A marriage between Tigers and destiny not too far off

Last night, the Tigers did something they’ve struggled to do in the last month of the season: beat an inferior opponent to a pulp. And this three-game winning streak has given me a little extra hop in my step.

Not so much because the Twins’ 2-1/2 game deficit is now insurmountable. But because in the last three games the Tigers’ strengths — the only way they can win down the stretch and (knock on wood) in the playoffs — were showcased in those three wins.

For the Detroit to be successful in the stretch run, they have to follow the standard advice for every wedding planner in America: Something old, something new, Something borrowed, something blue.

Something old:
The best part about last night’s win might be Carlos Guillen’s home run from the right side of the plate (the home run from the left side wasn’t too bad either.) Not that Guillen is going to be an Albert Pujols from the right side. And Detroit isn’t in dire need of pop from the right side since Miguel Cabrera has that covered.

But just the fact that Guillen’s right shoulder is healthy enough for him to actually be a switch hitter is a great sign for the Tigers. The healthier he is, the more potent Detroit’s pretty weak lineup becomes. He, like Magglio Ordonez, may not have as much pop on the bag but their veterans who know how to get on base. And late in the season, base runners are always at a premium.

Other Tiger vets — Brandon Inge, Placido Polanco, Fernando Rodney and Nate Robertson among others — will play a major role and all of them have been having good, not great, years. Well, maybe not Robertson, but his win Sunday was huge.

Something new:
Rick Porcello shined last night and continues making a case for American League rookie of the year. His success down the stretch, and whether or not he can hold up as his innings keep piling on, could make or break Detroit in the end. He’s essentially the 2006 Justin Verlander of this team.

Another player who could make an impact is Alex Avila. He hasn’t made much noise since he roared onto the scene in mid-August but his left-handed bat is a tactical tool for Leyland in late-game situations.

Something borrowed:
Edwin Jackson, Adam Everett and Gerald Laird are the biggest difference between this year’s team and last year’s. Everett and Laird contributed to the Tigers’ offensive impotence but greatly improved their defense. Jackson has helped compensate for the lack of offense by being an awesome pitcher.

Jackson had struggled in September, but his seven-inning gem on Tuesday is a small return to form. Detroit needs his arm as much as Verlander’s.

Something blue:
Yeah, nothing really works here, so I’ll use this as an excuse to talk about the bullpen, who was clutch in Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Twins. Verlander and Jackson can eat up innings in the final two weeks, but whoever pitches in slots three through five will need help. Brandon Lyon, Bobby Seay and Rodney might actually be feared relievers this October.

Just like any wedding, I just want this season to end so I can get to the free bar and celebrate. But before that happens Detroit should make sure not to trip on its way down the proverbial aisle.

This post also appears at The Sports Bank.

Look out!: Tiger 8, Indians 5

Pitching is unquestionably the key to the Tigers’ success the rest of the season, even more so than your general “pitching wins championships” mantra.

Thanks to a wildly inconsistent offense that relies more on the home run than on good hitting. Detroit needs its pitching staff, particularly Nos. 1-3 in the starting rotation, to carry a little extra burden.

That’s why last did more to make me nervous than to calm me. Usually an eight-run output from the offense is something to cheer about. But I still can’t shake off Edwin Jackson’s five inning, four-run performance. Over the entire season his numbers are fine and he probably could have three to four more wins of the offense hadn’t let him down so many times.

But since the month of August, including last night’s game, Jackson is a mediocre 6-5 with an ERA at 4.76. That’s more like the Jackson I was expecting at the beginning of the season. Seeing bad Edwin Jackson emerge late in the year isn’t comforting. Neither was his performance a day after the Tampa Bay Rays smoked Jarrod Washburn.

On the bright side the bullpen has been stellar as of late and with the exception of one bad pitch from Zach Minor, all four relief pitchers looked great.

But now isn’t the time for the top three pitcher in the rotation to have five inning outings. Porcello’s innings will already be limited and whoever fills the No. 5 spot won’t be expected to go beyond six innings very often. That leaves Jackson, Washburn and Justin Verlander to eat up innings while giving the team a chance to win.

With the bullpen looking this good, the last thing Jim Leyland wants is for those arms to be taxed heading into the playoffs.

So for every game will have a player of the game, a goat of the game and the “I knew it was over when …” moment of the game. Here are the candidates for Detroit’s 8-5 win over Cleveland.

Player of the game: Aubrey Huff (2-2, 3 RBI, 2 BB)—This acquisition may not have made the biggest splash but it could turn out to be the best move the Tigers made for their offense.

Goat of the Game: Carlos Carrasco (3 IP, 9 H, 6ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 3 HR)—Welcome to the big leagues kid. You may have a bright future ahead of you but until your next start you’re a dud.

“I knew it was over when …”: Fernando Rodney struck out Jamey Carrol with a nasty back door change up. You knew there was no way the Indians were hitting him.