Kuzul

Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers is the best pitcher in Major League Baseball, but that doesn’t mean he’s a complete player.

Yes, Verlander has a filthy menu of pitches that consistently makes opposing hitters look foolish, but it’s the mental aspect that continuously gets the best of him. 

With his ability, the physical aspect of the game comes easy, but his emotions get the best of him on too many occasions. 

The Tigers are struggling this season, and Verlander has put it upon himself to be perfect every time he takes the mound. While he’s truly dazzling to watch and is a once-in-a-generation type of player, he needs to calm down. 

Each time he takes his turn in the rotation, it’s not out of question that something special is going to happen. Fans have been spoiled by his wizardry on the hill as they’ve come to expect perfection every outing.

It’s evident that Verlander feels the pressure of putting his club on his back and taking them the distance. The only problem is that every time he allows a baserunner, his adrenaline kicks into hyperdrive, his fastball hits triple digits and he clearly becomes upset. 

When this occurs, Verlander becomes a loose cannon on the mound. His pitch count skyrockets, which isn’t of great concern considering that he has thrown 100-plus pitches in every start since July 22, 2010, but it’s still apparent and alarming that he’s distressed. The Tigers’ bullpen always seems to be exhausted by the time Verlander pitches as the team desperately needs him to go wire-to-wire. 

The pressure to perform on Verlander is always immense, but the organization must find a way to calm their ace down when this unnecessary stress takes place. In his AL MVP/Cy Young season of 2011, the biggest improvement in Verlander’s game was that he came out and didn’t throw 100 mph fastballs in the first inning. While that’s still noticeable in 2012, he’s still incomplete. 

Yes, the Tigers have yet to meet expectations this season, but they’re not to be left for dead. A number of injuries and untimely hitting has hurt the Tigers in 2012, but their record is bound to head north any day now.  

In order for the Tigers to do so, they’ll need the face of their franchise to pitch on an even keel. Verlander must learn to harness his emotions in order for the Tigers to accomplish their mission. He’s the guy whose teammates look to steer the ship, and when he’s off-kilter, the team seems to get out of sync a bit.  

He needs to realize that he’s human, and it’s nearly too impossible to pitch perfectly once, nonetheless every time. After all, he’s facing professional batters who would love to tell their grandchildren that they reached base against the great Verlander.

Only when the future Hall of Famer centers his Chi and finds mental stability on the mound will he become the perfect pitcher. 

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Every time Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander hits the mound, there is a chance of him pitching a no-hitter.  That’s how good he is.  Verlander was looking for the third no-hitter of his career and the eighth in Tigers history on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He lost it in the ninth inning after a breaking ball that was hit by Pirates DH Josh Harrison. 

With being that close, you may just wonder when Verlander’s third no-hitter will come, and possibly a fourth.  When Verlander’s pitching with accuracy and the right placement, he’s very difficult to hit.  It was his first one-hitter as he struck out 12 and allowed two walks in the process. 

Legend Nolan Ryan had four no-hitters that ended in the ninth inning during his time.  It’s a tough time for pitchers.  The adrenaline is going, the feeling of being almost to the finish line and the fear of throwing the wrong pitch is all there. 

The 29-year-old Detroit ace will hope to join elusive company if he does achieve his third no-hitter.  Ryan had seven no-hitters, while Sandy Koufax had four. Bob Feller, Cy Young and Larry Corcoran had three. 

Last year’s American League MVP and Cy Young winner will achieve Hall-of-Fame status with his third no-hitter.  The other two came against Milwaukee in 2007 and Toronto in May of 2011.  It’s a matter of time before Verlander has one of those magical nights again. 

Verlander’s array of pitches is nearly impossible for hitters to solve on certain nights.  During the one-hitter against the Pirates, Verlander was throwing in the upper-90s and up to 100 mph in the eighth inning.  It was a remarkable performance to watch. 

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Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Jose Valverde account for $73 million of the Tigers‘ payroll this year.

And nearly thirty games in, General Manager David Dombrowski might well be asking himself if the Tigers are seeing the type of returns expected from such a large investment.

It’s true that 28 games isn’t enough to gauge a ball club, but it’s enough of a sample size to start making some observations about the Tigers’ performance in 2012. Not considering inadequate contributions from the bottom of Detroit’s lineup and so-so bullpen, many Tigers fans are also asking themselves, “Should we have put all these eggs in the same basket?”

