Thursday, Tigers manager Jim Leyland revealed several of his postseason plans as the Tiger begin their final home stand Thursday night against the Baltimore Orioles
Justin Verlander will not pitch on three days rest
Leyland indicated that ace Justin Verlander would not pitch on three days rest in any series during the playoffs. This means that Verlander would only appear twice in a seven game series.
This move has garnered a lot of attention with some fans and media members wondering why Leyland wouldn’t pitch his best pitcher more than twice in any series, short or long. A lot of fans have also called Leyland bluff thinking that if the Tigers were in a situation where they were about to be eliminated Leyland would go to Verlander even on three days rest. However Leyland is exactly the type of manager that would do the opposite. Whatever Leyland has decided to do in the past he’s pretty much stuck to it whether it be batting Brandon Inge against lefties or keeping Jhonny Peralta down in the batting lineup.
Doug Fister will pitch game two
Leyland also announced that Doug Fister would pitch game 2 of the ALDS no matter who the opponent or where the Tigers will be playing. After Verlander and Fister, Scherzer would come next in the rotation.
However after Verlander, Fister and Scherzer Leyland is still unsure who he would go to after that. It’s my guess that it will be Porcello.
Miguel Cabrera would likely play third base in the World Series
If the Tigers were to make it to the World Series, Miguel Cabrera would likely play third base when on the road in a National League park. This obviously would be done to keep Victor Martinez’s bat in the lineup who in turn would play first base.
Cabrera has been fielding ground balls at third base during practice this week and did play third base for the Marlins and the Tigers when he first arrived.
“I’m not dumb enough to put the cart before the horse,” Leyland said, “but you’ve got to make plans. Common sense says, if given the chance, I won’t lose Victor Martinez’s and Miguel Cabrera’s bat.
“You can’t lose one because then you lose both.
“I’m just trying to make sure we are prepared.”
Leyland will go with a four man rotation in the playoffs
Again, Leyland is going to go with a four man rotation in the playoffs meaning one of the starters will either be left off the playoff roster or come out of the bullpen. Like I said before I believe Porcello will end up getting that fourth spot with Brad Penny either being left off the roster or coming out of the bullpen.
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