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They don't have to
Hope the Tigers take this...thought this would make a better ALCS matchup though.
do you really think yankees can beat verlander 2 times
They don't have to
Hope the Tigers take this...thought this would make a better ALCS matchup though.
Yankees FTW
However lol at NY's pitchers
Series could go either way for me. I think game 1 is huge though. Whichever team loses game 1, there will be a lot of pressure on two starting pitchers with no playoff experience, rookie Nova and Fister of Detroit. Both have had really good seasons, but things might change on the big stage. I have a feeling whichever team takes game 1 will also take game 2.
I expect both Verlander and Sabathia to pitch well but also give up a few runs each.
I dont like the matchup. Yankees have an ample amount of switch-hitting or straight left-handed hitters against a Tigers team with (count 'em) ZERO left-handed starters. Moreover, Tigers have only two LH pitchers in the bullpen.
For the Tigers to win, their starting pitching has to be dominant. Not adequate, not good, not even great....dominant.
If Verlander struggles in Game 1, its series over, imo.
Side note: The new Yankees stadium is a friggin' joke, too. The right field fence is pathetic when Curtis Granderson can hit 41 bombs with how many coming at home? Its beyond homefield advantage, its, in my humble opinion, straight cheating. Its the Yankees, so it will never happen, but any other team would have to put a wall up in right if its truly a design mistake.
Detroit will win the series
On the first point, the Yankees were far better against left-handers than right-handers in 2011. Teixeira and Swisher are both much better from the right side. Jeter's splits also are widely divergent in favor of opposing lefties. Cano and Granderson are the only straight lefties in the line-up and they both hit lefties. Finally, the Yanks will start Posada at DH v. righties which relegates Montero to the bench.
On the second point, a little research is always a good thing. In 2011, Granderson hit 21 HRs at home and 20 on the road. When he hit 30 HRs (his second best career total) in 2009 with the Tigers, he hit 18 at Comerica at 12 on the road. So, comparing career-best years at YS and Comerica reveals an increase of 3 HRs in the home ballpark for Curtis Granderson.
Grandy's HR charts from 2009 and 2011, with 2009 first:
Ooooooohhh. Mel with the straight up PWNAGE!!!
UNBEAVABLE!
Granderson already had legit power before going to the Yankees. I do think he does get help hitting not only in Yankees Stadium but in the AL East. Rogers Centre is a launching pad, as is Cambden Yard. 33 of Granderson's 41 HR are in AL East ballparks or Arlington, which is also a launching pad. I don't have the site, so I'll have to ask the person who told me, but someone on another site said they have sites that normalize HR numbers taking into consideration ballpark dimensions and other factors, like wind on a particular night. He told me in a normal ballpark, Granderson would have hit 26 HR this year.
Most of Granderson's HRs weren't cheap anyway. But it's not just pure distance. We know that Yankee Stadium not only has a short right porch, but the structure of the ballpark allows a wind tunnel towards right field as well. So a 375 foot flyball might carry to 420 feet because of the wind.
That's an interesting fact. Probably accounts for some, maybe more than some, of his road HR success. I believe the charts from 2009 and 2011 show that Curtis does, as you say, have legit power. Trying to paint him as a creature of YS is, IMO, unfair.
I don't know how closely you've continued to follow him after he left Detroit, but his success is very much a product of his personality and work ethic. He got off to a very rough start last season and was absolutely horrible against lefties. Despite his veteran status he agreed to shut it down for a couple of games last August and work with the hitting coach, Kevin Long. They made some adjustments to his swing and the results have been incredible. He went from a guy that was about to become a platoon player to an MVP candidate.
He's quickly become one of favorite players both for on the field efforts and, perhaps even more, for the way he conducts himself of the field. The Yankees gave up a great deal to acquire Granderson, but it was worth it.
I was a huge fan of Curtis when he was with the Tigers. And I still am. Great guy on and off the field. The type of guy who is genuine and just someone you can't not root for. I am happy about his success this season. But I certainly don't want him to have success this series lol.
