SAN FRANCISCO ? Some might argue Justin Verlander vs. Barry Zito in Game 1 is a mismatch. On one side, you have a flamethrower that is the reigning American League MVP and winner of the pitching Triple Crown in 2011. On the other side, you have a soft-throwing southpaw that hasn?t posted an ERA under 4.00 since 2006, when he was an Oakland Athletic.
But while the Giants? roster has combined to go 12-for-57 for a .211 career average against Verlander, the Tigers have been even worse against Zito. Many of Detroit?s players haven?t faced Zito since his Oakland days, but the Tigers? collective career average against Zito is .190, with just 16 hits in 84 at-bats.
After facing their fair share of pitchers with overpowering fastballs on their way to the World Series, the Tigers must now prepare for a crafty veteran who is still getting big leaguers out without topping 86 miles per hour on the radar gun.
?We face guys throwing his speed all year,? said ALCS MVP Delmon Young, who is 2-for-3 with a double against Zito in his career. ?It?s just baseball. If it?s over the plate and you think you can drive it, you take a swing at it. Velocity can throw you off with offspeed pitches, but if you just keep a simpler approach, you should have a successful day at least making contact."
The Cardinals were just as confident heading into Game 5 of the NLCS, but Zito kept the Giants? season alive by keeping St. Louis off the board for 7.2 innings. He struck out six in that start and the Tigers plan on closely examining that outing and previous ones to put together a gameplan for the World Series opener.
?You have to go over film,? said Gerald Laird, who has three hits in 15 at-bats against Zito. ?I got a chance to face him a little bit last year and he?s kind of the same guy, but obviously he?s added a couple more pitches and his command has gotten a lot better. He?s had to change a little bit from the Oakland days since his velocity is not there like it used to be, but he?s still a great pitcher.?
What makes him a great pitcher?
?He?s one of those guys where you can?t do too much with him,? Laird said. ?You can?t try and pull him because he?s a guy that?ll make a pitch away and get you to roll over or pop you inside when you?re looking for something else. So he?s one of those guys where you have to stay up the middle of the field and not try to do too much because he?s a pitcher, he knows what he?s doing and he knows how to get outs.?
Austin Jackson, the man who will likely see the first pitch of the World Series as Detroit?s leadoff man, said that Zito?s slower pitches end up working in his favor.
?When somebody?s throwing not as hard, you try not to pull him,? said Jackson, who is hitless in two at-bats but owns a walk against Zito. ?I think that?s a main focus. When somebody?s not throwing as hard, everybody wants to crush it and they end up getting themselves out.?
So how will Jackson prepare in order to not get himself out?
?I think first thing, you definitely have to look at some film and what he?s done to guys similar, other leadoff hitters,? Jackson said. ?Maybe see how he pitches earlier in counts and how he pitches later in counts.?
In Zito?s last start in St. Louis, his cutter was his bread and butter pitch early before he turned to the breaking ball in the later innings. Laird said the cutter is tough to lay off because it?s so enticing out of Zito?s hand.
?I was watching the last series, he?s got the little cutter and the fastball at 84 that you can?t be too anxious,? Laird said. ?The funny thing is he knows how to pitch with it. He elevates it, he sinks it, he throws it down and in, he changes your eye level, he changes speed and he?s crafty.?
Laird said he would tell his teammates to not get too pull-happy against Zito.
"I tell the guys, you got to go up there with a gameplan and not leave it because as soon as you leave your gameplan and try to yank him, he?s going to make a pitch and get you out.?
Verlander, who requires a much different gameplan, recalled the Zito of yesteryear.
?The main thing I remember from Zito was his curveball,? Verlander said.??I think I was probably in college watching a game of his, and his curveball was just unbelievable, and he still has a good curveball. But that thing back when he was with Oakland was just unreal, and I hope not to see it.?
Young, who worked out with his fellow Southern California native over the offseason following the Giants? 2010 World Series win, said he was happy to see Zito bounce back from being left off the postseason roster during that run.
?He was happy he won a World Series and everything, but he wanted to make sure he could actually contribute so he worked his butt off. Now he?s earned what he wanted. I?m happy for him. Barry?s back where he used to be.? ?
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