With
a strong rotation anchored by Justin Verlander and a lineup featuring Miguel
Cabrera, the Detroit Tigers may be the perfect storm this October. By Zephan Mayell
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| (Wikimedia/Cbl62) |
Postseason baseball looms ahead and you
can practically feel the Detroit Tigers storming into October. With a solid
pitching staff headlined by likely American League Cy Young Award winner Justin
Verlander, the Tigers have gotten hot at the proverbial time, winning a
season-high 75 percent of their games in September.
Naturally,
the team’s postseason success will hinge on the performances of Verlander and
the rest of the rotation, but manager Jim Leyland promises to protect his starters
under all circumstances. Leyland announced Thursday he won’t risk an injury to one
of his starters by sending him out on short rest. Verlander will only start
Games 1 and–if necessary–5 regardless of whether Detroit trails in the series.
Though having Rick Porcello slated to pitch in what
could be a decisive Game 4 may worry some, the third-year
pitcher has certainly earned his spot in the postseason rotation. Porcello won
all five of his starts in July and followed a rough August with four quality
starts in September.
Despite resting their players until the
playoffs begin, the Tigers continue to demolish teams. Much of the success at
the plate can be attributed to Miguel Cabrera, the leading contender for the AL
batting title with a career-high .343 batting average. The third baseman has
also improved his patience at the plate, setting a career-high for on-base
percentage with .448, which is tied for the best in the AL.
The Tigers have made the postseason only once since the league added the Division Series in 1995, but the combination of Verlander on the mound and Cabrera at the plate may be enough to take the franchise deep into the postseason. While Detroit may not get the same love as the
New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, or even the Tampa Bay Rays, no team
is hotter entering the postseason .
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