Thursday, October 6, 2011

ALDS Game 5: Tigers at Yankees

US Presswire photo
Yankee Stadium hosts the decisive fifth game of this division series.
And so it has come to this: A do-or-die ballgame in the Bronx between the Yankees and Tigers, the winner advancing to face the Rangers in the ALCS, the loser trudging home for a long winter. It doesn't get much more compelling than this.

Actually, this could have set up as one of the all-time pitching matchups, with CC Sabathia facing Justin Verlander for all the marbles. Unfortunately, that Game 1 rain suspension destroyed that possibility, so it's a rematch of the continuation of that game in Ivan Nova vs. Doug Fister.

Nova got the better of Fister in that matchup. This, however, could be a different story, primarily because neither manager will have a long leash on his starter tonight. They'll make a change at the first sign of trouble, and just about everybody will be available to pitch. Just don't look for Verlander. Jim Leyland insists his ace will not be used under any scenario, and earlier today Verlander threw a bullpen session, which would seem to confirm he's not available tonight.

Enjoy the game...

AL DIVISION SERIES - GAME 5
DETROIT TIGERS at NEW YORK YANKEES
Where: Yankee Stadium
Gametime: 8:07 p.m.
TV: TBS
Radio: WTEM (980 AM), WWXT (92.7 FM), WWXX (94.3 FM), XM 89
Weather: Clear, 59 degrees, Wind 3 mph out to RF
STARTING LINEUPS
TIGERS
CF Austin Jackson
3B Don Kelly
LF Delmon Young
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
RF Magglio Ordonez
C Alex Avila
SS Jhonny Peralta
2B Ramon Santiago
(P Doug Fister)

YANKEES
SS Derek Jeter
CF Curtis Granderson
2B Robinson Cano
3B Alex Rodriguez
1B Mark Teixeira
RF Nick Swisher
DH Jorge Posada
C Russell Martin
LF Brett Gardner
(P Ivan Nova)

24 comments:

natsfan1a said...

Yay, an 8 p.m. start and multiple pitching changes in store. Awesome! Let's go, Tigers. (yawns)

Nova got the better of Fister in that matchup. This, however, could be a different story, primarily because neither manager will have a long leash on his starter tonight. They'll make a change at the first sign of trouble, and just about everybody will be available to pitch.

baseballswami said...

Anybody want to guess how long this game goes? With all of the mound conferences, pitching changes and stepping out during at-bats, this could still be going on when we get up tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Is Delmon Young the meat-hook's brother or is that another guy with a similar name?

Anonymous8 said...

I believe that is Dmitri's younger brother.

Anonymous said...

He is the younger brother of Da Meathook.

John C. said...

Let's go, Yankees!

My over/under on this game is 3:45; I have my Diet Coke in reserve to help get me through :)

Dawn said...

Well, at least it is a good start for the Tigers. Fister has been a gift (from the Mariners) and Delmon's no slouch himself (from the Twins). Dave Dombrowski pulled off a couple of good trades at the deadline. Skipped the Tiger's watch party invite, actually want to watch the game. Yay, Magglio!

BinM said...

John C: I'll take the over on your 8:05 post.

Anonymous said...

How about taking the WAAAAY over.

FS said...

seriously, five pitching changes in five innings and a half. wth?

Girardi is overmanaging I think.

Anyways, off to sleep. Hope Yankees lose big time.

Eugene in Oregon said...

John C. - was your over/under for a three hour and forty-five minute game or for 3:45 a.m.?

Anonymous said...

The Yankees lose! They are starting to get a little long in the tooth. Jeter and A-Rod are still good but they no longer are the great players they were in their youth and the Yanks are kind of committed to them for a few more years at big money.

John C,
3:34 pretty good guess.

John C. said...

It's going to be tough to see how much it costs them to keep Sabathia. He's due to get $24.286 million for the next four years. They are committed for $153.1 million for 12 players next year. After they pick up the options for Cano (+$12 million) and Swisher (+$9.25 million) that goes to $174.35 million for 14 players. Add arbitration for Gardner, Hughes, Chamberlain, Boone Logan and Russell Martin and they will be about one free agent signing away from their current payroll with six more players to get. It makes me wonder if they really will be players for Yu Darvish or C.J. Wilson.

natsfan1a said...

Yay, happy morning game results! (Glad I set the DVR. I went to bed after the 6th. Okay, I kind of fell asleep on the couch before that.)

Atta way, Tigers! Congrats, Dawn.

baseballswami said...

Nice -- just so nice to see that a billion dollar payroll does not guarantee you a ring. Next the Phils?

natsfan1a said...

Hope so, swami. (And, yes, Delmon is Dmitri's brother.)

natsfan1a said...

MLB Network aired an original film about the Young brothers back in the day.

Dawn said...

natsfan1a; Thank you...yawn...what a tight, competitive and great game to watch. When Girardi took Nova out, Miggy's look mirrored mine. But when push came to shove the Yanks were close to pulling it off. Fister, Scherzer, Benoit then Valverde were spectacular. Kelly getting the homerun would be like Bixler doing the same on the Nats, a sweet surprise.

Jim Croce said...

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't rip the bandaid off of Benoit's cheek
And you don't mess around with Jim.

Leyland, that is.

ehay2k said...

The Yankees' loss serves as a cautionary tale to those who think spending money on free agents wins championships. Once you get to the playoffs, the on paper matchups do not much matter.
So, I ask you all:

Do the Nats really need to trade prospects and/or pay a ton of cash for what would amount to a rental CF in 2012, when there will be better, longer term options available in 2013?

Is there really a better option available for a fair value at SS than Desmond?

Does our pitching staff really need much of an upgrade?

Sometimes, what a team (in any sport) needs is continuity. There can be as much value in that as in a flashy free agent. What I, as a fan, do NOT want is for the Nats to bring in a high-priced jerk that we get stuck with for several years. I LIKE the current crop of players, and that puts me in the seats as much as another 10 wins, or 20 for that matter, would with a FLop, HRamirez, or ABelle would. Perhaps more.


My point is that unless the time is now or never to get to the World Series, there is something to be said for going slow, even standing pat.

John C. said...

The true test for "now or never" is the Milwaukee Brewers. By not trading Prince Fielder and dumping trading their best prospects for Greinke, they are truly all in for 2011.

It's been done before - the FL Marlins have won a couple of WS titles by going all in. But the damage the fire sales did to the franchise are obvious when you looked around their stadium for the nonexistent fans. Even though I root against the Brewers (Bud Selig hangover), I hope that they manage a softer landing than the Marlins did.

Dawn said...

John C; For the most part that is true about the Marlins. Case in point, Leyland gets a bum rap for his career win/loss record. People ignore the fact that after his team won the WS in 97' Dombrowski was ordered to dismantle the team the following year. In 98' Jim had to start over. Loria didn't want to resign Pudge in 04' even though he said he would sign for the same amount as 03'(and a couple of years). Your point about the Marlins fans I don't agree with as much. Have family in Florida who love the Marlins, can't stand the summer heat. With a roof on the new park they are already buying tickets, they are not going to be the only ones.

N. Cognito said...

"Loria didn't want to resign Pudge..."

Not trying to be part of the spelling police, but it's "re-sign," not resign. It's obvious in this case what you meant, however, since both words are commonly found in baseball discussions, there have been other posts in the past where the wording made the meaning a bit unclear.

Dawn said...

N. Cognito; Thanks for the "Save". Tend to get lazy when posting on a blog, rarely take time to proof.

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