BOSTON — A year ago, the Tigers made the Yankees look old and foolish when they swept the ALCS in four games.
Not much later, the Tigers got swept in four by the Giants in the World Series.
“We were embarrassed last year in the World Series,’’ Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. “When you lose four straight, it’s not good. We were embarrassed a little bit. We’d like to stretch it out a little bit. I think there is some incentive there but I think a lot of times that’s just the normal thing to say. Last year we got swept and we didn’t even get to six games or five games.’’
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Anibal Sanchez and Jon Lester, Saturday night’s starters in Game 1 of the ALCS, were teammates in the Red Sox’s farm system at Double-A Portland during the 2005 season.
“I think we were probably completely different pitchers back then; naïve, young and stupid,’’ Lester said. “You know, throwers. But obviously watching him over the past couple of years in Florida and now Detroit really mature and figure out who he is.’’
Sanchez, who led the AL in ERA (2.57), was traded with Hanley Ramirez to the Marlins for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota on Nov. 24, 2005.
“I played in two leagues really close to here,’’ Sanchez said of Single-A Lowell and Portland. “I say, ‘One day I would like to have the uniform and be here.’ That’s what you think at the moment.’’
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Some of the Boston beards are thick enough to serve as duck blinds. Thursday, prior to a workout, the Red Sox hit golf balls and sunned themselves in Fenway Park. However, don’t let the loose attitude fool you.
“We have fun like that, but when it times to get serious we are focussed,’’ said Mike Napoli, whose beard is one of several you could lose a golf ball in. “When we work we are extremely focused.’’
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While the Tigers hitters have faced Lester plenty and done well against the lefty, the Red Sox batters have very little experience against Sanchez.
Only five Red Sox batters have faced Sanchez with Shane Victorino (10-for-43; .233) seeing him the most from their days in the NL. Stephen Drew is 5-for-18 (.278), Jonny Gomes is 1-for-4 (.250), David Ortiz is 3-for-3 (1.000) and David Ross is 2-for-11 (.182).
Lester, who was 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA in two games against the muscular Tigers, has struggled against several of their hitters.
Miguel Cabrera, who gives most pitchers fits, is batting .526 (10-for-19) against Lester. Torri Hunter is at .478 (11-for-23), Victor Martinez is batting .462(6-for-13) and the little-used Bryan Pena is at .412 (7-for-17).
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John Lackey, the Red Sox’s Game 3 starter Tuesday night in Detroit, threw two innings of a simulated game Friday at Fenway Park. Lackey last started Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays.
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After using Jhonny Peralta at shortstop in Game 5 of the ALDS to add punch to his lineup, Leyland is going back to rookie fielding whiz Jose Iglesias at short for Saturday night’s Game 1.
“Our club played well with him at shortstop,’’ Leyland said of Iglesias, who was acquired from the Red Sox ahead of Peralta’s 50-game suspension. “He’s been terrific for us. He is a very intelligent player, a very smart player and we are thrilled to have him.’’
In 46 games for the Tigers, Iglesias batted .249 but overall in 109 games he batted .303, which topped AL rookie hitters.