Yesterday's New York Times had a profile of Justin Verlander, written by Ben Shpigel.
It was a possible preview to a pitcher the Yankees could face in the first round of the playoffs (twice, unless the Yanks opt for a longer series with an extra day off), and Verlander's success against them this season is mentioned.
But overall, the feature looks at what's been an incredible season for Verlander. And an impressive rebound, considering how disappointing he pitched last year.
Some tidbits from the article:
- Verlander has thrown the fastest pitch by a starter this season (100.7 m.p.h.).
- The work he put in to help shoulder an increased workload, which contradicts conventional beliefs about handling young pitchers.
- His love of remote-controlled monster trucks.
- A great quote from Zach Miner: ""It’s like he was put on this planet to throw gas."
But you should definitely click over and read the whole thing. It's worth your time.