Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
If Max Scherzer carries over the pitching magic he has had during the 2013 regular season into the playoffs, then the Detroit Tigers will have an excellent shot at a World Series title.
Scherzer at 21-3 will certainly be manager Jim Leyland‘s No. 1 guy in the playoff rotation. He carries the kind of momentum into the postseason that Leyland needs to give him the ball as often as possible.
Scherzer would likely get two starts in any playoff series that goes the full distance or close to it. He will try to get the team going on the right foot in the first game, and then Leyland, if the Tigers haven’t clinched it just by the time it’s Scherzer’s turn again, could give him the ball once more.
Winning a World Series means 11 victories for a team during the playoffs. If Scherzer gets two starts in each series, that’s six total. With a 21-3 record, Scherzer’s percentages for a win are high every time he makes a start in the playoffs. There’s no guarantee his six appearances will mean six of the 11 wins the Tigers need, but the percentages are definitely in Detroit’s favor when Scherzer is on the mound.
But in his six starts, Scherzer would have to show he can be as tough in the postseason as he was during the 162-game schedule. He needs to pick up his toughness a few notches since he’s now facing the best teams in the MLB on a regular basis.
Pitching is what wins playoff games in baseball. With Scherzer heading the Tiger staff, Detroit’s chances of a World Series title are very good right now.
John Raffel is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnCarlRaffel, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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