Detroit Tigers: Analyzing the Tigers' Potential First-Round Matchups
With the summer beginning to wind down and the division leaders beginning to pull away from the pack, the playoff picture is becoming fairly clear. We've managed to whittle the AL teams down to 4 potential playoff teams outside of the Central.
We're going to have an in-depth look at how each of those teams matches up against the Tigers in all aspects of the game. I know the Tigers haven't pulled away quite enough to be totally confident in their playoff spot just yet, but they've been hot and the Indians and White Sox have not, and this is just hypothetical.
So assuming the Tigers can pull off a division win, in spite of Jim Leyland who seems determined to watch the playoffs from his couch, here are the teams they could be facing.
New York Yankees
1 of 4It looks like whether they win the division or not they will make the playoffs, as the 2nd place team in the East will be the Wild Card team barring some kind of monumental collapse. Curtis Granderson is always a compelling story when he comes back to the D and his performance this season makes this matchup that much more compelling.
Season Series:
The Tigers opened the season in Yankee Stadium, losing the first two games before salvaging the final game of the series.
In the first game of the series, Justin Verlander and C.C. Sabathia squared off with neither pitcher earning a decision in an eventual Yankee win off a Granderson go-ahead home run in the seventh inning. New York jumped all over Brad Penny in the second game of the set thanks to three run shots from Mark Teixeira and Russell Martin resulting in another Yankee win.
The Tigers returned the favor in the series finale with Miguel Cabrera and Brennan Boesch each knocking in four RBI off the combo of Phil Hughes and Bartolo Colon to overcome a poor performance by Max Scherzer to get the first Tigers' win of the season.
The Yankees then made their way to Comerica in the first week of May, where the Tigers took 3 of 4. Justin Verlander started this series off with another no-decision after a solid performance.
Jose Valverde took the loss in the opener when he gave up two runs in the ninth inning in a non-save situation. Brad Penny pitched well enough in the second game of the series to hand C.C. his second loss of the year in a low scoring affair. Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello then each pitched masterful games to send the Bronx Bombers out of Detroit on a three-game losing streak.
With both series coming so early in the year it's hard to say that there is much we can take away from them, but the fact that the Tigers were able to hand C.C. one of his few losses of the year is a good sign. Tigers pitching also seemed to get the best of a powerful Yankee lineup most nights.
Tigers won 4-3
Pitching:
Both pitching staffs are headed by a legitimate Cy Young candidate in Justin Verlander and C.C. Sabathia and both have pretty spotty starting pitching after that.
The Tigers are likely to go with a rotation of Verlander (20-5, 2.38 ERA/0.90 WHIP), Max Scherzer (13-7, 4.21/1.33) and Rick Porcello (12-8, 5.01/1.44), assuming they go with a three-man rotation.
Nobody but Verlander has been consistent at all this year, but Scherzer and Porcello each have the ability to be great on any given night and have had some success against the Yanks this season. Brad Penny and Doug Fister don't seem to be playoff caliber pitchers but are decent options should they be called upon.
The Yankees could go a few ways with any combination of AJ Burnett (9-11, 5.31/1.44), Ivan Nova (13-4, 3.97/1.38), Freddy Garcia (10-7, 3.16/1.31) or Bartolo Colon (8-9, 3.63/1.24) following Sabathia (17-7, 2.99/1.16).
Colon and Burnett have really struggled of late and were ineffective against Detroit earlier this season, so a Sabathia/Garcia/Nova rotation is probably the most likely. Nova has had a very solid rookie campaign but is inexperienced so Joe Girardi may opt to go with a veteran in his place. Phil Hughes is also back in the mix after a rough start to the year and may be an option as well.
The Tigers bullpen has some very solid options but is not deep at all. Phil Coke has pitched better since moving back to the bullpen, Joaquin Benoit has finally been pitching the way the Tigers expected him to when they gave him a big pay day in the off-season and Jose Valverde has been the best closer in the league in save situations this year.
The wild card here is Al Alburquerque. If not for injuries, we may be talking about a historical season from him. The Tigers desperately need Alburquerque to be healthy come October as a middle inning guy who can eat up some innings if a starter struggles.
The Yankees definitely have a deeper bullpen. Luis Ayala, Boone Logan, Hector Noesi, and Rafael Soriano are all more than capable arms and David Robertson was rightfully an All-Star this year.
