Kuzul

The Detroit Tigers bats have been colder than a Russian winter thus far in the World Series, but you can expect them to heat up in Game 3 against the San Francisco Giants.

This is a must win game for the Tigers if there ever was one. Not a single team in major league history has come back from a three game deficit in the World Series, but there chances are a lot better in a 1-2 hole.

But, in order to change the direction of the series, the Tigers bats will finally have to attend the contest.

In Game 1, Detroit only managed one run through the first eight innings.

In Game 2, it only got worse. Detroit managed only two hits against the previously struggling Madison Bumgarner.

For the series the Tigers are only hitting .167 with 17 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances, resulting in only three runs.

These are shocking numbers for a team with a Triple Crown winner and a $100-million first baseman on the roster. But, at the moment, the Tigers hitters have less pop in their bats than Alex Rodriguez in October.

Expect that to change in Game 3.

The Tigers lineup will be facing Ryan Vogelsong, who has been absolutely brilliant in the playoffs with a 2-0 record and 1.42 ERA.

However, the former journeyman will not be able to contain a motivated and talented Detroit roster. The Tigers are a fastball-hitting team, with sluggers the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Delmon Young. And with Vogelsong‘s below-average fastball speed, expect the Tigers to feast.

Vogelsong relies on his ball control and large arsenal of off-speed pitches to get hitters out, but if the Tigers are patient at the plate and lay off of the off-speed stuff, they should get good pitches to hit.

Plus, the Tigers will finally be returning home to the friendly confines of Comerica Park, where each one of their Game 3 starters—except Austin Jackson—sported better OPS than they did on the road in the regular season.

It won’t be easy, Vogelsong is on a once-in-a-career roll, but the Tigers hitters will finally awaken in Game 3, leading the Tigers to a much needed victory.

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Cliff Lee has been claimed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now the Phillies must allow their star lefty to walk for the sake of financial flexibility.  

According to a report from CBS, the Dodgers claimed Lee off of Waivers on Saturday. However, according to Jayson Stark, Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. says “he isn’t going anywhere.”

This may sound good to Phillies fans, but it’s terrible for the long term.

A Lee trade would’ve allowed Philadelphia to shed the $95 million remaining on his contract, while also restocking the farm system.

Even if the Dodgers declined to trade for the lefty, just letting him go would’ve allowed the team some much needed financial flexibility—the Phillies have the second highest payroll in MLB.

With the recent re-signing of Cole Hamels, Philadelphia now has four players making over $20 million a season—an outrageous total considering that the Phillies sit 13.5 games behind the first-place Nationals in the NL East.

The Phillies started to reload at the deadline when they dealt the expiring contracts of Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence, and it would be in their best interest to continue the firesale.

They are in no position to contend this season, and considering the way their aging high-dollar players are playing on the offensive side of the ball, it’s not likely to get better any time soon.

It may not be the most attractive option, but the Phillies must start to rework their roster to encourage flexibility.

They can’t continue to spend $200 million a year and finish in last place. It’s just not a good business model.

Letting go of a player of Lee’s caliber is tough, but it’s the right move for next season and beyond.  

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Ian Kinsler has hit leadoff for the Texas Rangers during the most successful run in team history, but the time has come for Elvis Andrus to ascend to the top of the order.

Andrus is having a breakout season for the Rangers. In the past, he had been a slick fielding shortstop with a decent bat. But this year, he has transformed into one of the top hitting shortstops in baseball.

He’s hitting for a .296 average, but even more importantly, he has a .372 on base percentage—12th best in the American League.

This means he manages to get on base 37 percent of the time. An outstanding rate for a middle of the order hitter let alone a line drive hitting shortstop like Andrus.

The great OBP rate can be attributed to his excellent eye at the plate.

He has the ability to distinguish between balls and strikes with the best of hitters, and he has the discipline to lay off of tempting breaking balls and fastballs just off the strike zone.

Another factor in his outstanding OBP rate is his ability to drive the ball to all fields, which is highlighted by his impressive ability to work the ball the other way.

Kinsler, on the other hand, is a power hitter masquerading in a second baseman’s body.

Every time he comes up to the plate, Kinsler is looking to get the most out of his at bat, swinging with a powerful uppercut that is rarely seen from a leadoff hitter.

Despite bucking normal baseball principals, his swing has been effective throughout his career.

In only seven seasons, he has 131 home runs—averaging just under 20 a year. Like Andrus, Kinsler has a great eye at the plate. He has drawn over 40 walks in each year of his career and drew 89 bases on balls in 2011—the fifth-highest total in the AL.

However, for all of the positives that Kinsler brings to the leadoff spot, his inability to hit for a high average is a major weakness.

Kinsler has the ability to hit for a solid average, as he showed in 2008 when he hit .319. But that was the only time in his career where he has hit above .300, and his aggressive nature at the dish has hurt the Rangers, at times.

His career average is only .275, and in 2012, he’s hitting .272. This low rate can be attributed to his tendency to hit fly balls, which is a consequence of his uppercut.

Kinsler seems to pop up, hit a home run or walk in almost every at bat with no in-between, hurting his ability to reach first base.

Andrus, on the other hand, has no such problem. He hits the ball with authority to all fields and walks at the same prodigious rate as Kinsler.

Kinsler’s game is much more suited for the fifth or sixth spot in the order, where his uppercut swing would have a chance to consistently drive in runs.

So why hasn’t Ron Washington made this change?

That’s a question to ask him, but it probably has something to do with the old adage “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

After all, Kinsler does lead all of baseball in runs scored, and the Rangers do have the top offense in the league.

But for a team that has reached two straight World Series only to fall short on both occasions, they should be looking for any way to improve instead of sticking to what got them there.

Andrus is a natural leadoff hitter, and the Rangers’ already potent offense would be augmented by moving the 23-year-old Venezuelan to the top of the order.

Kinsler has been great, but it’s time for Washington to make this change.

Andrus has earned the opportunity, and Kinsler would flourish in the middle of the order, where he could swing for the fences to his heart’s content.

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