ALDS Game 1 Preview: Tigers at Yankees

by Kurt Mensching on Sep 30, 2011 2:45 PM EDT in Detroit Tigers Analysis

Editor's note: Matt LaFave wrote this, I am publishing for him.

Probable Pitchers:
Friday September 30, 8:37p:
RHP Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40, 250 K, 57 BB)
Hitter to Fear: Jorge Posada (6 for 20, 3 2B, 5 RBI)
Hitter to Fail: Mark Teixeira (3 for 22, 7 K)

LHP CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.00, 230 K, 61 BB)
Hitter to Fear: Miguel Cabrera (9 for 16, 1 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI)
Hitter to Fail: Jhonny Peralta (1 for 17, 5 K)

What to Watch For:
1. Ace vs. Ace - Let us start with CC Sabathia, the Yankees one and only pitching ace. With Sabathia being an ex-Indian, he has seen the Tigers quite a bit over his career. He is 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA in 32 games. He also is no stranger to the postseason. In 13 playoff games, he is 7-4 with a 4.66 ERA.

The Tigers will counter with MVP candidate Justin Verlander. In 10 games against the Yankees in his career, Verlander is 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA. In 2006, his only postseason year, he went 1-2 with a 5.82 ERA.

Both pitchers have faced the opposing team twice this season and both pitchers are winless. The ALDS will start off just as the regular season began. In New York City at Yankee Stadium, ace vs. ace.

2. Cabrera loves New York - Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera loves the city of New York and the Yankees pitching staff. He has a career .374 batting average and 26 RBIs against the Yankees. When hitting at new Yankee stadium, he carries a .389 average with 6 homeruns and 11 RBIs.

He is also bringing a hot bat into the postseason. In his last 10 games, Cabrera is hitting .514 with 4 homeruns and 8 RBIs.

3. Rivera loves closing out Detroit - Players and fans in Detroit have always feared the 9th inning when losing to the Yankees. Rallies and 9th inning heroics are as rare as a Justin Verlander loss nowadays.

In fact, the last time Yankees closer Mariano Rivera blew a save against the Tigers was in 1999 at Tiger Stadium. Since then, he is 23 for 23 in save situations and has only given up 1 earned run - a homerun from the bat of Curtis Granderson.

Yankees blog: Pinstripe Alley

On Deck:
Saturday October 1, 8:37p:
RHP Doug Fister at RHP Ivan Nova

Monday October 3, 8:37p:
RHP Freddy Garcia at RHP Max Scherzer

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Comments

Funny

How the Yankee hitter to fail is the same one who hit a 3-run bomb off JV on opening day. Let’s hope THAT doesn’t happen again.

by Mark Osbourne on Sep 30, 2011 3:07 PM EDT reply actions

And the batter to fear will be batting 7th

by waw on Sep 30, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

raburn hitting 7th tonight

ahead of jhonny.

by patthepat on Sep 30, 2011 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

wow

and I’m a huge Raburn supporter

No longer the Founder, President and CEO of the Ryan Raburn Fan Club

by tigers22 on Sep 30, 2011 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions

perlata is 1-17 career against CC. raburn is a whopping 4-24

by patthepat on Sep 30, 2011 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Beack says the lineup is

Austin Jackson, CF
Magglio Ordonez, RF
Delmon Young, LF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Alex Avila, C
Ryan Raburn, 2B
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Brandon Inge, 3B

by rif23 on Sep 30, 2011 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

"Beck"

by rif23 on Sep 30, 2011 3:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I Am Rooting For Cabrera

Not only to be the MVP of the post-season but also to shove it down the throat of all these MLB writers who are “so perfect”

Go Miggy

by Buddahfan on Sep 30, 2011 3:43 PM EDT reply actions

OK, I am really excited/nervous right now

Does anyone know hoe to speed up time so that we can get this game started already?

"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy

I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.

by jhitts08 on Sep 30, 2011 3:57 PM EDT reply actions

*how

Not “hoe.” Geez.

"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy

I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.

by jhitts08 on Sep 30, 2011 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Alcohol...

by dakine2004 on Sep 30, 2011 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I have to work

Somehow I don’t think it would behoove me to go into work at the newspaper sloshed at 4 p.m.

"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy

I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.

by jhitts08 on Sep 30, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Career averages vs CC

Ryan Raburn vs CC Sabathia- 4/ 23 (.174), 0 HR, 3 RBI, .241 OBP

Brandon Inge vs CC Sabathia- 11/58 (.190), 1 HR, 3 RBI, .299 OBP

Ramon Santiago vs CC Sabathia- 7/24 (.292)

Wilson Betemit vs CC Sabathia- 3/ 5 (.600), 1.467 OPS

I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!

by Tigerdog1 on Sep 30, 2011 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

Inge v Sabathia this year – 3/5, RBI and walk.
It’s only one game, but it’s not too bad.

by matheusrocha on Sep 30, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions

why is Betemit not playing 3B

by spartynation on Sep 30, 2011 4:14 PM EDT reply actions

Leyland

didn’t write it on the lineup card

by rif23 on Sep 30, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

If Inge doesn't start against a lefty, he'll never get to start

and Betemit has been poor against lefties this year. His long term stats show almost the same batting L or R for Betemit, though. Figure that Betemit starts games 2 and 3, as does Santiago.

I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!

by Tigerdog1 on Sep 30, 2011 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions

while it might be crazy

it’s not starting a rook in his 2nd career start in Game 1 like Joe Maddon and the Rays… although now that I say that he’ll probably tear it up tonight

No longer the Founder, President and CEO of the Ryan Raburn Fan Club

by tigers22 on Sep 30, 2011 4:24 PM EDT reply actions

Look out for Yankee tricks

I think they might ask the ump to check the ball after one of Verlander’s knee bending curveballs. Just to remind us that they didn’t forget about Kenny Roger’s Dirtgate.

They might bunt a few times to Verlander, just to try to rock his boat, like how the Angels did.

So be ready for the mind games.

by Keith-Allen on Sep 30, 2011 4:32 PM EDT reply actions

Anyone talking about the weather?

Seems like there could be some decent rain the next 2 nights. Any possibility it’s heavy or might make for soem delays? We DO NOT need any long delays with the starting pitching edge we have.

"i think it will be mostly feast the rest of the year,"

by Honeyman on Sep 30, 2011 4:46 PM EDT reply actions

Accu weather radar says

It’s clear over NY right now, but storms to the west over Buffalo, Toronto, and Detroit, some big rain patterns to the east that stretch about half way across Michigan. Then it’s clear west of that.
They’ll get the game in, but could be some delays.

I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!

by Tigerdog1 on Sep 30, 2011 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Proposition

Maybe someone should open Postseason thread for others series ??

by Grzesio on Sep 30, 2011 5:08 PM EDT reply actions

What other series? There are other series?

I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!

by Tigerdog1 on Sep 30, 2011 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Phils and Brew Crew don't start their series til tomorrow

In a Tiger fan's world, the Tigers go 162-0 and the White Sox go 0-162.

by Boeschlander on Sep 30, 2011 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Question

The playoff schedule shows the LCS being played with 2 games, then a day off, then 3 games, then a day off, then 2 games (if necessary). Does the LCS use a 2-3-2 home and away format? Or is it 2-2-1-1-1? I thought it was the latter to guarantee home field advantage under all circumstances to the team with the best record in the league, no?

I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!

by Tigerdog1 on Sep 30, 2011 5:14 PM EDT reply actions