AL in runs scored, have their own speedster at the top of the order (Chone Figgins and his 42 stolen bases), and are just as patient 1-9 as the Red Sox. Their patience comes from offseason acquisition Bobby Abreu, one of the most patient hitters in the game and the team’s MVP.

The game-changing matchup of the series could be Los Angeles Dodgers lefty closer Brian Fuentes versus Red Sox lefty DH David Ortiz. Fuentes pitched in 19 innings against lefties, only giving up 2 runs on 17 hits. Fuentes isn’t intimidating as a closer and this matchup could make or break the series for the Angels. Ortiz is only hitting .212 against lefties this season with just 6 HR.

Game 1: John Lackey vs. Jon Lester
Game 2: Jered Weaver vs. Josh Beckett
Game 3: Scott Kazmir @ Clay Buchholz
Game 4: Joe Saunders @ Daisuke Matsuzaka

Angels Strengths:

*The offense 1-9: At one point late in the season, manager Mike Scioscia’s lineup boasted nine hitters all hitting .300 or better. Yes, some of those hitters have dropped below .300, but you can see why the Angels were second in the AL in runs scored (8 everyday hitters were hitting .290 or better at the end of the season). It starts at the top with the speed of Figgins and continues on through to the speed of Erick Aybar in the 9-hole. In between are patient hitters (except for the free-swinging Vladimir Guerrero) who can all drive the ball and produce run-scoring hits.

*Speed: Like I mentioned, the Angels have speed both in the leadoff spot and in the 9th spot with both Figgins and Aybar. Maicer Izturis, who normally bats in the 7th spot, can also run. The unexpected speed comes from veterans Bobby Abreu (30 SB) and Torii Hunter (18 SB). Since the Red Sox have such a hard time holding runners on and throwing attempting stealers out, the Angels could be off to the races.

*The rotation: Early in the season, the rotation was a big question mark. However, as the season has progressed, it has become a strong point. With the acquisition of Scott Kazmir from the Tampa Bay Rays and the healthy returns of John Lackey and Joe Saunders, they have bolstered around the already dominating Jered Weaver. Scioscia will be expecting a lot of innings out of these four workhorses.

*An “Angel” in heaven: In 2002, the Angels had the Rally Monkey. This year, they have the memory of Nick Adenhart. Many would say that what this team has overcome at the start of the season, they would be destined to win it all for Nick.

Angels Weaknesses:

*The bullpen: Closer Brian Fuentes ended the season with 48 saves, but with a record of 1-5 and an ERA of 3.93, he is hardly dominating. Fuentes pitched very well down the stretch, expect for a loss at Boston on 9/16. Jose Arredondo has not been able to duplicate his 2008 season (and may not make the playoff roster), thus the Angels have relied on Kevin Jepsen to set-up. Veteran Darren Oliver has been the steadying force in the Angels bullpen posting a 5-1 record with a 2.74 ERA. He also led the Angels bullpen in innings (69). The bullpen will have to be successful early, so as to not put all the pressure on the starters.

*Postseason failures against the Red Sox: 3 out of the past 5 divisional series the Angels have played the Red Sox. In 2004 and 2007, the Angels were swept by the Red Sox. Last year, the Angels lost in 4 games. The Angels will have to overcome all the past demons to make it past the Red Sox and into the championship series.

Key Players:

*Maicer Izturis and Erick Aybar: Izturis and Aybar are probably the most underrated double-play combination in the big leagues. Both are quick, athletic, have strong arms, and are switch-hitters. Izturis has become more than just a sure defender at second base; his career average with runners in scoring position heading into the last weekend series was .327. Aybar got hot at the end of the season, raising his average to .312, while having a .328 average after the All-Star break. In the late innings, Aybar is hitting well over .300.

Red Sox Strengths:

*Big Papi: Last postseason, Big Papi disappointed and carried that into the 2009 season. However, he has been huge for the Boston Red Sox since the weather started to heat up in June. Big Papi has the ability to change a game with one swing of the bat and no matter how much he is struggling; he is the one guy no one wants to get beaten by.

*Beckett’s playoff experience: Josh Beckett was the World Series MVP in 2003 while carrying the Florida Marlins to an unexpected World Series title over the Yankees. He was also the ALCS MVP in 2007, leading the Red Sox into the World Series. The Red Sox need Beckett to pitch better than he has of late and be the playoff competitor he has been in the past.