With the Tigers sitting in the middle of pack in the AL Central, now is a good time to take a look at the production numbers of Detroit’s highest-paid players:

Prince Fielder ($23 million)

In terms of power, Fielder is off to a slow start, with only 4 home runs. His batting average of .308 sits a bit higher than his career (.283), but his on-base and slugging percentages (.381 and .452, respectively) are slightly lower than his career averages of .389 and .537.

Fielder may be experiencing the adjustment period most hitters do when changing leagues, but it’s not enough for serious concern. Perhaps he should have more than 14 RBIs at this point in the season (.412 BA with runners in scoring position), but again, his numbers so far are not cause for panic.

Is his plate-production worth $23 million? That question remains to be answered.

Miguel Cabrera ($21 million)

While a BA of .284 might not seem too shabby, Dombrowski and Leyland are probably expecting more out of their star third basemen given his massive salary and given his career batting average of .316.

His OBP and SLG percentages are off a bit, but what’s really got Detroit worrying is Cabrera’s average with runners in scoring position (.296). Again, it might not seem all that bad, but it’s a far cry from Cabrera’s 2011 batting average of runners in scoring position of .388.

Another thing Tigers fans might be worried about is Cabrera’s ability to drive in runs with two out. Last year, Cabrera batted .382 with runners in scoring position and two out—this year: .250, including 0-3 last night in Seattle.

With a salary of $21 million, and an obvious downside on defense, Dombrowski might also be asking himself if Cabrera is living up to his paycheck.

Justin Verlander ($20 million)

Not much to complain about here. In six games started, Verlander has gone 2-1 and put up an ERA of 2.38 and a WHIP of 0.86. He’s averaging 8.3 strikeouts and 1.8 walks per nine innings.

Verlander has shown that his below-average Aprils are a thing of the past.

Jose Valverde ($9 million)

The next highest-paid player on the Tigers might be the biggest disappointment.

While it’s impossible to expect him to repeat his 2011 perfection (49 for 49 in save opportunites), Valverde has struggled to keep runners off base in 2012 and has already blown two saves. His ERA of 5.68 must come down if the Tigers are going to build on their success in 2011.

It’s early in the season, and Detroit’s big-money players have plenty of time to put up big-money numbers, but with a record of 14-14, there’s no question that Motown is a bit anxious for an adequate return on their investment.

Stats derived from Baseball-Reference.com and ESPN.com

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If you have a top pick, you absolutely must snag a pitcher like Justin Verlander—your fantasy rotation depends on it.

Like a quarterback in fantasy football, many hesitate to select pitchers with their first pick or two. Your hesitation will lead to an opponent’s victory.

Wins, innings pitched, ERA, WHIP and strikeouts count most in fantasy baseball.

Here is the 5-5-5 list. Five pitchers who will end up in the top five in all five categories.

Get them before it’s too late.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Verlander is similar to Aaron Rodgers.

Most scoffed at the friend who used their first pick on Rodgers, only to watch the quarterback put up 50 points every Sunday. That friend likely went to playoffs.

Verlander is no different. Draft him and he may single-handedly take you to the top of the leaderboard. Last season, he led the league in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts and WHIP. His efforts landed him the AL CY Young and MVP awards.

Barring injury, nothing will change.

Since his Rookie of the Year season in 2006, Verlander has been in the top five for Cy Young contention three times.

Projected 2012 stats: 26 wins, 2.36 ERA, 260 innings pitched, 0.97 WHIP and 244 strikeouts.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

If Verlander is off the board, there’s no disappointment in “settling” for Kershaw.

Kershaw is looking a lot like Justin Verlander 2.0 these days and is only 24 years old.

Kershaw finished second in wins, strikeouts and WHIP, and had a league best 2.28 ERA.

It’s worth mentioning that the two biggest sluggers in the National League—Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols—signed with American League teams.

Kershaw should continue to dominate the NL with ease.

Projected 2012 stats: 24 wins, 2.44 ERA, 244 innings pitched, 1.01 WHIP and 257 strikeouts.

Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

Halladay might be taken as the first pitcher in any draft based on of his name alone.

The name Halladay has become synonymous with dominant. Rightfully so.

He’s been in the top five for Cy Young considerations seven times, winning twice. Since 2008, he’s averaged nine complete games and four shutouts.

