* - YankSox. Pretty sure I just made Mssrs. Doherty, Booker, and Tobis collectively hurl.
But to get to October there is still, among some other series, 25 more games against the AL Central. That's a lot of nail-biters against the formidable Twins and White Sox, not to mention the pesky Indians and Royals. Verlander's divisional numbers, in nine starts: 7-1 (three complete games) with a 1.98 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings.
There are legitimate No. 1 starters, like Kevin Millwood and James Shields, but aces like Verlander, Buehrle, and Zack Greinke legitimately change momentum. It'll be a hell of a final month and a half.
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Article comments
1 - Josh Hathaway
YankSox made me throw up in my mouth, too, Suss. I almost sent this back to draft on principle.
2 - Tony
I don't look forward to facing Verlander multiple times in a series but it can't be much worse than Schilling and Johnson on the same staff.
He is an amazing pitcher but I'll put CC or AJ up against him with the Yankees' offense and feel confident that it will be a close ball game.
That being said, Verlander is so dominate, especially at his best, that the point is well noted.
3 - Tony
*YankSox, funny, but what if it turns out to be the Yankeerays? Eeeewww, even worse.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Now that you mention it, both times Verlander pitched against the Yankees, he faced Sabathia. They each won a game.
5 - Tony
Notice I said CC with the Yankees' offense. Verlander is the superior talent and I think the Huff signing will be great for them.
6 - RJ
Verlander-Jackson-Washburn-Porcello is pretty darn good. Rodney is a decent closer. And now with the addition of Huff, they have another power bat.
The Tigers are going to win the AL Central in the last week of the season (their last three games are at home against the White Sox), and then they are going to make some noise in the postseason. Mark it down, it's for sure.