Yankees/Tigers Game 1 Preview

It's that time of the year again...it's the baseball postseason! Every team in the MLB has worked to get to this point since the offseason. But now, only eight teams have the right to say that they have made the playoffs.

The two teams that I'll be focusing on right now are the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees boast the American League's best record at 97-65, but the Tigers aren't too far behind as they are only separated by two games, and finished with a record of 95-67. This ALDS beginning tonight at 8:37 pm should be exciting as these teams are very evenly matched.

Looking at the final statistics from the regular season, the Yankees finished with an average of 5.35 runs per game, compared to the Tigers 4.86 runs per game. With these numbers, both teams finished within the top five in the league in total runs per game. In addition, the Yanks and Tigers again finished within the top five in on-base percentage. During the playoffs, each and every pitch means something. Walks, baserunners, and driving up the opposing pitcher's pitch count are qualities that are similar to successful teams in October. Now these numbers would make you think that there will be plenty of offense in this series, but at the same time, you have to take into account the pitching that both teams have on their respective rosters.

The Tigers have the best pitcher in baseball: Justin Verlander. We all know that he will win the Cy Young Award, in most likely a unanimous vote. Oh, and he may even win the MVP with his incredible season. Verlander has filthy stuff on a consistent basis, and has been the most exciting pitcher in the majors this season. He has a record of 24-5, a 2.40 ERA, 250 strikeouts in 251 innings, a WHIP at 0.92, and has held opposing hitters to a .192 batting average.

Verlander has faced the Yankees twice this year, and has only been decent, to his standards anyway. His counterpart in Game 1 is C.C. Sabathia, who he has faced once already this year. That was all the way back on Opening Day. Both aces went six innings and allowed three runs. But the past is the past, and Verlander has become a superhuman since Opening Day.

Verlander in the postseason has four career starts, and has not once gotten deeper than the sixth inning. On the other hand, Sabathia has been just as good in the playoffs as he has been in the regular season in the pinstripes. In his last eight playoff starts, Sabathia is 5-1, with the Yankees winning seven of those eight games. Runs will be hard to come by in Game 1, but the team who is more pesky and a drives up the pitch total of the starter will most likely come away with a win because once you get into either one of these bullpens, the game is all but wrapped up.

Jose Valverde for the Tigers has not blown a single save this season, and of course for the Yankees, the all-time saves leader in Mariano Rivera will be shutting the door when given the opportunity.

My keys for the Yankees to win in Game 1 are Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Teixeira is 3-22 against Verlander for his career, and is coming off a disappointing 201o postseason. A-Rod has had a bunch of injuries to deal with this season, but if he is healthy, and that's a big IF, the Yankees are given a tremendous boost. Both of these stars need to do what they've done throughout their career: work the count, drive in runs, and strike fear into the opposing pitchers. If that is done, I believe the Yankees can beat the hard-throwing Verlander.

It will be an exciting matchup, as two of the best pitchers in the league square off tonight. I can't wait to see how Game 1 shakes out because this game can dictate what happens in the games to follow.

Prediction of Game 1: Yankees win 5-3.

-David Otero

You can follow David on Twitter @David_ODog or listen to him every Tuesday from 6-7 pm on the Sportswire on 88.1 FM and wcwp.org, as well as Talkin' Baseball: The Hot Corner on Tuesdays from 7-9 pm on wcwp.org.