Shortly after Ian Kinsler led off Game 5 with a double, Joe Buck intoned:
Is Justin Verlander Out Of Gas?
I don’t know if you caught the stat -- we just flashed it up for a moment -- but the last four starts for Verlander compared to the previous four, the numbers are pretty drastic.
Last four: 1-1, 5.85 ERA, .241 opponents’ batting average
Previous four: 4-0, 1.59 ERA, .190
Ah, television: Never one to let misleading statistics pass without comment...
Let’s go through those last four starts.
- Sept. 24 vs. Orioles: Pitches seven innings and gave up five runs. Struck out six, walked one, gave up two homers. Not a good start, but far from terrible.
- ALDS Game 1 at Yankees: He threw one inning before the rains came, and walked two Yankees.
- ALDS Game 3 vs. Yankees: He threw eight innings and gave up four runs, but also racked up 11 strikeouts while walking three. Seemed pretty solid at the time.
- ALCS Game 1 at Rangers: Pitched only four innings -- again, the rains came -- and gave up three runs, also struck out five, walked two, and gave up a solo homer to Nelson Cruz.
Kinsler wound up scoring in the first inning, and Verlander gave up another double later. I’m not sure he’s at his best right now. I’m pretty sure he remains, even after all the innings and all the pitches he’s thrown this season, one of the American League’s better pitchers.
Meanwhile, C.J. Wilson’s pitching in the bottom of the second and it’s still Rangers 1, Tigers 0.
See More:
