The Yanks Are Comin'

While watching the exciting play of the last night of the regular season Wednesday night, I was keeping a sharp look on the ESPN crawl for two scores. The Tigers hosted the Indians and the Rangers were in Anaheim. If the Tigers won and the Rangers lost, the Tigers would get the number two seed and host the wild-card winner, either the Red Sox or the Rays. The Tigers, after falling behind 3-0, did the job, coming back to win 5-4. But the Rangers beat the Angels, 3-1, and thus the Tigers yield home-field advantage and must play the number one seed, the Yankees.

This is, as Yogi Berra said, deja vu all over again. Five years ago the Tigers, after clinching a playoff spot, went on a skid, getting swept by the last-place Royals and did not win the division, instead earning a wild card, which meant they had to play the Yankees. I, and everyone else who knows anything about baseball, thought they were doomed. They lost game 1 handily. But they squeaked by in game 2, and then routed the Yanks at home in games 3 and 4, and then swept the A's to go to the World Series. It was a stunning upset.

Can lightning strike twice? There are some differences. This year's Tiger team, on paper, is much better than the 2006 team. They have the best pitcher in the league this year, Justin Verlander. Doug Fister is no slouch in game 2, going 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA for the Tigers after a mid-season trade. The Yankees have vulnerability issues in their rotation. They'll throw C.C. Sabathia tonight against Verlander (a match up of Hall of Fame-track hurlers), and rookie Ivan Nova went 16-4.

But Freddie Garcia, rescued off the scrap heap, starts game 3 for the Yankees. They will then go to workhorse Sabathia again, if necessary, while Tiger skipper Jim Leyland has said Verlander will not go on short rest, no matter what the circumstance. It is crucial that the Tigers win tonight, not only strategically, but psychologically. If the Yankees get to the Tigers' best pitcher, it may all over quickly.

Both teams can hit. The Yankees have perennial batsmen like Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Texeira, with Alex Rodriguez, who had an injury-riddled and off year, still a threat. Former Tiger Curtis Granderson had a monster power year for the Yankees. But the Tigers match up just as well with the Yankees line-up, with batting-title winner Miguel Cabrera, clutch-hitter Victor Martinez, all-star catcher Alex Avila, and shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

I'm reluctant to make a prediction, other than that the winner of the game tonight will win the series. I'll be a basket case while watching, trying to find the position to sit in that brings the Tigers the most luck. Five years ago it was my right leg crossed over my left, while I bit on my right thumbnail. Will that still work?