When it comes to saying whom the Yankees should be rooting for tonight when the Tigers and Twins play for the right to face the Bombers in the ALDS, scouts are split.
Some say Justin Verlander makes the Tigers more dangerous; others point to the Twins being the hot team and having a better closer.
However, they agree on this: It really doesn’t matter.
“Neither one has a better chance to win because the Yankees are as good as they are,” a talent evaluator said on the eve of the Tigers-Twins playoff game tonight in the Metrodome.
NO PLAYOFF BLUSTER FROM THE BOSS
While the Yankees haven’t informed MLB — they have until an hour following tonight’s game — what best-of-five series they will select, everybody expects them to play Game 1 tomorrow night and Game 3 Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees insist it doesn’t matter who is in the visiting dugout for Game 1.
“To be the best you have to beat them all,” GM Brian Cashman said yesterday after chairing meetings at the Stadium, where his scouts gave Joe Girardi’s coaching staff information that will be processed and distributed to the players tomorrow before Game 1. Normally that would be done today before a workout.
Based on the regular season records the Yankees shouldn’t have a problem with either club. They were 7-0 against the Twins and 5-1 versus the Tigers.
Yet, as Derek Jeter often says, “That’s why they play the games.”
The same scout who predicted the Yankees would topple either team, said the Yankees should be pulling for the Tigers tonight.
“Outside of Verlander, there are questions and the bullpen is shaky,” the scout said. “You can score runs middle and late and (closer; Fernando) Rodney is not a slam dunk. Even if the Tigers have a lead the Yankees’ offense can get to Rodney and score some runs.”
According to another scout, the Yankees would find it easier to advance playing the Tigers.
“There is some age there with Carlos Guillen (34) and Magglio Ordonez (35),” the scout said. “And while the third baseman (Brandon Inge) can pop a homer there are holes in his swing.”
He also made a point about the Twins being the hot team — they won 16 of the final 20 to force tonight’s playoff.
“They are hot and on a run, (Orlando) Cabrera, (Michael) Cuddyer, (Jason) Kubel and all of them believe,” the scout said.
Another scout believes after Verlander the Tigers’ starting pitching isn’t as solid as the Twins, he liked Joe Nathan over Rodney and said never to discount the “Hot Team” theory. A person who believed the Yankees would have an easier road to the ALDS by playing the Twins, pointed to the Tigers being able to use Verlander in Game 2 and 5.
“You want to stay away from Verlander,” the scout said of the stud right-hander who finished the season 19-9 with a 3.45 ERA and is every bit the ace that CC Sabathia is. “In a short series you want to stay away from the beast.”
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The Yankees are prohibiting fans from bringing backpacks to the Stadium for postseason games. The team said the ban was at the directive of the NYPD and MLB.