Yeah, he had a lot of problems with lefty pitching while he was here. Kevin Long has done wonders for Grandy. But also credit Curtis for working hard to get it right. Rumors in Detroit is that while a big part of the reason for trading Granderson was financial, one of the things that has been reported to bother the Tigers front office was that Granderson spent too much time worrying about doing community stuff (which is great obviously) rather than spending more time improving on his craft. It's obvious that Grandy is a student of the game, but apparently he didn't put in what they felt was enough work on his game. I'm not an insider or anything like that, but I've read that from multiple sources.
But I have nothing but respect for Grandy. He was great in Detroit. Wish him all the best, just not for this series against the Tigers.
Understandable, and thanks for the Detroit perspective of what may have led up to the trade.
Tigers saved about $15 million on this year's payroll by trading away Grandy and Edwin Jackson. And all four guys they got back in the trade are on the team and made the playoff roster. Jackson, Scherzer, Coke, Schlereth. When a trade involves that many players going to one team, generally one or two are the main pieces and the others are just prospects that may or may not make the big club at some point. The four guys Detroit got have all been key pieces to the team this season.
There have been articles about the trade and how all three teams have benefited fairly equally. Yankees got an MVP candidate in Curtis Granderson. Diamonbacks got a CY candidate in Ian Kennedy (and a #2 in Daniel Hudson by trading Edwin Jackson for him). And the Tigers got four major league contributors and cut payroll to afford a guy like Victor Martinez. And all three teams are in the playoffs this year with all players in the trade contributing to their teams. And Edwin Jackson is also in the playoffs with the Cardinals. Can't do much better than that. It's been labeled as a "perfect trade."
Yep. All three teams playing in October and the major pieces making important contributions.
These are the basics of what changed last night.
The schedule
This is probably the most obvious change. It’s no longer a five-game series spread across seven days. It’s now a five-game series in six days, and beginning tonight, the Yankees are scheduled to play four days in a row. That could have an obvious impact on the bullpen, but Girardi said he does not expect that impact the playing time of Alex Rodriguez, who’s been dealing with knee and thumb issues. This is the new schedule.
Tonight: Game 1 is resumed at Yankee Stadium
Sunday: Game 2 at Yankee Stadium (this was supposed to be a workout day in Detroit)
Monday: Game 3 in Detroit (at this point, everything is as planned)
Tuesday: Game 4 in Detroit
Wednesday: Workout day
Thursday: Game 5 at Yankee Stadium
The roster
Nothing changes with the roster. The Yankees and Tigers set their division series roster yesterday, and they can’t change it just because the schedule has changed. This is at least part of the reason for carrying someone like A.J. Burnett ahead of someone like Hector Noesi. The Yankees can’t change the roster just because they suddenly have to play four games in a row and need a fourth starter.
The rotation
The Tigers have set their rotation, with the biggest change coming in Game 5 when they’ll pitch Doug Fister instead of Justin Verlander. The Yankees rotation is less certain. Joe Girardi announced Freddy Garcia as Sunday’s Game 2 starter, but CC Sabathia said he’s going to fight for that game so that he could potentially start Game 5 on short rest. Girardi all but committed to A.J. Burnett as his fourth starter.
Probable starters
Game 1: Ivan Nova vs. Doug Fister
Game 2: Freddy Garcia vs. Max Scherzer (unless Sabathia gets his way)
Game 3: CC Sabathia vs. Justin Verlander (Girardi didn’t name a starter, but CC seems likely)
Game 4: A.J. Burnett vs. Rick Porcello (assuming Burnett gets the job)
Game 5: Ivan Nova vs. Doug Fister
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2011/10/0...ight/#comments
1-1 going into game 3 and we get to watch what should have been the game 1 pitching match-up tomorrow, with Sabathia v. Verlander. AJ Burnett v. Rick Porcello scheduled for game 4. Tomorrow's game should be great.
Scherzer shut down the Yankees offense today. Valverde gave the Yankees a chance in the 9th but found a way to get out of the inning. Cabrera with 3 huge RBIs for the Tigers.
I like it
Pivotal game, great pitching matchup
yes
Verlander is straight dealing right now
Dear God he just made an ass out of the whole Yankees lineup the past couple innings
If Verlander can pitch on 3 days rest, then Detroit has 3 automatic wins in the ALCS and WS...he's disgusting.
Lol Fatbathia
He just hit 101mph in the 7th inning...jesus christ
Russell Martin just took a 100mph pitch in the ribs
Yeeeeerrrrs
Wooohoooo
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