I have to think so. The Yankees pitching has been superb but, offensively, they are utterly pathetic. Derek Jeter, Mark Tiexiera, and Raul Ibanez are the only players showing any sign of a pulse offensively, and Jeter is now gone with a fractured ankle. A-Rod, Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, and Robinson Cano all look completely lost at the plate. Cano I can forgive given he almost singlehandedly held off the Orioles in the last week of the regular season. The others? Not so much. Granderson looks so lost, I half expect him to swing at pickoff moves to first.
So, I am not expecting much today. Hiroki Kuroda has been the ace of the staff this year, far better than his 16-11 record would imply. In 8 of those 11 losses, he held the opposing team to 3 or less runs. In short, he should've been a 20 game winner this season. How will he do today? Well, he is going on short rest, so I expect he will grind out a workmanlike effort. I don't expect him to shut Detroit down, but I don't expect him to get blown out either. I see him allowing 3 to 4 runs in 6 to 7 innings of work. With this Yankees team that should be enough for Detroit to head home with a 2-0 lead in the ALCS.
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