Verlander vs. Rogers

Everyone is making a big fucking stink about how Jim Leyland isn't starting Kenny Rogers and instead starting Justin Verlander, who is on schedule to start, and who should be starting. Leyland's argument for starting Verlander is that he doesn't want to "start Kenny in this environment." This environment? What environment? The offensive blood red stands that is "Cardinal Nation?" Give me a break. First of all, it doesn't matter who's starting, the odds are in the Cardinals favor plain and simple. Take away the whole "environment" craze, and Verlander should be starting anyway. He can throw 99 mph with a mediocre curve. Kenny Rogers throws like 86 with his hand covered in shit; excuse while I take Verlander for now and for the rest of his career.

General thoughts on the World Series; I've taken a liking to the Cardinals for a number of reasons - one being that, for some reason, I've come to really like Chris Carpenter and watching the way he pitches. I don't know why. He's really good. Not great, but really good. He always has his mouth open but not in a bad Darin Erstad/John Lackey way. Instead it's like a "I can't stop chewing this gum with my mouth open" way. Adam Wainwright is another reason. Jason Isringhausen held a lot of weight as to why I hated this team; sure there's old guys like Edmonds, boring pitchers like Weaver, Marquis, the third base equivalent of the hapless Paul Konerko, Scott Rolen. But Isringhausen is bad. He was terrible this year, he's been declining for the past two, and to see a pitcher like Wainwright to step into that role a week before the season ends, pitching the way he is, is nice. I won't get all worked up about it, but it's nice.

The Tigers are finished. It'll be interesting to see what they do next year, specifically with Joel Zumaya. A starter throughout the minor leagues with fear of injury and an inability to repeat his mechanics, I wonder if they'll try him in the rotation. With Jones on for another year (who they could most definitely try to trade, although with his ties to the organization and Leyland's boner for him, I doubt it) and a starting rotation that can't be expected to do what it did this year, why not try to start Zumaya and get 185 innings out of him? I say no...but it's definitely a possibility. Start looking at next year, Tigers fans, because the Cardinals are one Chris Carpenter start away from being the 2006 World Series champions.

Here are the post-regular season first base rankings:

NL
1) Albert Pujols, StL
2) Ryan Howard, Phi
3) Lance Berkman, Hou
4) Derrek Lee, ChC
5) Prince Fielder, Mil - 2007's Ryan Howard?
6) Adam Dunn, Cin - He just can't make enough contact to be considered any higher, maybe not even enough for OPS leagues.
7) Carlos Delgado, NYM - Expect some serious decline in the next two years.
8) Nick Johnson, Was - I don't know if severely broken legs can hamper a career, but if they can, consider Nick the Stick dead.
9) Nomar Garciaparra, ?
X) Conor Jackson, Ari

AL
1) David Ortiz, Bos - Will have 1B elig. because, unlike the Indians, the Red Sox are smart enough to play their semi-capable DH in NL parks for interleague games.
2) Mark Teixeira, Tex
3) Justin Morneau, Min - I don't believe he can repeat '06. He's very good, but he was too good to keep it up.
4) Paul Konerko, ChW - You know exactly what you're getting; 35+/100+/.295
5) Jason Giambi, NYY
6) Nick Swisher, Oak - I'm not ready to call him the AL's Adam Dunn, but it's close.
7) Richie Sexson, Sea
8) Lyle Overbay, Tor
9) Victor Martinez, Cle
X) Howie Kendrick, Ana

MLB
1) Albert Pujols, StL
2) Ryan Howard, Phi
3) David Ortiz, Bos
4) Lance Berkman, Hou
5) Mark Teixeira, Tex
6) Justin Morneau, Min
7) Derrek Lee, ChC
8) Paul Konerko, ChW
9) Jason Giambi, NYY
10) Prince Fielder, Mil
11) Adam Dunn, Cin
12) Carlos Delgado, NYM
13) Nick Johnson, Was
14) Richie Sexson, Sea
15) Nick Swisher, Oak