<p>Verlander is just amazing. It’s unfortunate for the Tigers that their bullpen forced them to “waste” him in this game.</p>
<p>Did you see Chamberlain get hit by the broken bat? Another quarter-turn and that thing is embedded 3 inches into his arm. Yikes.</p>
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To which thug are you referring?</p>
<p>Loved the Werth home run for the Nationals. Very exciting to start off 0-2 and then hit it out on the 13th pitch.</p>
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<p>Oh, I don’t think they “wasted” him at all. You want your ace on the mound with the series on the line. He pitched 122 pitches, which is about an average outing for him—the guy’s a horse. Going on his normal 4 days rest, he could be ready to pitch Game 3 of the ALCS on Tuesday, and if necessary Game 7 the following Sunday. Either that, or pitch Game 1 of the World Series, if the Tigers get that far.</p>
<p>No doubt the Tigers would have preferred to close out the ALDS Wednesday to have Verlander ready for Game 1 of the ALCS, but this schedule works out just fine, too. They’re getting quality starts from all their starting pitchers on a regular basis now, and as Buck Martinez intimated last night, with these guys firing on all cylinders the Tigers may have the best starting rotation in the playoffs.</p>
<p>2012 post-season innings pitched / ERA / H / BB / SO</p>
<p>Max Scherzer 5.1 / 0.00 / 3 / 1/ 8
Justin Verlander 16.0 / 0.56 / 7 / 5/ 22
Doug Fister 7.0 / 2.57 / 6 / 2 / 8
Anibal Sanchez 6.1 / 2.84 / 5 / 2 / 3</p>
<p>Collectively, these guys have given up just 21 hits and 10 walks over 5 games while striking out 41. Dominating.</p>
<p>I think the Tigers would much rather have him pitch games 1 and 5 (if necessary) of the ALCS than games 3 and 7, because that would have set him up to pitch 1, 4, and 7 in the World Series on short rest, or 1 and 5 and available for some innings in game 7 of the WS.</p>
<p>If the Tigers get through the ALCS in 6 or less then it works out, and I hope they do if they play the Yankees. If they play the Orioles I hope they lose in 4 straight. 
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<p>“Well, it is over for the Yankees!”</p>
<p><em>rolling eyes</em></p>
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<p>Sorry for the interlude into the Detroit Lions’ bidness. The thug is Ndamukong Suh.</p>
<p>Damn Yankees.</p>
<p>Complete game for CC Sabbathia.
Theeeeeeee Yankees Wiiiiiinnnnnn!</p>
<p>Yes!!!</p>
<p>First blush looking at the Tigers/Yankees series, I think it could be a fairly even match-up.</p>
<ol>
<li>Starting Pitching - Verlander, Fister, Scherzer…pretty daunting trio. Advantage Tigers</li>
<li>Bullpen - No contest. Advantage Yankees…although at this point I’d give the edge to my 5th grade Little League team over the Tigers’ bullpen (especially Benoit and Valverde).</li>
<li>Offense - Neither team has been knocking the cover off the ball, but with the bottom part of the Tigers’ order providing a little production as of late…Advantage Tigers.</li>
<li>Defense - With the exception of Austin Jackson, the Tigers’ outfielders are very suspect. Cabrera is still something of a liability at third, and their middle infield has limited range compared to most MLB teams. Advantage Yankees.</li>
</ol>
<p>I think if the Tigers can get the bats going early on in these games and get the same strong starting pitching performances they had in the 5 games with Oakland they should be in a good position to win this series. If they find themselves having to go to their bullpen I have zero faith in their chances to hold on to any size lead. Given the struggles of the Yankee bats in the Orioles series, I think the Tigers’ starters will give them the edge they need.</p>
<p>Tigers in 6</p>
<p>I will be really happy to be proven wrong… just enjoying the ride for the Nats.</p>
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<p>Just sayin’…</p>
<p>Yeah, It’s still too close. Really hope the Nationals can hang on.</p>
<p>if the nats can hold on it would be historicaly sort of an upset</p>
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<p>Try again?</p>
<p>Was at the Yankee game tonight for the “disputed” home run call. I was sitting in the section where the ball landed. Foul. I didn’t even get up nervously to watch the flight of the ball. It just kept hooking foul and went to the foul side of the pole. Reporters were running all around our section asking what we thought. I just said, “Obviously foul,” to one of them, and to the next one said, “I was always taught that when a baseball lands on this (foul) side of the pole, that it’s a foul ball.” 
CC was a horse tonight. A “Verlander” type performance at the right time.
ETA: But when I peeked into the Yankee bullpen tonight in the 9th inning, I would have been much more comfortable if I had seen Mariano warming up rather than Soriano. ;)</p>
<p>momof3sons, I am sooo jealous of you.
I watched CC win that game earlier tonite and now DH is home from work and I’m watching it again with him on DVR. Complete game, amazing. </p>
<p>Yes, it IS so weird not having Mariano to close out their wins. Wonder if Soriano can step up as they advance.</p>
<p>My absolute favorite play tonite was Texeira’s steal. The announce on TV had only just finished saying how ‘of course’ they werent’ holding Mark on…when he made his move. Didn’t even look close!</p>
<p>What a heartbreaking defeat for the Nationals. At least the As got blown out in their game 5 due to a brilliant pitching performance by Verlander. The Nationals, on the other hand, are up 6-0 and then only 6-5. When they got that insurance run in the 8th and were up by 2 runs, I thought they were gonna do it when the Cards had 2 outs and down to their last strike in the ninth-- twice! </p>
<p>This is reminding me of the Cards win in 5 games against the Phillies last year. I feel so bad for the Nats, but I’m glad the Giants are playing the Cards in the NLCS.</p>
<p>The Cards are experts at stealing victories. Is last year’s WS such a distant memory? </p>
<p>You have to feel for the new Diplomats.</p>
<p>Yes, That 9th inning was painful to watch.</p>
<p>These blown saves in the post-season make me appreciate Mariano Rivera even more. He is truly in a class by himself and I am sure that at some point in this post-season that Yankee fans will be longing for him.</p>
<p>Musicmom, I will whisper very softly that I am also lucky enough to be going to the game tomorrow. I love Pettitte but don’t know how he’ll do in that cold weather tomorrow night. Bless that TV schedule…</p>