ALCS: Detroit Tigers vs New York Yankees

[The_Man_With_No_Plan]

He hasn't played SS in 8 years. Putting him there is setting him up for disaster because now he'll be over thinking at the plate and in the field.

I honestly believe A-Rod would still be a better SS today than Jeter was this year... at the very least, he would be at an equal level.

[effdamets]

Look...
The Tigers are really not that good of a team.
If the Yankee offense can move up to bad from putrid, which I fully expect them to do, and score 3 or 4 runs, they'll win the games.

I'm so much more confiedent against this Tigers team than I was against the O's... Even after the poor offensive showings.
Now the Yankees have had a chance to rest.
You'll see. They'll win tonight.

[Abe Frohman]

He hasn't played SS in 8 years. Putting him there is setting him up for disaster because now he'll be over thinking at the plate and in the field.

... Or The exact opposite could happen.

Alex's offensive prime came when he was a SS. Playing him there could light a fire in
the dude, Bring him back to his glory days.

it might be just what he needs to break out offensively. Who knows till you try ?

Im confident he can make the plays better than anyone else we have available. The
key takeaway is that it allows for BOTH Chavez and Ibanez to start @ the same time.

For this very reason alone Girardi should do it.

Nix in the starting Lineup makes me wana puke.

[snapple]

Look...
The Tigers are really that good of a team.
If the Yankee offense can move up to bad from putrid, which I fully expect them to do, and score 3 or 4 runs, they'll win the games.

I'm so much more confiedent against this Tigers team than I was against the O's... Even after the poor offensive showings.
Now the Yankees have had a chance to rest.
You'll see. They'll win tonight.

Eh, not really.

[effdamets]

Eh, not really.

whoops.... I meant NOT really that good.

Fixed it.

[snapple]

whoops.... I meant NOT really that good.

Fixed it.

They have good players, but (and I think I've said this before in this thread) Verlander can't pitch every game. Even then, we hit him pretty well. Maybe I want him to pitch every game.

[dont_ya_know24]

this series isn't over people.

[THEBOSS84]

If the Yanks win tonight, the entire complexion of the series changes. It's that simple.

[Yankee Tripper]

If the Yanks win tonight, the entire complexion of the series changes. It's that simple.

Huge difference between down 1-2 with your ace going in G4 verse down 0-3 facing elimination.

[NelsonMuntz]

They have good players, but (and I think I've said this before in this thread) Verlander can't pitch every game. Even then, we hit him pretty well. Maybe I want him to pitch every game.

Does it matter? Our offense couldn't muster a run against Anibal freaking Sanchez. Not saying the series is over but these guys better snap out of their funk in a hurry.

[bronxburner]

I know it won't happen with Girardi making the lineup, but I think 2 of the 3 of ARod, Swisher and Granderson need to sit tonight, and then we should load up with lefties as much as possible as Verlander would need to get absolutely shelled (not likely) or be north of 125 pitches for them to pull him after less than 8 innings, and probably even 9. The only righties I'd play are the ones we have no choice with (SS and C).

RF Ichiro
SS Nunez
2B Cano
1B Teixeira
DH Ibanez
3B Chavez
C Martin
CF Granderson
LF Gardner

[The_Man_With_No_Plan]

It's weird how lately I've been looking forward to the lineups being posted! That doesn't happen often. Here's mine:

1) Gardner LF
2) Ichiro RF
3) Tex 1B
4) Ibanez DH
5) A-Rod SS
6) Cano 2B
7) Martin C
8) Chavez 3B
9) Granderson CF

[NYYankeesFan92]

"I don't know what to say really.
Hours away
from the biggest battle of our professional lives
all comes down to today.
Either
we heal
as a team
or we are going to crumble.
Inch by inch
play by play
till we're finished.
We are in hell right now, gentlemen
believe me
and
we can stay here
and get the ................ kicked out of us
or
we can fight our way
back into the light.
We can climb out of hell.
One inch, at a time.

Now I can't do it for you.
I'm too old.
I look around and I see these young faces
and I think
I mean
I made every wrong choice a middle age man could make.
I uh....
I pissed away all my money
believe it or not.
I chased off
anyone who has ever loved me.
And lately,
I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror.

You know when you get old in life
things get taken from you.
That's, that's part of life.
But,
you only learn that when you start losing stuff.
You find out that life is just a game of inches.
So is baseball.
Because in either game
life or baseball
the margin for error is so small.
I mean
one half step too late or to early
you don't quite make it.
One half second too slow or too fast
and you don't quite catch it.
The inches we need are everywhere around us.
They are in ever break of the game
every minute, every second.

On this team, we fight for that inch
On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us
to pieces for that inch.
We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch.
Cause we know
when we add up all those inches
that's going to make the ................ing difference
between WINNING and LOSING
between LIVING and DYING.

I'll tell you this
in any fight
it is the guy who is willing to die
who is going to win that inch.
And I know
if I am going to have any life anymore
it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch
because that is what LIVING is.
The six inches in front of your face.