Mariano Rivera has been the most dominant closer of this generation but he is aging and has struggled a bit of late. Even still, he has made a living out of turning it on when it counts most and I'm not ready to count him out just yet. The loss of Joba Chamberlain to Tommy John surgery is tough for the Yankees, but they have done well in his absence.
Edge: Yankees
Hitting:
Both teams have the exact same team average of .269 and the Tigers actually have more guys hitting over the .300 mark. Miguel Cabrera (.324), Victor Martinez (.325) and Jhonny Peralta (.314) are all hitting at an elite level and have had success against New York this year.
Alex Avila (.304) and Brennan Boesch (.283) have bobbed above and below .300 all season as well and Ryan Raburn has been on fire in the second half after floating around the Mendoza line before the All-Star break like usual.
Delmon Young (.304) and Wilson Betemit (.316) are both hitting for great average but their sample sizes with the Tigers are not big enough yet to make much of that. Both of them have been coming up with big hits since coming to Detroit however, so there is reason to be optimistic.
The Tigers real problem is the way Leyland fills out the lineup card. Hitting for a great average doesn't mean much if nobody is on base ahead of you.
The Yankees don't have that lineup card problem as is evidenced by the fact that despite their roster not being quite as impressive when it comes to individual averages, they have driven in 122 more runs as a team. Granted some of that is because Yankee Stadium is a home run haven and Comerica is a pitcher's park but when the Tigers are top five in hits and average but drop down to 10th in runs scored and RBI, something isn't right in Detroit.
Granderson is having an MVP caliber year, Mark Teixeira is going to end up right around his career averages of about 35 home runs and 120 RBI, and Robinson Cano is quietly having a stellar year as well.
With Derek Jeter starting to hit like the Jeter of old and A-Rod coming back from the DL, the Yankees have a very potent, albeit comparably top-heavy lineup. Teixeira is the only Yankee hitter to have consistent success against Detroit this year.
Top to bottom I actually prefer the Tigers hitters. Let's just hope the skipper puts them in the right spot.
Edge: Tigers
Managing:
Jim Leyland has been criticized all season long, rightfully so in my opinion, for his management of the lineup. He is beyond stubborn with players like Magglio Ordonez and Brandon Inge, constantly giving them playing time over younger and more productive players such as Andy Dirks and Wilson Betemit.
With the exception of Cabrera, Leyland is notorious for giving his regular players way too many days off as well, even when they're hot. The Tigers are also dead last in the majors in stolen bases as Leyland basically refuses to even try to steal. He may have a World Series ring and a new contract extension, but I have lost all faith in him in that regard.
Joe Girardi has a relatively short managing career but he already has a World Series win on his resume from 2009 when he took these Yankees to the title. He flies under the radar for the most part which tends to be a good thing when you have a team with as much talent as he has. He puts them in the right situations and lets them play.
Girardi has made the news recently for failing to dispute a home run call, that replay showed to be incorrect and costing the Yanks a win, but if that is the extent of his mistakes this season–New York is in good shape. The Yankees are also 2nd in the league in stolen bases meaning Girardi isn't shy to send a runner.
Edge: Yankees
Overall:
I actually don't mind this matchup from a Detroit perspective. Both teams are similar in many ways, and as long as Detroit can get adequate pitching from Scherzer and Porcello, I like the Tigers' chances.
Detroit showed they can win against the Yanks earlier this year, and playing games in Yankee Stadium should do wonders to keep lefties Boesch and Avila hot at the plate to go along with Cabrera and V-Mart.
Prediction: Tigers in 5
Boston Red Sox
2 of 4The Boston Red Sox were many people's preseason pick to win it all.
They started off very sluggish but have turned it around to become the powerhouse everyone expected them to be. They brought in two of the premier players in the game in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and added them to an already dynamite lineup that included David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury.
The Tigers did manage to steal one of their stars however, when they signed Victor Martinez who has been superb all season in the Motor City.
Season Series:
The Tigers bullpen managed to waste two very solid starts by Phil Coke and Justin Verlander when the Tigers went to Boston for a two game set in mid-May. Coke threw seven innings of three-hit ball while Verlander tossed eight innings and allowed only six hits.
Boston won those games 1-0 and 4-3 respectively, but Detroit easily could have won both if not for struggles at the plate.
When Boston came to Comerica a couple weeks later, the Red Sox were in midseason form and took the first three games of the set convincingly. Luckily, Justin Verlander was in mid-season form as well as he threw 7.2 shutout innings in the final game to slow down a red-hot Boston club and outduel fellow Cy Young hopeful Josh Beckett.