In 233 innings last season, Halladay maintained a 2.35 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He also struck out 220 batters on his way to 19 wins.

This season, with an aging offense and an injured Ryan Howard, the pitching staff will be tasked with shouldering more of the load.

Halladay won’t have any problems with that.

Projected 2012 stats: 22 wins, 2.67 ERA, 242 innings, 0.98 WHIP and 235 strikeouts.

Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies

If you miss out on Halladay, the next Phillies pitcher in line is equally amazing.

One might think switching to his fourth team in three years could mess with his psyche. Clearly it did not.

Lee pitched to 17 wins and six shutouts in 2011. In 232 innings, he kept a 2.40 ERA and 1.027 WHIP while striking out 238 batters.

Lucky for him and fantasy owners, it looks like Philadelphia will be his home the entire season.

Projected 2012 stats: 19 wins, 2.45 ERA, 255 innings, 1.00 WHIP, 247 strikeouts.

Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks

I’m sure you expected names like CC Sabathia or Jered Weaver in this spot. You’re right. Draft them high.

But what’s the point of list full of guys you expected to see?

Here’s one under the radar candidate.

A 21-game winner last season, Kennedy struck out 198 batters in 222 innings. He finished the season with a 2.88 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. He also placed fourth in NL Cy Young voting.

Kennedy will be even better this year and will be able to carry a team like Halladay or Lee.

He’s baseball’s version of Cam Newton. A question mark that everyone laughed at when he was taken so high. Only Newton owners were laughing in the end. Kennedy is that guy.

Projected 2012 stats: 23 wins, 2.52 ERA, 246 innings, 1.02 WHIP, 228 strikeouts.

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Picking out quality starting pitching for your fantasy baseball team can be a fickle enterprise, given how difficult it is to project how well any given MLB hurler will fare from year to year.

Not to mention how few and far between aces tend to be.

Now, I could easily tell you to go out and drop your auction dollars/draft picks on guys like Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Jered Weaver and James Shields, but those guys are stuck in tough divisions amidst offenses that could blast them on any given night.

Instead, stick with these four guys, who should be comfortable cranking up the heat—and racking up quality starts—against weak competition this season.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Yeah, okay, so maybe recommending that you pick up the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and MVP isn’t much of a stretch, especially since he led the majors in quality starts with 28.

And sure, there’s a fair risk that after such a spectacular season in 2011 Justin Verlander could regress toward the mean of his career, as most projections suggest he will.

Even so, at the age of 29, Verlander should still have some elite years left in his electric arm and should find himself pitching comfortably from ahead more often than not in a so-so AL Central, with the likes of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder providing him ample run support every time out. 

Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians

If you’re looking for a bit of a risky value pick in the AL Central, I offer you Justin Masterson.

The 26-year-old righty had a breakout year for the Indians in 2011, piling up 22 quality starts and career bests in earned-run average (3.21), fielding-independent pitching (3.28) and wins (12).

Of course, there’s reason to worry that Masterson might fall to the back of the pack, considering his low strikeout rate (7.11 K/9 career) and penchant for free passes (3.49 BB/9 career), along with his lack of a prior track record.

But, then again, Masterson might just be a late bloomer and at his age he should be approaching his pitching prime. Hence, if you can master Masterson for a reasonable sum, you’d be well advised to do so.

Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants

The only place in baseball better for pitchers than the AL Central is the National League West, a division in which the only half-decent offense—that of the Arizona Diamondbacks—happens to be replete with free swingers.

So it should come as no surprise that a power pitcher like San Francisco’s Matt Cain should be atop your fantasy wish list. Cain finished the 2011 season with an NL-best 26 quality starts, even though his strikeout rate (7.27 K/9) wasn’t exactly anything to write home about.

Cain’s secret to success? Limiting home runs—he gave up just 0.37 of ’em per nine innings.

It certainly helps Cain’s case that he plays in the cavernous AT&T Park and will be playing the season as a 27-year-old continuing to dominate alongside Tim Lincecum in the Giants’ rotation. Of course, the wins may be hard to come by behind San Fran’s so-so offense.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Why not bring this bit full circle with Cain’s most able challenger in the NL West, Clayton Kershaw?

What’s not to like about Kersh? He just turned 24, won the NL Cy Young last season after claiming the league’s Triple Crown of pitching, and he picked up 25 quality starts in 2011.

