ALCS Rotation

I wanted to take the discussion off the threads and make one myself so everyone could get a chance to read it.

If we end up facing the Yankees, it's COMPLETELY necessary to get Haren TWO starts.

Haren's stat line against the Yankees this year is as follows:

3 G, 2-0, 20.1 IP, 19k, 2.61 era, 0 BB

As we all know, Haren pounds the strike zone, which minimizes walks, but he gets burned on the long ball way too often. But as long as he's not walking anyone, those are solo shots, just like Torri Hunter's yesterday.

The Yankees are incredibly patient at the plate and Zito can easily get himself into trouble, as evidence by his line against the Yankees this year, it's atrocious, but it's still necessary for HIM to get two starts. There's not many pitchers who can shut down the Yanks offense twice in one series, but if Zito is the Zito that we love, noone hits him.

It looks like Haren and Zito flip-flop success against Detroit:

Small sample size, I know.

Haren - 2 G, 0-1, 13 IP, 13 k, 5.54 era
Zito -  1 G, 1-0, 7 IP, 3 K, 1.29 era

Which makes sense, Haren throws strikes, and Detroit is a very aggressive offensive team, They sport the 7th lowest OBP in the league. Zito, who has control troubles at times, gets by because Detroit, as the stats suggest, swing at everything.