Now I can't make you do it.
You gotta look at the guy next to you.
Look into his eyes.
Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you.
You are going to see a guy
who will sacrifice himself for this team
because he knows when it comes down to it,
you are gonna do the same thing for him.

That's a team, gentlemen
and either we heal now, as a team,
or we will die as individuals.
That's baseball guys.
That's all it is.
Now, whattaya gonna do?"

[NYRangers79]

Granderson or Swisher or both need to be benched today. Giradi has to change things up. Their replacement can't do any worse.

[YankeePride1967]

If the Yanks win tonight, the entire complexion of the series changes. It's that simple.

I know our problem hasn't been pitching, but I have to have some confidence when our game 4 and 5 starter is CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte. If we can win tonight, I think it's very much alive.

[dont_ya_know24]

RF Ichiro
SS Rodriguez
1B Teixeira
2B Cano
DH Ibanez
CF Granderson
C Martin
3B Chavez
LF Gardner

[effdamets]

Granderson or Swisher or both need to be benched today. Giradi has to change things up. Their replacement can't do any worse.

Actually, if you look a little deeper, any replacement for Granderson may be able to do worse... Not from a batting standpoint but just imagine Verlander's mindset when Granderson steps into the batter's box. Then imagine his mindset when the replacement player steps in.
If he makes a mistake to the replacement player, worst case is he gives up a single. That same mistake to Granderson may cost his an instant run.

Swisher - I may agree since his woes have now move deeply into his defense....

[DiMaggio5CF]

I know our problem hasn't been pitching, but I have to have some confidence when our game 4 and 5 starter is CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte. If we can win tonight, I think it's very much alive.

IF they hit, you're absolutely right. If they don't hit but manage to squeak out a 1-0 win against Verlander or the bullpen, I'd still feel confident with Sabathia but not so much with Pettitte. Sabathia has the potential to throw a complete-game shutout every time out; Pettitte will almost always keep you in the game like he did in his last start, but he's not the dominant-type guy who will go eight innings of shutout ball, which is what might be needed if the offense is still in this slump.

Here's the thing about this offense. Even those of us who warned about this type of a playoff slump figured the offense would go cold and disappear for a few games and the Yankees would be vanquished in three or four games of the ALDS. I don't think any of us expected the Yankees to squeak by the ALDS despite that slump to get into the ALCS and have seven straight games of an inept offense. I think even the most skeptical (for lack of a better word) thought that the Yankee offense would eventually get hot and never expected a slump this extended.

I also think that us skeptics expected this kind of a drought to happen against guys named Weaver, Wilson, Price, and Shields. I think even we are perplexed that it's happened against Hammel, Chen, Gonzalez, Saunders, Fister, and Sanchez.

That said, Verlander is the one dominant pitcher who doesn't worry me as much as those pitchers above (the Weaver, Wilson list, not the Hammel, Chen list) -- and by that, I mean he worries me a lot but not to the point where it's unfathomable that the Yankees could put some runs on the board with him. The thing with Verlander is that he gets stronger as the game goes on, and the Yankees will have to get to him early. I really think they'll have a chance or two in the first two innings; whether or not they capitalize on those chances will determine the course of the game. Verlander is also certainly capable of pitching so deep into the game that the Yanks won't get a chance to hit off of Valverde.

But, though it will likely have to be early, I still do think that the Yankees have a shot against Verlander. To be honest, Detroit's Game 4 starter Max Scherzer worries me more. I still like the Yankees with Sabathia in that game, and hopefully a breakout against Verlander will spark the offense.

However, I still can't shake the feeling that once the Yankees do get hot, the pitching -- which is good but pitching over their heads -- will be due to serve up a few to Miggy Cab and Prince Fielder and the Bombers will lose a 9-8 game. Unfortunately, by playing so poorly in the first two games, the Yankees have put themselves in a position where even just one stinker like that from a starting pitcher could put them in a hole that they can't get out of.

[Abe Frohman]

rf ichiro
ss rodriguez
1b teixeira
2b cano
dh ibanez
cf granderson
c martin
3b chavez
lf gardner

boom.

[Panamaniac42]

RF Ichiro
SS Rodriguez
1B Teixeira
2B Cano
DH Ibanez
CF Granderson
C Martin
3B Chavez
LF Gardner

I can get down with that.

[d32123]

Just got back from being suspended. Is A-Rod really being considered for starting SS?

[RhodyYanksFan]

They have good players, but (and I think I've said this before in this thread) Verlander can't pitch every game. Even then, we hit him pretty well. Maybe I want him to pitch every game.

It would be amazing if he pitched every game! Who wouldn't want to face him after he threw 24 innings in 3 days?

[montrealer]

So confused..........

[yankeetomer54]

Huge difference between down 1-2 with your ace going in G4 verse down 0-3 facing elimination.

Exactly, this series can completely change tonight.

[Abe Frohman]

Just got back from being suspended. Is A-Rod really being considered for starting SS?

Girardi aint got the culiones ... but one can hope.