Red Sox Won: 5-1
Pitching:
Max Scherzer has given up 14 earned runs on 22 hits over 13 1/3 innings in three career starts against the Red Sox, including the worst start of his young career earlier this season when he gave up seven runs in just two innings before being lifted.
Rick Porcello hasn't fared much better in his starts against the Sox, as he has never beaten them and has been touched up pretty good in all three games he has faced them. Couple that with the bullpen woes the Tigers have had against Boston this year, and the pitching matchup isn't a great one from Detroit's standpoint.
Boston on the other hand has really kept the Tigers in check at the plate this season. They would likely go with a postseason rotation of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey. Clay Buckholtz pitched great in his two starts against Detroit this year, but is likely done for the season with a stress fracture in his back.
Beckett has been pretty much lights out against Detroit in the last couple years, with his only loss coming this season in a game he pitched well enough to win.
Detroit has been able to get to Lester historically, although they haven't seen him this season. He went winless against Detroit in 2 starts last season giving up 8 runs and 15 hits in the process.
The Tigers haven't seen Lackey this season either but they've been able to get to him in years past as well. He gave up 9 hits and 5 runs in his only start against the Tigers in a Red Sox uniform.
As noted earlier, The Tigers bullpen has struggled against the Sox. With the exception of Phil Coke, although Coke's success came as a starter, Al Alburquerque, Daniel Schlereth, and Jose Valverde each took a loss in games this year and Ryan Perry was lit up for 4 runs over 2 total innings. Charlie Furbush was great in a long relief role against the Sox earlier this May, but that won't do Detroit any good now.
The Tigers bullpen has turned things around of late, but will need to keep that going to have any chance against this lineup.
The Red Sox setup man Daniel Bard started the year very poorly but by the time May rolled around he was much better and has continued improving. He scored the win against Detroit this year but also gave up 2 home runs against them the following night.
Alfredo Aceves has had a very strong year out of the bullpen and collected a win as a starter in Detroit this year as well. Matt Albers has really struggled of late, but in his three appearances against the Tigers this year he threw four innings giving up only one hit. Dan Wheeler hasn't given up a run since July 15th, throwing around 12 innings in that time. Jonathan Papelbon has had lots of success again this year following a disappointing season last year. He has two saves and a win against Detroit this year.
Edge: Red Sox
Hitting:
Tigers hitting hasn't done anything special against the Red Sox this year. Detroit hasn't scored more than three runs in any game against Boston all season.
Alex Avila has led the way against the BoSox with some help from Cabrera and Martinez, but as a whole, Detroit has struggled to put up runs against Boston.
Adrian Gonzalez is having an MVP-caliber season, although he has cooled off considerably of late, batting only .260 with 0 home runs and 3 RBI in August. He hasn't fared very well against Tigers pitching this year either going 3 for 23 in 6 games. Jacoby Ellsbury is having a Rickey Henderson year batting .313 with 22 home runs, 31 doubles, 79 RBI and 33 stolen bases. He had two home runs and four RBI at Comerica this season.
Dustin Pedroia has been Dustin Pedroia this year, quietly producing and being a leader in all areas. Big Papi has spent the last few days recovering from a foot injury that doesn't seem to be serious; but the real concern for Boston is Kevin Youkilis, who has a number of injuries and is currently on the 15 day DL.
Boston is going to need both of those men at 100 percent or somewhere near it, if they expect to make a run at the championship. Luckily for Detroit and the rest of the league, Carl Crawford has had a disaster of a year considering the talent he brings to the table, but he is always dangerous and can't be forgotten.
When all is said and done, I think I trust the more proven Red Sox offense to come through in the clutch as they have all year.
Edge: Red Sox
Managing:
One thing I have noticed recently about Jim Leyland, is a disturbing trend that he has of lifting Victor Martinez late in a game in place of a pinch runner when down by a couple runs.
Not only does that remove the Tigers second best bat from the lineup should they tie the game, but there is a better chance of Leyland getting ejected from a game than there is of him sending a runner to steal.
A couple of those times, the Tigers in fact have tied the game only to have Victor's spot in the order come back around with Don Kelly batting to record the final out in a loss with runners on.
If Detroit expects to contend with the firepower of Boston, they need Victor's bat in the lineup for the entire game despite his sluggish running.
