The Tigers and Dodgers should watch the ALCS to see what they're both ...
The Tigers and Dodgers will be watching their respective League Championship Series from their homes, having been sent packing for an early winter. Perhaps they should take some notes.
Unlike those two high-priced duds, the Orioles and Royals find themselves four wins from the World Series thanks in part to their loaded bullpens, units that helped Baltimore and Kansas City sweep their first-round matchups to advance to the ALCS.
'We all saw it with the Yankees during their glory years,' one American League scout said. 'You get to the seventh inning with a lead and the game was over.'
The Royals have put together as impressive a 1-2-3 punch at the back end of the bullpen as any in baseball. Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland have been nearly unhittable, all three posting sub-2.00 ERAs this season to provide Ned Yost with the ultimate late-inning security blanket.
'The arms they run out there are impressive,' the scout said. 'Now they've added some guys like (rookie Brandon) Finnegan, and Davis had an amazing year. They just have thunder out of their pen; guys throwing 100 mph with dirty stuff.'
Baltimore's bullpen might not be as formulaic as Kansas City's, but Buck Showalter has a deep arsenal of arms at his disposal and a golden touch when it comes to using them.
Zach Britton emerged as an All-Star closer this season, while Darren O'Day and Tommy Hunter give Showalter two dependable arms that offer different looks to the opposition. Add in deadline acquisition Andrew Miller (0.60 WHIP, 34 strikeouts in 20 innings with Baltimore) from the left side and the Orioles have a solid group that can match up with any lineup out there.
'Buck does an awesome job of matching guys up, putting them in a situation to compete,' the scout said. 'He knows who to go to when he needs a ground ball or a strikeout and he can paint some stuff together. If the Royals can get to the O's pen early, it will get a little more difficult for them. But if Buck can get to the seventh and play his matchups, they'll be fine.'
While both teams feature strong starting staffs and above-average relief units, the scout believes the Orioles' powerful lineup could be the difference in the best-of-seven series.
'Their lineup top to bottom can do damage. When we play them, that's what I worry about,' the scout said. 'I don't think there's a decisive edge. These series are so hard to win; you play 162 and win your division, then you make one error and you're out. One team has a lot of power and the other doesn't. I'm curious to see how Baltimore handles the running game. I think the Orioles are the better team overall, but anyone can win in a seven-game series.'
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