*The offense: The Red Sox offense rivals the Yankees and Phillies in that 1-9 can hit the ball out of the ballpark (1-8 for the Phillies). The Red Sox bolstered their lineup by adding catcher Victor Martinez at the trading deadline. He provides yet another run-producing threat to a middle of the order that includes, Big Papi, Youkilis, Lowell, Bay, and Drew. The Red Sox were 3rd in the AL in runs scored and homeruns, and 4th in batting average.

*The rotation: Until the end of the season, the rotation was a major strength. Jon Lester was dominant, as was Beckett, and Buchholz was pitching the way many had predicted. Matsuzaka came back and pitched excellent. However, Beckett missed a start with back spasms and Buchholz imploded in his final 2 starts. If the top three can pitch the way they had when they were dominating, this series could be pitchers’ duels.

Red Sox Weaknesses:

*Throwing out runners: This has been a problem for the Red Sox in the past and has only gotten worse this season. Captain Jason Varitek only threw out around 8% of base stealers, while new addition Martinez only threw out around 11% after joining the Red Sox. You can’t blame it all on the catchers if the pitchers aren’t doing their job of holding runners on, but if they want to beat the Angels, they’ll all have to do a better job. During the regular season, the Angels were successful in 15 of 17 stolen base attempts.

*Getting the ball to Papelbon: Closer Jonathon Papelbon is one of the best closers in the game, but this isn’t the Red Sox teams of the past where they had a consistent stream of relievers who were reliable about getting the lead to Papelbon. Manager Terry Francona has been handing the ball over to rookie reliever Daniel Bard. Billy Wagner has been good since coming over in a waiver claim from the Mets, but the rest have been inconsistent (Ramon Ramirez, Hideki Okajima, and Takashi Saito). Paul Byrd will be the long-man out of the bullpen and his numbers have been up and down since coming out of retirement.

*Back of the rotation: Tim Wakefield is out due to his lingering back and leg problems. Paul Byrd will be coming out of the bullpen. That leaves Dice-K as the 4th starter. During the first-half of the season, Dice-K was awful. Since coming back from the DL, he has been great, giving up 3 runs in a start just once. It has been a tale of two seasons. However, he only made 4 starts at the end of the year after being out since the middle of June.

Key Players:

*Daniel Bard: The Red Sox have had problems getting the lead to closer Jonathon Papelbon. Since manager Terry Francona has trusted Bard with the 8th inning, things have gone smoother. The hard-throwing rookie can regularly touch 100 mph and could become a household name this postseason. However, his wildness will determine how long Francona will leave him in before going to Papelbon for more than 3 outs. Down the stretch, Bard has struggled, giving up 4 runs in just 6.2 innings with 4 walks and 6 Ks. Francona will rely on the 6’4 righty from the University of North Carolina with the game on the line.

*Rocco Baldelli: (if he’s healthy and on the roster) Baldelli has been playing most of the season against left-handed pitching. With lefties Kazmir (his former teammate) and Saunders scheduled to pitch games 3 and 4, Baldelli could have a huge impact. Baldelli hit .290 against lefties, with 4 HR and 15 RBI.

Tags:

American League, Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz, Erick Aybar, Jason Bay, JD Drew, Kevin Youkilis, Maicer Izturis, Nick Adenhart

There is versatility amongst the American League ROY candidates. Some say that an everyday player should win the award. Well, there are a few of them. Some say it should be a dominant starting pitcher. There are also a few of them. There is even a closer.

These are the three frontrunners:Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers is the everyday shortstop, forcing the move of All-Star Michael Young to third base. His offensive numbers are not eye-popping, though consistent, and his defense has been outstanding at times and mediocre at others (hence the 22 errors). However, his speed (32 stolen bases) and footwork allow him to get to balls other shortstops cannot. Andrus plays one of the most demanding positions in baseball, on a team that was competing for a playoff spot into the month of September. As the opening day starter, Andrus has played in over 140 games for the Rangers.141 G/159 .266 avg 6 HR 35 RBI 38 BB/ 75 K .327 OBP 32SB

Rick Porcello is a 20-year old phenom pitcher for the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. Porcello won over manager Jim Leyland in spring training to earn a spot in the rotation, despite spending 2008 in High-A (his first full professional season).

