The day has finally arrived for the first game of the ALDS. The Detroit Tigers host the red hot Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of their series.
Although Tigers have their ace Justin Verlander on their mound, the A's come in with the momentum after stealing the A.L. West at the end of the season.
Verlander has won four decisions in a row, throwing 28 innings while only allowing two earned runs. Coincidentially, the A's fell victim to Verlander in September as he threw six scoreless innings of five hit ball.
But Verlander is not the same pitcher in the postseason. In eight starts in his career in the playoffs, Verlander is 3-3 with a whopping 5.57 ERA. Last season, after coming off the best year of his career, in three playoff starts he gave up 11 runs in 19.1 innings pitched.
Though the Tigers possess the Triple Crown winner, the first in the majors since 1967, in Miguel Cabrera and the always fearsome Prince Fielder, the A's pitching finds a way to combat teams with potent offenses.
On some days their offense just goes crazy and strings together many runs, but for the most part, the A's are here because of their dominant young pitching.
In 2012, they were sixth in the league in ERA and second in the American League giving up around 3.48 runs a game
Jarrod Parker will take the mound for the A's. The 23-year-old is coming off of two victories against the Texas Rangers, who the A's beat out for the AL West and are no longer in the playoffs following their loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Parker is 6-2 in his last 10 starts with a 3.34 ERA. He finished his first full season in the majors with a 13-8 record.
Both pitchers faced each other in the past. On May 13 the Tigers went into Oakland and defeated the A's 3-1 behind Verlander's seven innings of 1-run ball giving up just two hits, one walk and striking out eight. Parker went 5.2 innings, gave up two earned runs on six hits and four walks. He struck out five Tigers.
Score Prediction: I expect Verlander to be jittery in the first few innings, giving the A's an opportunity to score. The Athletics win 5-3.
If there is any consolation for the Tigers's fan base it's that I am so far 0-2 in playoff predictions. Check out my MLB Wild Card Predictions.
AL Wild Card Game Predictions: Rangers Will Defeat the Orioles and Advance to the ALDS
NL Wild Card Game Prediction: Braves Will Defeat the Cardinals and Advance to the NLDS