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2006 American League Championship Series Preview
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Fearless Rick's ALCS PREVIEW
Rick Gagliano | 10/10/06
Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland A's
OK, baseball fans, this one's going to close and exciting. Beginning tonight, the A's and Tigers battle for the right to play in the 2006 World Series. The winner will likely be crowned baseball's world champions, because the National League teams - the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets - simply don't have the pitching depth to get through a possible six or seven game series.
How they got here:
The Oakland A's won the AL West by a comfortable 4 games over the California Angels, but it wasn't even that close. Once the A's got to the top spot, they were never really challenged. Texas and Seattle fell out of the race early and the Angels could never close the gap. Oakland went 93-69 for the season, then ousted the Minnesota Twins - who won the Central division on the last day of the season - in three straight.
Detroit was in first place from June onwards, but stumbled down the stretch, allowing Minnesota to take the AL Central title. Turns out it didn't matter as the Twins got swept and the Tigers took care of the Yankees in four games. The Tigers finished the regular season at 95-67.
Big name players:
The everyday players who bear watching for the Tigers are perennial All-Star catcher Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez, outfielder Magglio Ordonez and shortstop Carlos Guillen. Of the three, Pudge is the true gamer of the bunch and will bat anywhere between third and sixth in the lineup. He's got power, great bat control, is about as clutch a player as you could want, can steal a base and is the best defensive catcher in the business.
A large part of Detroit's success can be directly attributable to his masterful handling of the pitching staff. He guided the Florida Marlins to a championship in 2003 and he'll be at the top of his game in this series. Rodriguez had his usual steady season in 2006, batting an even .300 with 16 homers, 69 RBI and 8 steals.
If Pudge is the gamer, Magglio Ordonez is the key to Tiger success in this series. If he hits for power, the Tigers will be tough to beat, but if he doesn't get it done at the plate, they're toast. Maggs hit .298 with 24 home runs and 104 RBI in 2006. His 2nd inning homer in game 4 vs. the Yankees ignited the Tigers' offense.
Carlos Guillen is the soul of this young Tigers team. He's extremely steady at short, and can be exceptional at the plate with a nice blend of power and consistency. Guillen batted .320 with 19 home runs and 85 RBI and 20 steals in the regular season. His 6th inning home run in game 2 against the Yanks tied the game and marked the turning point in the series.
For the A's, few players arouse more fear in opposing pitchers than Frank Thomas. The Big Hurt had a seriously big season in 2006 with 39 home runs, 114 RBI while batting .270. He should be mentioned for AL MVP, but most writers won't vote for a DL in that regard. Thomas, has tremendous power and almost always bats 4th. His two homers in game one were the difference in the A's 3-2 game 1 win over the Twins.
Batting behind Thomas, 3rd baseman Eric Chavez also has great power numbers but strikes out far too often. In 137 games, Chavez batted a meager .241, but rang up 22 dingers and 72 RBI. He disappeared in the first two games of the first round, but went 2 for 2 with a homer in the decisive game three.
Jason Kendall is one of the rarities in baseball - a catcher who also bats leadoff. Kendall found a home in Oakland in 2005 after 10 years in Pittsburgh and really hit his stride late in the season. In 143 games, Kendall batted .295, scored 76 runs, stole 11 bases and drew 53 walks. The numbers may be somewhat pedestrian, but if Kendall gets on base consistently, the A's will be unbeatable.
Both teams possess excellent starting pitching and that aspect will likely decide this series. Because of the pennant race and the playoffs, Detroit had to use their ace, Jeremy Bonderman, in the finale against the Yankees, so he won't be available until game four. That could be too late, because the A's will trot out Barry Zito in game 1, Esteban Loaiza in game 2 and Danny Haren in game 3. The Tigers counter with Nate Robertson, rookie Justin Verlander and Kenny Rogers.
Detroit's pitchers were tough as nails against the Yankees, except for Robertson, who allowed 12 hits and 7 runs in the opener. Going up against Zito, who has big game experience and loads of talent, the Tigers might as well mail in game one.
Game two will be crucial, and Loaiza was super down the stretch, going 6-2 in his last 10 starts. Against the Twins, he pitched 5 innings, allowed just 2 runs but didn't get the decision as the A's won 5-2. If the A's win game 2, this series might be over.
If it comes down to closers, the A's offer Huston Street, who saved 37 games in the regular season and the first two vs. Minnesota. Street can be touched at times, but has a super K-BB ratio, 67-13. Detroit's closer, Todd Jones, matched Street with 37 saves plus one more in game 2 over the Yankees. Jones relies on keeping the ball low and getting ground outs and he's quite good at it. He struck out 29 and walked just 11 in 64 innings this season.
Conclusion:
Pitching will determine the winner of this series more than the bats will, but it should be well-played and competitive. Detroit will have a chance if they can win either of the first two games. Should the A's win both, they will take this series in no more than 6 games, probably 5. If the Tigers find a way to win, it will come down to game 7, where Kenny Rogers will likely get the ball and the win.
Overall, the pitching matchups greatly favor the A's, so they're the choice in 5 or 6 games. They will face the NY Mets in the World Series.
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