AL First Round Preview: Let The Games Begin

After an unbelievable and maybe the most exciting finish to an 162 game regular season in baseball history, October is upon us, setting the stage for an what could be an unforgettable postseason.


Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers:
This series is a rematch of last years ALDS in which the road team won every game of the series and it needed all five games to determine a winner. Only this team Texas has the home-field advantage.

Tampa Bay comes into this year's postseason feeling as confident as ever and if they are to dethrone the defending American League champion Texas Rangers, they will have to use their outstanding pitching staff and defense to do so. As a whole the Rays recorded the second best ERA in the American League at 3.58 trailing only the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Hellickson is the favorite to
land the AL ROY honors.

Jeff Niemann, who is 0-2 with an ERA over 11 in his last two starts against Texas, looks to be getting the ball to open the series on the road. He will need to match C.J. Wilson pitch for pitch and keep his team in the game much like he did last year. In the 2010 ALDS, Niemann kept the Rangers off the score board for three innings, allowing only two base runners while punching out four.

Right-hander James Shields became a pitcher not a thrower after a terrible '10 campaign, posting a franchise record eleven complete games to go along with four shutouts. After an early trip to the disabled list All-Star Evan Longoria has recorded 87 RBIs since the month of June, by far the most in the majors. He will need to continue and carry the load much like he did Wednesday night at the Trop.

Also Rookie Matt Moore could be the 2011 version of David Price or Francisco Rodriguez.

In Arlington, the Rangers won the season series with the Rays 5 games to 4. Despite not having Cliff Lee, Texas has three above average left-handers going the first three games of this series with Wilson, Derek Holland, and Matt Harrison.

Napoli is batting .320 season with
an OBP of .414.

As for their bullpen, general manager Josh Daniels addressed that issue at the trading deadline, bringing in two of the games best set-up men with Koji Uehara and Mike Adams. Closer Neftali Feliz hasn't been what he was in his rookie season, but still gives Ron Washington a lethal weapon in the ninth inning.

The real strength of this club is their offense with Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli adding 62 home runs and 180 RBIs to an already dangerous order. How could we forget Michael Young after another amazing season sharing the major league in hits with 213. Somehow reigning AL MVP Josh Hamilton is flying under the radar.

TB X-Factor: Jeremy Hellickson


TEX X-Factor: Mike Napoli


Tampa Bay in Five


Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees:
A rematch of the 2006 ALDS, in which the Tigers lost the first game of the series in the Bronx, but stunned the Yankees by winning the next three en route to their first World Series appearance since 1984. Game 1 will be a battle of aces that could decide who wins and who goes home.

Detroit heads into the Bronx as the hottest team in baseball after a 20-6 September run. The series rests in the hands of their ace Justin Verlander. The last time Verlander took the postseason stage he was a rookie and the losing pitcher in series-clinching Game 5 of the World Series. One thing is for sure Verlander is no longer a rookie and this years favorite to not only win the AL Cy Young Award, but the AL MVP as well after a 24 win season and winning the AL pitching triple crown.

Verlander enjoyed the best season of his
 career while tossing his second no-hitter.

Doug Fister has been anything short of spectacular since coming to the Motor City. In his 70 1/3 innings under Jim Leyland, Fister is 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA. Closer Jose Valverde was a perfect 49 for 49 in save opportunities in '11, but it will be the bridge to "Papa Grande" that will come into question.

We haven't even mentioned the Tigers offense that consists of some of the games best hitters. Miguel Cabrera is having yet another MVP caliber season while Victor Martinez looks to be the steal of the offseason. Not to mention the rejuvenated bat of Jhonny Peralta. This team can do it all.

In New York, the Yankees finished with the AL's best record for the the second time in three years, reaching the postseason for the 16th time in the last 17 years. The pitching behind C.C. Sabathia is still in question until they prove the regular season wasn't a fluke. Rookie Ivan Nova will get the ball in Game 2 in the Bronx despite his numbers being better on the road. Nova was 12-0 in his last 15 starts and is a rookie out to prove he belongs on the big stage.

If the Yankee starters can get the game to the bullpen, it could be game over. New York has developed a deadly three-headed monster with Soriano in 7th, Robertson in 8th, and of course Rivera in the 9th.

Posada could an erase a season full of pain
with one last magical October run.

The health of Alex Rodriguez is a major concern for New York and a key if they want to continue their chase for No. 28. Rodriguez has only 68 at-bats since the All-Star break which could have him well rested for another monster postseason. These two teams have not seen one another since May 5 and that is when Derek Jeter was still not quite Derek Jeter. Since that time Jeter has found his stride batting .327 and will continue to be the table setter for this Yankee offense.

DET X-Factor: Justin Verlander


NYY X-Factor: Jorge Posada


New York in Four