Oh, and he’s fanned better than nine betters per nine innings during his career.

And like Cain, he pitches in the NL West, the most offensively inept division in all of baseball, and in one of the great pitchers’ parks in the Big Leagues.

True, the Dodgers offense is little more than Matt Kemp and the Kempettes, but that shouldn’t affect Clay’s performance on the mound too much.

Not after picking up 21 wins with middling run support last year.

Follow @J0shMart1n

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The Detroit Tigers will be the best team in baseball in 2012, so if you’re looking for fantasy baseball sleepers, they are probably a good roster to check out.

Superstars like Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder are given fantasy studs, but they aren’t the only players on this roster that put up big numbers.

Catcher Alex Avila had a breakout year last season with a .295 batting average, 19 home runs, 82 RBI and .389 OBP, so he’s going to be a fantasy favorite.

And then there are the pitchers. With Justin Verlander, Doug Fister and Jose Valverde being the big-name arms, the Tigers pitching staff is obviously jam packed with must-have arms.

Who will be the sleepers on this year’s team, though?

Once you get to the later rounds of your draft, you will need to have player or two that can produce big numbers at a good value.

I’d keep an eye on these two Tigers for the sleeper pick role:

Brennan Boesch:

Do you remember when Boesch had that exceptional start to his rookie season and absolutely looked like a stud?

This kid’s got one of the nicest left-handed swings you’ll ever see in the MLB, and he’s full of raw potential and talent. The problem with Boesch is his consistency, and he missed the playoffs last year with a thumb injury.

There have got to be questions about how he’ll bounce back, but I’m confident in the young left-hander. He can only get better with both Cabrera and Fielder in the lineup, and he’s going to get better pitches to look at.

Expect a big year out of Boesch.

Austin Jackson:

Jackson ran into somewhat of a sophomore slump last season, only batting .249 with 10 homers, 45 RBI and a .317 OBP.

He definitely had his struggles from the plate, but some of his slide may have come from the exceptional rookie season he had and the expectations that were placed on him.

He doesn’t need to be the team’s star anymore, he just needs to play his role, continue to dominate the outfield and get on base.

Without that pressure, I expect to see a free-swinging and very efficient player this summer.

He’s the perfect fantasy sleeper candidate.

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Baseball perfection is one of the most exciting, rare and unpredictable feats in all of sports. Yet here I am trying to predict who will hurl the next ultimate gem.

The last time we saw one, Roy Halladay pulled it off in a 1-0 victory over the then Florida Marlins in May of 2010. The fact that Halladay has done it so recently makes him an automatic candidate to pull it again, never mind the postseason no-no he threw that same year.

If Halladay does indeed throw another perfect game, he would make history in more than one way. He would become the only man in baseball history to be perfect more than once.

That puts into perspective just how rare this is. Since 1922, there have only been 15 thrown, and only 20 in the game’s history.

I did some deep digging, because that is just what I love to do, and I found a few interesting trends. The average age of the past 15 pitchers to throw a perfect game is 30. They have had an average of nine years MLB experience and a WHIP of 1.272 the previous season.

The most common season for a pitcher to throw a perfect game has been a player’s fourth season. Four players threw their masterpiece in their fourth year—most recently Dallas Braden of the Oakland A’s.

Older pitchers haven’t been shut out either, as four pitchers at 35 years old or older have accomplished the feat. Randy Johnson threw his at 40, in his 18th season.

While there aren’t any players that hit each of those numbers and categories exactly, there are a few players that come fairly close.

In light of these findings, as well as a few other fruits of my research, I’ve compiled a list of 20 pitchers that have the best shot at throwing the next perfect game.

I’ve grouped the players into four different categories. Behold the slideshow:

Begin Slideshow

In the past couple of weeks, every ounce of excitement directed toward the Detroit Tigers has been matched with equal amounts of criticism.

The Tigers made arguably the biggest splash of the offseason, catching the baseball world by surprise and inking star first baseman Prince Fielder to a contract lasting nearly a decade. The nine-year, $214 million deal signed by Prince will provide Detroit with endless options in the lineup and the field.

Some of those options however, aren’t exactly considered to be favorable choices. Fielder’s arrival will push Tigers’ current superstar slugger, Miguel Cabrera, back to his original position at third base.