One-time Detroit 3rd base coach Terry Francona won a World Series in his first year as Boston's bench boss in 2004 and won a second one three seasons later. He is greatly respected by his staff and players, and while he is sometimes criticized for decisions he makes with his bullpen, he has proven himself to be a winner. He won 89 games last year with a patchwork of minor-leaguers.
Boston sits in the middle of the pack as far stolen bases are concerned but they have lots of speed with Crawford, Pedroia and Ellsbury and can run when Francona decides to send them.
Edge: Red Sox
Overall:
I can't imagine Boston beating Verlander twice in a series, otherwise I'd likely be talking about a sweep, assuming Boston gets Youkilis and Ortiz back healthy. As much as it pains me to say it, I think a run-in with the Red Sox would end Detroit's year.
Prediction: Red Sox in 4
Texas Rangers
3 of 4Texas came somewhat from somewhat under the radar to reach the World Series in 2010, and the reigning AL Pennant winners are showing this year that it was no fluke.
There aren't many compelling off the field aspects to a Tigers/Rangers matchup, but the skill level on the field with these teams playing is compelling enough on its own. They currently have a two game lead in the AL West and are hoping to win the division in back to back years for the first time since the '98 and '99 seasons.
Season Series:
The Tigers won 2 out of 3 in all three series against the Rangers this year.
The Rangers did manage to give Justin Verlander one of his few losses on the season in their matchup of the season when Verlander threw a complete game, two-run effort but got no run support. T
he Tigers had a lot of success in Arlington scoring 13 runs in one win and putting forth a 20-hit effort the following night for another win.
Tigers Won: 6-3
Pitching:
Verlander's only appearance against the Rangers in the last two seasons was his complete game loss this year, but he also went 2-0 in three games in 2009 against Texas, never giving up more than three runs.
Porcello had a great game earlier this year in Texas, but the Rangers also got to him last season for six runs over four innings. Max Scherzer pitched in all three series against the Rangers this season and came away with only one decision, a win, in his worst outing of the three. For a club with as much pop in their lineup as Texas, Detroit starters have fared very well.
Texas' starting rotation is perhaps the most stable and deepest in the league without getting much acclaim. Only one pitcher outside the Rangers' top five has made even one start (Dave Bush) and he has only started three games.
All five regular starters are in double digit wins with single digit losses as well. However, they have struggled mightily against Tiger hitting this year.
C.J. Wilson is their ace and although he has pitched very well this year, the Tigers got to him for four runs over 6.2 innings for a no-decision in April.
The Tigers have also knocked around Colby Lewis this year, once for nine runs over 3.1 innings and once for four runs over four innings. Its the same story for Matt Harrison, three runs and four runs in his two losses to Detroit.
The one player that the Tigers haven't solved is Alexi Ogando, who has given up only three runs combined to go 3-0 against the Tigers this year.
Its hard to say what kind of rotation Ron Washington might use because they also have Derek Holland they can throw out there. The good news is Detroit seems capable of putting some runs on the board regardless of who takes the mound.
Joaquin Benoit spent the first seven years of his career in Texas so he is familiar with many of their batters, but that has not helped him much so far this year. He did record a win this year against the Rangers, but he did so by giving up three runs in his one inning of work and getting fortunate his teammates picked him up.
Al Alburquerque has only made one appearance against the Rangers this year, but he pitched well, giving up no hits over 1.1 innings. Phil Coke wasn't effective in his starting role against Texas giving up 10 hits over five innings and hasn't had an impact against them as a reliever. Daniel Schlereth hasn't given up a hit in his two innings of work and Jose Valverde has been his dominant self against the Rangers with two wins and two saves.
Darren Oliver has had a great year in the second season of his return to Texas and is a good left-handed option in the middle innings.
Mike Adams was having a superb season in San Diego but hasn't quite been the same since his move to Texas. He gave up Boesch's clutch 9th inning home run to take the loss in August.
Adams and newly-acquired Koji Uehara are the main set-up men in Texas's bullpen. Uehara came over from the Orioles in late July, and he could really be a great addition to secure the late innings and get the ball to Neftali Feliz. Feliz has two saves and gave up only one hit in his three appearances against the Tigers this year.
Rangers pitching has been bad all year against the Tigers and I expect that trend to continue as Detroit's bats have really heated up of late.
Edge: Tigers
Hitting:
Most of the Tigers lineup has been able to have success against Texas pitching this year.