Porcello has worked to stay consistent and has become one of the Tigers top three starters (behind Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson). Porcello garnered the Rookie of the Month award in May.
153.2 IP 14-9 4.04 ERA 81 K/50 BB .270 avg 22 HR allowed

The Tampa Bay Rays have a legitimate ROY starter, though it’s not the one you might expect. Jeff Niemann, not David Price, has become a consistent workhorse for the Rays. Niemann, a 2004-draft pick out of Rice, has pitched 2 complete game shutouts with an ERA under 4.
175.2 IP 12-6 3.94 ERA 120 K/58 BB .265 avg 17 HR allowed

The rest of the field:The Toronto Blue Jays have relied on Roy Halladay and a laundry list of rookie starting pitchers. One of those rookie pitchers, Ricky Romero, has exceeded all expectations. A first-round pick in 2005 out of Cal State Fullerton, Romero was considered a bust before putting it all together in Triple-A in 2008 and this season. The lefty can pile up strikeouts, though he tends to walk to many.171.1 IP 13-9 4.26 ERA 133 K/76 BB .288 avg 17 HR allowed

Last year, Gordon Beckham, was a power-hitting shortstop playing in the College World Series final for runner-up Georgia. This year, Beckham has moved to third base and is showing manager Ozzie Guillen and the fans in Chicago why he belongs. Despite his 14 errors at third, and struggling at the onset of his promotion, Beckham has become a key cog in the White Sox lineup. Beckham garnered the Rookie of the Month award in July.100 G/159 .272 avg 14 HR 63 RBI 40 BB/62 K

The only Oakland A’s All-Star this year was rookie closer Andrew Bailey. Even though President Obama knew of him, many in the country do not. Bailey has taken over nicely for traded closer Huston Street and is an unexpected candidate for the award. His numbers do not lie:81.1 IP 6-3 1.81 ERA 26 SV 89 K/24 BB .190 avg

At midseason, the struggling Baltimore Orioles had two legitimate candidates for ROY until injuries ended their seasons. Starter Brad Bergesen was an unexpected call-up when injuries to the starting rotation forced a call-up and the O’s didn’t want to rush one of their prized arms. Bergesen pitched stellar, a bright spot to a rather dismal pitching staff. Before taking a line drive off of his left shin on 7/30 and thus ending his season, Bergesen’s ERA was 3.43, very respectable in the AL, and even more amazing for a rookie.123.1 IP(1 CG) 7-5 3.43 ERA 65 K/32 BB .265 avg 11 HR allowed

Leftfielder  Nolan Reimold quietly put together a great season in Baltimore, solidifying a young outfield and giving O’s fans something to be excited about. Reimold, playing most of the season with a partial tear to his Achilles tendon, was overshadowed by fellow rookie Matt Wieters and the ascension of the prized pitchers. “I’m just saying if you observe the way the kid plays, all of you would marvel that he runs the ball out all the time or he plays hard all the time. My contention is that he does it in spite of the fact that the guy hasn’t been 100 percent all year. I think that says a lot about him,” said O’s manager Dave Trembley.

Reimold garnered the Rookie of the Month award in June for his solid offensive numbers and solid defense (7 outfield assists). With the O’s out of contention, Reimold was shut down on 9/18 to have surgery and be ready for his sophomore season. Both Bergesen and Reimold both had t-shirt giveaways at Camden Yards this season. “I would say Reimold as a position player and Bergesen [were the biggest surprises],” said Trembley. “Both guys didn’t make the team out of Spring Training. Both guys had never played above Double-A. And both guys put up very good numbers.”
104 G/159 .279 avg 15 HR 45 RBI 47 BB/77 K

*stats as of 10/1 from MLB.com

Tags:

American League, Detroit Tigers, Elvis Andrus, Jeff Niemann, Jim Leyland, Michael Young, Rick Porcello, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue

There is only one race left in the American League for the final playoff spot and it comes from the Central division. The Detroit Tigers have been in first place for most of the season, yet they find themselves fighting to fend off the streaking Minnesota Twins (the Tigers are 2 games up with 7 to go). The Twins have won 8 of the last ten, while the Tigers have gone 5-5 in their last ten. Both teams are very good at home, which bodes well for the Tigers because their last 7 are at home, while the Twins play at Detroit for 4. This year’s Tigers team reminds me of 2006 when they lost the division on the final day of the regular season to the Twins, though they went to the World Series as the wild card. This year, the Tigers need to win the division because the Boston Red Sox have the wild card just about locked up.

The series to watch is the 4-game set in Detroit, where the Twins enter Comerica Park to try and overtake the Tigers. The first 2 games of the series will be broadcast live on the MLB Network @ 7pm EST. Wednesday’s game will be broadcast live on ESPN @ 7pm EST.