Perhaps the fear of facing Miggy and Prince in succession is what has critics suddenly zeroing in on just how the infield transformation could destroy Detroit’s title hopes. But I sense the move has some Tigers’ fans concerned as well.

Maybe the fact that Fielder and Cabrera finished dead last together in fielding percentage, among qualifying first basemen in 2011, has kept the some of the celebration at bay. Or possibly the letdown in ’07 that followed a World Series appearance and the massive trade that brought Cabrera to Detroit, re-appearing in the minds of Detroit’s followers.

But fear not fans, the Tigers will be just fine in 2012 and beyond. And here’s why:

Begin Slideshow

The Detroit Tigers are most likely to win the AL Central division with very little competition from the other division rivals—there is no arguing that. But what about the fine print? What could the Tigers do to shake things up? Will any of the lesser known players break out and become all-stars?

With no one expecting the loss of Victor Martinez to an ACL tear, truly anything could happen this year. I have made some bold predictions, and I am going to tell you why.

Begin Slideshow

For the last few years, it has been common to present a pitcher’s strikeouts to walks ratio when attempting to evaluate effectiveness or potential. It is simply another tool that is used, but it is one of the weakest of all statistics.

A major reason is that batters’ strikeouts are now considered “just another out,” which is patently false. The exceptions are when a batter leads off an inning or is at the plate with two outs.  With one out, only a double play is usually, but not always, worse.

Batters now, unlike those of the past, don’t consider striking out shameful. Most of today’s hitters accept a base on ball with great reluctance.

In 2011, American League teams averaged 1,113 strikeouts and 499 walks. The ratio of strikeouts to walks was 2.23 to 1.

National League teams averaged 1,181 strikeouts and 502 walks. The ratio of strikeouts to walks was 2.35 to 1.

Justin Verlander was the best pitcher in the American League. He had 257 strikeouts compared to 57 walks for a 4.51 strikeouts to walks ratio.

Clayton Kershaw won the 2011 Cy Young Award. He struck out 248 batters and walked 54 for a strikeouts to walks ratio of 4.59.

Now comes the important part.

Verlander’s 257 strikeouts equal 23.09 percent of an average AL team’s strikeouts. Presented simply, if Verlander faced only one team in each of his starts, his strikeouts would account for 23.09 of the team’s strikeouts.

Now let’s return to Bob Feller’s 1946 season. Rapid Robert set a record by striking out 348 batters. He walked 153, which was pretty decent for him. Imagine any pitcher walking 151 batters in a season today.

Feller’s strikeouts to walks ratio was 2.27 to 1 compared to Verlander’s 4.51 to 1 ratio.

In 1946, American League teams averaged 653 strikeouts and 550 walks. As Phil Rizzuto would say, “Holy cow.”

American League teams had a strikeouts to walks ratio of 1.19 to 1.

Do you want to know why? It was a disgrace for a hitter to strikeout and most batters would eagerly accept a walk.

Feller’s 348 strikeouts represent an amazing 53.29 percent of the average 1946 AL team’s strikeouts.  His 153 walks represent an equally amazing 27.81 percent of the average team’s walks.

The New York Yankees’ Eddie Lopat, a contemporary of Feller, struck out few batters. Known as the “Junkman,” Lopat won 21 games in 1951 with 93 strikeouts and 71 bases on balls for a strikeouts to walks ratio of 1.31.

Lopat relied on guile and luck for his outs. He was the ultimate “contact pitcher” so his strikeouts reveal little. That is also true of his strikeouts to walks ratio.

This graphically illustrates the fact that presenting only a pitcher’s strikeouts to walks ratio is almost meaningless unless it is provided within a context.

How many innings were pitched?  How many strikeouts did the pitcher have for every nine innings? How many walks did he have per nine innings? How do his strikeout and walk totals compare to the league averages?

By the way, there used to a journeyman pitcher named Dick Hall. Originally an outfielder, Hall couldn’t hit enough to stay in the big leagues so he turned to pitching.

In 16 seasons, the now 81-year-old right-hander averaged 89 strikeouts a season. He ranks ahead of Justin Verlander, Tim Lincecum, Felix Hernandez and Roger Clemens in career strikeouts to walks ratio.

Hall’s career strikeouts to walks ratio is 3.14 compared to Verlander’s 2.96, Lincecum’s 2.97, Hernandez’s 2.98 and Clemens’ 2.96.

Let’s return to Phil Rizzuto. “Holy cow.”

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