Brennan Boesch and Alex Avila have had particular success which is great news as they are major secondary bats, both left-handed at that, that have to come through in support of Cabrera and Martinez for Detroit to have a chance.
Boesch had the game of his career earlier this season against Colby Lewis when he homered twice in the first three innings, singled twice, doubled and posted a career-best five RBI. Avila had a pair of home runs in the last series against Texas as well as a couple doubles prior to that off Matt Harrison.
On the Texas side of things, Josh Hamilton's power numbers are down this year but his 71 RBI and .293 average are nothing to scoff at and he has played very well against the Tigers this year. He also lost a part of his season due to a collision with Victor Martinez in April.
Michael Young has been having a great year, currently sitting with 87 RBI, but hasn't done anything spectacular against the Tigers. The rest of the infield. Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler, and Mitch Moreland, has been basically invisible against Detroit pitching as well.
The one player that has hit particularly well against the Tigers is Nelson Cruz who has three home runs and nine RBI in nine games.
The Tigers have a much better lineup on paper, but the game isn't played on paper.
The Rangers proved last year that they have the ability to come through with some big hits, but I'm counting on Detroit's continued success against Ranger pitching to be the difference in a high scoring series.
Edge: Tigers
Managing:
Unless Jose Valverde goes a full week without pitching and desperately needs the work, I do not want to see Jim Leyland put him on the mound in a non-save situation. It seems as though every time he does Valverde loses focus, walks batters and gives up home runs, and yet Leyland continues to do it. In case you haven't noticed I'm on the outs with the skipper these days. I was a defender of his for a long time but his managing the last year and a half has been hard to defend.
Ron Washington has a history of having rifts with some of his players, Mark Teixeira and Gerald Laird in particular, but seems to get along very well with his current crop of players. The Rangers bench boss has increased his winning percentage in every season he has managed and took Texas to the World Series in 2010. Texas is 5th in the majors in stolen bases with 112 meaning Washington knows when to send his speed and isn't afraid to do it.
Edge: Rangers
Overall:
I think this is the best match-up Detroit could end up with. Ron Washington seems to be Texas's only real advantage and he's not picking up a bat or throwing any curveballs. I would be taking the Tigers in a sweep in this scenario.
Prediction: Tigers in 3
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Los Angeles Angels
4 of 4The Angels are currently sitting two games back of the Rangers in the AL West, and are the only other team in the American League with a realistic shot at the playoffs that isn't playing in the Central.
Many of you will remember how things got a bit heated the last time these clubs met, when Magglio and Carlos Guillen each hit a home run off Jered Weaver (who could have predicted that?) and Guillen in particular let Weaver know about it,
The result was a Weaver ejection after he threw at Alex Avila's head the next-at-bat. This matchup could have the most sizzle to it of the four we've covered.
Season Series:
The Angels took 2 of 3 in L.A. over the July 4th weekend before splitting a four-game set at Comerica later that month.
The first game in L.A. was a win by Joel Pineiro as he threw seven innings of one-run ball to spoil Charlie Furbush's first Major League start.
Verlander's other start against the Angels produced a heated exchange, as well as his only run allowed over 7.2 innings came after a blown call by umpire Joe West, in a game Dan Haren ultimately won as he tossed a complete game, two-hit gem.
The final game in Angels Stadium saw a late-inning Miguel Cabrera dinger seal a win for Brad Penny who pitched a decent game.
The first game in Detroit saw Penny and Pineiro face-off in a slugfest.
Pineiro didn't fare nearly as well as in his first appearance but luckily for him, Penny was even worse, giving up seven runs in just 3.1 innings in an L.A. win.
The following day produced a one-sided slugfest as the Tigers won 12-2 behind a masterful performance by Rick Porcello and big nights by both Victor Martinez and Carlos Guillen.
Jacob Turner made his Major League debut in the 3rd game of the set, and showed why he is such a highly-touted prospect. Unfortunately, he was the victim of Dan Haren's second complete game against Detroit in as many tries.
The series finale was the Guillen/Weaver incident we covered before, but I should also mention that Verlander threw a near no-hitter in that game against his most likely competition for the Cy Young.
Angels won 4-3
Pitching:
I believe this would be a low-scoring series with not much of a look at the bullpens.
Although Verlander took a loss in one of his starts, he has been as dominant as ever against the Angels and goes deep into virtually every single game. He has gone at least 7 innings in all but one start since May 24.