Pitching Matchups:

Monday 9/28: Nick Blackburn @ Rick Porcello

1-1, 5.11 ERA (2S)     1-2, 3.71 ERA (3S)

vs. Tigers in 2009        vs. Twins in 2009

Tuesday 9/29: Brian Duensing @ Justin Verlander

1-0, 0.61 ERA (1S)     0-2, 5.49 ERA (3S)

vs. Tigers in 2009        vs. Twins in 2009

Wednesday 9/30: Carl Pavano @ Eddie Bonine

4-0, 1.88 ERA (5S)                 no starts vs. Twins

vs. Tigers in 2009

Thursday 10/1: Scott Baker @ Nate Robertson

0-1, 9.00 ERA (3S)     1-0, 3.60 ERA (1S)

vs. Tigers in 2009        vs. Twins in 2009

The Tigers have stayed in first place with pitching and defense, and lately a little luck (the Twins have lost when the Tigers have lost). The starting rotation has been carried all year by ace Justin Verlander, offseason acquisition Edwin Jackson, and 20-year old rookie Rick Porcello. All three have struggled a bit, allowing the Twins to get back in the race. Injured Tigers starter Jarrod Washburn has been a bust since coming over from Seattle and his injury has led to Eddie Bonine being inserted into the starting rotation. The bullpen has also been inconsistent at times; sometimes lights-out, other times they can’t get an out. Closer Fernando Rodney is an example of the inconsistencies: he is dominant with an upper-90s fastball and a changeup, but sometimes is wild with the fastball which leads to walks and blown saves. Despite the climbing unemployment rate in Michigan, the Tigers still average more fans than half of the teams in MLB. The Tigers would love to treat their fans to playoff baseball.

Tigers Keys to the Series:

The middle of the order: (Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Carbrera, Aubrey Huff, and Carlos Guillen). Cabrera has been the force in the Tigers lineup all season, but can the other 3 around him step up? Huff has been disappointing since coming over from the Orioles and Guillen’s finally starting to get comfortable at the plate after coming back from shoulder problems. Ordonez hasn’t hit for power all year, but is starting to heat up at the plate. In a 12-5 win against the Chicago White Sox, the 3-4-5-6 hitters went 9-for-18 with 6 RBIs. However, in a 2-0 loss the White Sox, the same hitters went 2-for-13 with 8 men left on base. If all 4 can put it all together, they can carry the Tigers into the postseason. If they don’t hit and drive in runs, there will be more pressure on the pitching staff and the Tigers will lose.

The Bullpen: (Closer-Rodney, Setup-Brandon Lyon, Lefty-Bobby Seay, Long men-Zach Minor, Armando Gallaraga, and the rest: Ryan Perry, Alferdo Figaro, Jeremy Bonderman, Casey Fien, and Fu-Te Ni).The bullpen will need to be huge, especially in games three and four of the series. Bonine and Robertson have been giving all they have, but it’s not expected for them to go deep into the game. The bullpen will need to give Jim Leyland big innings if they want to win the series.

The Twins have been coming on strong, despite the loss of All-Star slugger Justin Morneau, proving they are more than just the M&M boys (Mauer & Morneau). The Twins need to win this 4-game series to be tied with the Tigers heading into the final series against the Royals to close down the Metrodome. What a send-off for the greatest home-field advantage if the Twins could make the playoffs.

Twins Keys to the Series:

Leadoff hitter Denard Span: Span has raised his average to .312 down the stretch and his on-base percentage is close to .400. With Span on the bases and running, it will put pressure on the Tigers pitching and defense when Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, and Jason Kubel come to the plate. Span is also a highlight reel for his great defense in the outfield. At the plate and in the field, Span can change the course of the game and series.

The Bullpen: (Closer-Joe Nathan, Setup-Jose Mijares, Lefty-Ron Mahay, Long man- Jeff Manship, and the rest: Jon Rauch, Bobby Keppel, Jesse Crain, and Matt Guerrier). The bullpen has become a strength late in the year, especially closer Nathan (1 run allowed in last 10 outings, 13K, 9SV) and setup man Jose Mijares (1 run allowed in last 10 outings, 8 K, 27 holds). The Twins also bolstered their bullpen by adding veterans Mahay and Rauch. The rotation hasn’t been as strong as of late, so the bullpen will have to continue to be the stabilizing force to beat the Tigers. The Twins offense does not score a lot of runs, so the bullpen will have to keep the game manageable to come back or save the game for the starters.

Tags:

American League, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Edwin Jackson, Fernando Rodney, Jarrod Washburn, Justin Verlander, Minnesota Twins