Tigers vs. Giants: Grading Each World Series Team's Lineup

Both the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants have dangerous lineups that can put together a rally at any point, and they will be showcased in the 2012 World Series starting on Wednesday night at AT&T Park.

The Tigers have one of the best, if not the best, three-four tandems in all of baseball in Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, but the Giants feature one of the most consistent lineups top to bottom. Marco Scutaro played like his life depended on it during the NLCS and will be a major part of the Giants’ potential success, hitting in front of Buster Posey and Pablo Sandoval.

Let’s take a look at how the Giants’ and Cardinals’ lineups line up heading into the World Series, with grades for each spot in the order.

No. 1: Austin Jackson and Angel Pagan

Austin Jackson, Detroit Tigers

Austin Jackson is the prototypical leadoff man. He knows how to get on base, whether it is from getting a hit or drawing a walk, and is a smart baserunner.

He didn’t utilize his speed like he showed in his first two seasons with the Tigers, but is still fast enough to score from second on a base hit and often take the extra base. Re-working his swing during the offseason has turned him into one of the great leadoff hitters in the game.

Grade: B+

Angel Pagan, San Francisco Giants

Angel Pagan is also a great leadoff hitter, even though he isn't like Jackson. He has hit well during the postseason and there's no reason to take him out of the No. 1 spot.

Pagan has been a workhorse over the course of the regular season and postseason for the Giants. He has to continue getting on base so that Marco Scutaro can keep pretending to be Babe Ruth and drive him in. 

Grade: B+

No. 2: Quintin Berry and Marco Scutaro

Quintin Berry, Detroit Tigers

Quintin Berry hits so high in the order because he’s a very smart hitter. Once Austin Jackson gets on base, Berry is the ideal candidate to move him over with a bunt or a hit and run.

Berry is arguably the fastest guy in the Tigers’ lineup, stealing 21 bases during the regular season, and is an extra-base threat on any hit to the outfield. It’s important for him to get on base as well so that those hitting behind him—Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder—can bring him home.

Grade: C

Marco Scutaro, San Francisco Giants

No player in the postseason has been hotter than Marco Scutaro. He been the biggest factor in the Giants' comeback in the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals. There's no question about that.

Can he keep it up, though? Yes. Scutaro should continue to hit the Tigers pitchers just as hard as he was against the Cards. He just refuses to play at anything but an extremely high level.

Grade: A-

No. 3: Miguel Cabrera and Pablo Sandoval

Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter in baseball. There’s no question about it. He led the league in hitting, home runs and RBI—the Triple Crown—and is the most dangerous hitter in Detroit’s lineup.

He hits to all fields whenever he wants and is not easy to strike out. Even when he isn’t hitting home runs out of the park, he’s driving in somebody in front of him.

Grade: A+

Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

Pablo Sandoval is a powerful hitter who helped the Giants advance to the World Series.

He has hit in both the No. 3 and cleanup spots, flip-flopping with Buster Posey, but he is a much better hitter for this spot. He can drive the ball to bring runners in as well as get on base for Posey to drive him in. He's not as scary as Miguel Cabrera, but he holds his own in the heart of San Francisco's order.

Grade: B+

No. 4: Prince Fielder and Buster Posey

Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers

Prince Fielder has a lot of power and has the ability to drive the ball into the bleachers every time he steps up to the plate. He finished second on the team in homers and RBI, behind that guy in front of him who is pretty good himself.

His job is to clean up whatever Miguel Cabrera doesn’t do. If Cabrera can’t drive Austin Jackson or Quintin Berry home, Fielder does. And if Cabrera hits a two-run double, Fielder drives him in. It’s just what he does.

Grade: A-

Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

Buster Posey, the NL Comeback Player of the Year, had beyond an impressive regular season, but a lot of that success hasn't carried over into the postseason. He only has had a handful of hits against the Reds and Cardinals, and really needs to get going.

The problem with Posey's game recently has been the lack of extra-base hits. Whether he just isn't seeing the ball well or swinging at good pitch, he has to start figuring it out. The Giants cannot afford a cold Buster Posey in the World Series.

Grade: A-

No. 5: Delmon Young and Hunter Pence

Delmon Young, Detroit Tigers

Delmon Young is the perfect No.5 hitter for the Tigers. Although he strikes out a good amount of the time, he can drive in runs and also drive the ball out of the park. He’s already showed off his power during the ALCS against the New York Yankees.