Porcello had great success against the entire Angels lineup this year and Max Scherzer has not faced the Angels since joining the Tigers.
Brad Penny was about as average as he usually is in his two starts and Doug Fister had one good start and two bad ones against the Angels while with Seattle. Lets hope Penny and Fister aren't needed to start though.
Dan Haren has been other-worldly against the Tigers this year and has shown he can win two games in a five game series on his own.
Ervin Santana has been among the hottest pitcher in baseball over the last month, throwing three complete games in his last five starts, but he has not faced the Tigers this season.
Joel Pineiro has been inconsistent all season long and actually spent about a week in the bullpen earlier this month due to his poor performance. He's back in the rotation now however, and hasn't fared very well against the Tigers.
Which brings us to Jered Weaver. He has pitched at a Cy Young caliber level all season and is clearly the Angels' ace. I feel as though the Tigers may have rattled him in their final meeting though. He was ejected from that game after giving up a couple home runs and had his worst outing of the season two weeks later-giving up eight runs in less than five innings against a mediocre Blue Jays squad.
Neither Al Alburquerque or Duane Below have faced the Angels, and Phil Coke has been absolutely awful in his three appearances this season. Daniel Schlereth and Joaquin Benoit on the other hand have been near perfect when called up to face this L.A. lineup. Jose Valverde ended both of the games he entered to earn a pair of saves without giving up a hit.
The Angels bullpen doesn't have much to write home about but it is getting a very solid season out of Scott Downs. Downs has been the Angels best reliever, going 6-2 with a 1.31 ERA in 41 1/3 innings.
Fernando Rodney also roams the bullpen at Angels Stadium and knows Detroit hitters well, having spent most of his career in the D. He has struggled with injury and has not had a season to remember, but he did pitch one scoreless inning against Detroit in his second game after coming off the DL. L.A.'s closer is Jordan Walden, who hasn't had a spectacular season. He has two blown saves in his last two games and has nine blown saves on the year. His one appearance against the Tigers this year was in a non-save situation where he pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.
The starting pitchers are likely going to cancel each other out in a series of pitcher's duels, and I like the Tiger bullpen more than the one from Cali.
Edge: Tigers
Hitting:
Miguel Cabrera has a couple home runs against the Angels this year and Victor Martinez has been very consistent against them as well. This is good news for Tigers fans, as they'll need their best hitters to be just that in a likely low-scoring series.
Boesch, Peralta, Avila, Jackson, and the rest of the Tigers lineup have racked up a few hits a piece against Angels pitching this year, but none have put up big numbers. The depth that Detroit added at the plate late in the year, Delmon Young and Wilson Betemit, will be keys in keeping the batting order moving and putting up big innings when an Angels pitcher slips up as opportunities will be few and far between.
L.A.'s hitting is definitely their weak point. They don't have a single batter hitting over .300 and only two players (Mark Trumbo and Torii Hunter) have more than 50 RBI.
Howie Kendrick is having one of his better years from a power standpoint but players like Vernon Wells and Bobby Abreu are past their primes and having disappointing seasons. Trumbo and Hunter have both had some good games against Detroit but the rest of the Angels roster has been non-existent against Tigers pitching.
Detroit clearly has the advantage at the plate, and I expect that trend to continue if this series takes place.
Edge: Tigers
Managing:
For all of Jim Leyland's faults, and there have been many lately, a recent Sports Illustrated poll showed how respected he is by most people in the league. Leyland ranked 3rd in a poll that asked 291 MLB players which manager they'd most like to play for. He does have many accomplishments on his resume and his players clearly enjoy playing for him, so he must be doing something right.
I think if Leyland can just stay out of his own way for the rest of the season and the playoffs, the Tigers will be much better off. Detroit has a superb lineup that just needs to be kept focused on the main goal of winning a championship.
The manager of the Angels, Mike Scioscia actually finished in 4th place in that same poll. Scioscia has long been regarded as one of the best baseball minds in the business. As a former All-Star catcher, he has a hand in all aspects of the game and is great at orchestrating small-ball. He owns two AL Manager of the Year awards, five division titles and one World Series as manager of the Angels, and is their all-time leader in wins and games managed.
Edge: Angels
Overall:
As I stated earlier, I believe this would be a low-scoring series, but the Tigers bats will be the difference and Detroit should win this matchup fairly easily.
Prediction: Tigers in 4
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