With the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox not competing in this year’s ALCS and that leaves the chances wide open for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers. The Rangers are the 2010 defending AL Champions and would love a shot at a second World Series appearance in a row. The Tigers were AL Champions in 2006 when they went to the World Series and lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Rangers want the chance to prove that last year was not a fluke (if it hasn’t been proven already) and the Tigers would love a rematch of the 2006 World Series, provided the Cardinals beat the Phillies in game five of the NLDS.
Why Bet on Detroit
The Tigers are favored to win game one of this series, and Detroit also stands as the favorite to become AL Champions. The betting sites consider that a neat trick when you remember that the Tigers were chasing the Cleveland Indians for half the season for the AL Central title. Detroit wasn’t even a playoff favorite at the All-Star break. But there are plenty of good reasons to bet on the Detroit Tigers to win the AL pennant.
The Detroit Tigers come into the playoffs with the hottest pitching staff in baseball. It is more than just Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander (although he is a huge part of the reason why Detroit beat the Yankees). But there are other starters such as Doug Fister and Max Scherzer that also helped put the beat down on the Yankees. Detroit’s offense did not really help as it only scored 17 runs in the five games of the ALDS. But the pitching in Detroit should help carry the Tigers far.
Why Bet on Texas
The Rangers did not make it easy on themselves by getting blown out in the first game of its ALDS series against the Tampa Bay Rays 9-0. But the online wagering crowd in Texas relaxed when the Rangers’ starting pitching finally clicked in for the playoffs. The Rangers do not have the convenience of calling on a Cliff Lee to win games in the post-season. But the young Ranger pitching staff that enters the playoffs have shown that it is more than capable of winning big games.
How it Will Play Out
The Rangers’ young pitching staff has shown that it can respond to big games and make a difference in a series. After the game one blowout against the Rays, the Rangers’ staff settled in and allowed only 12 runs in the next three games before clinching the series. But questions still remain about the ability of the Rangers’ staff to be World Series-caliber.
The Tigers are really rolling both on the mound and on offense. Detroit came into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams down the stretch, and maintained its momentum into the playoffs. It will be a tall task to ask a young Rangers team to stop Detroit.
Free Pick: Detroit Tigers