He needs to be smart at the plate and be able to take the pitches off the plate, otherwise he’s just going to get himself into trouble. His offensive potential is what is going to keep him in the lineup while playing without the DH spot.

Grade: B+

Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants

Hunter Pence has one of the most unorthodox batting stances you'll ever see, but he somehow finds a way to make it work. Well, it hasn't really worked in the postseason, but it did work for majority of the regular season.

Pence is hitting under .200 through 12 postseason games and only has two extra-base hits. Much like Posey, he has to get hot soon. He did have two nice hits in Game 7 on Monday night, which could be promising heading into Wednesday night's Game 1.

Grade: B

No. 6: Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Belt

Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers

Jhonny Peralta didn’t have the best regular season at the plate, but has had a fantastic postseason. He nearly hit .300 against the Oakland Athletics during the ALDS and then nearly hit .400 in the ALCS against the New York Yankees.

Against those Yankees, Peralta hit two home runs en route to a 1.199 OPS. If he can keep up his recent success, he could be moved up to No. 5 or just be a very dangerous No. 6.

Grade: B

Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants

Brandon Belt launched a home run into the right field seats in Game 7 en route to a monster win for the Giants. He didn't start the National League playoffs too well, but has come up big when it mattered most. In Game 6, he had two hits and two runs with a triple.

The problem for Belt, though, is that he's striking out a lot. He's struck out in one third of his postseason at-bats, which isn't good at all. It will be interesting to see if Belt starts the World Series slow and picks up the pace later in the series, like he has in the NLDS and NLCS.

Grade: B+

No. 7: Alex Avila and Gregor Blanco

Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers

Alex Avila did a poor job of replicating the numbers that he produced last season, hitting just .243 with nine home runs and 48 RBI in 2012. He still is, however, a much better option offensively and defensively over Gerald Laird.

He just has to focus on hitting the right pitches and trying not to fall behind in the count. If he can do that, he should be able to come through with a couple of big hits.

Grade: C+

Gregor Blanco, San Francisco Giants

Gregor Blanco had a decent regular season but didn't produce at all during the postseason. Although he's done a good job of taking pitches and drawing walks, he's still not getting on base that often. He only has eight hits during the postseason but has somehow scored nine times.

Blanco has been great in left field for the Giants and if he can score every time he gets on base, the Giants are in a good position to win the World Series. If not, look for him to be replaced late in games for a pinch-hitter.

Grade: C-

No. 8: Omar Infante and Brandon Crawford

Omar Infante, Detroit Tigers

Omar Infante plays a major role in the Tigers’ lineup when they will play in San Francisco. The pitcher’s spot will be behind him and he has to do everything in his power to get the job done before that happens, as it’s likely the Tigers pitchers won’t produce.

Infante hit .257 during the regular with Detroit, coming over in a midseason trade, and is the definition of an extra-base hitter. He had seven doubles and five triples in his time with the Tigers and they could definitely use some in the World Series.

Grade: C+

Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants

Brandon Crawford doesn't have the best postseason numbers and that's primarily why he hits just before the pitcher's spot in the Giants' lineup. He does flourish at times but not too often. His job is to try and get the most out of the situation, and he did have five RBI during the NLCS.

If Crawford can get some timely hits at the bottom of the lineup, they have to be happy. He's played very well defensively, they just need his bat to catch up with his glove. 

Grade: C

No. 9: Pitcher's Spots

Detroit Tigers

The Tigers are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to the No. 9 spot, since they will be on the road for four of the games and won’t have the liberty of using a DH.

During interleague play this season, not one Tiger pitcher recorded a hit or even got on base. Detroit will have to hope that some of their bench players can produce once the starters leave the game.

Grade: F

San Francisco Giants

In a weird type of advantage, the Giants pitchers are actually decent hitters. We saw an example of this in Game 7 when Matt Cain ripped a single up the middle, and he had that ball perfectly lined up.

The Giants will have an even bigger advantage once the series shifts to Detroit and they can use a DH, and get someone such as Aubrey Huff into the lineup. The Giants pitchers also obviously have a lot more experience at the plate.

Grade: D+