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DETROIT -- Justin Verlander prides himself on preparation, physically and mentally. But when he has to, he can improvise once in a while.When he went to the bullpen at Comerica Park for his final side session this week, he didn't know the hitters he'd be facing. It makes a tradition he has developed a little tough to recreate. So he had to simply wing it."It's kind of funny. Usually during my bul football facts lpens, my last maybe 15 pitches or so I face batters from the next team I'm facing," Verlander said Wednesday. "And so this last time, I didn't know who I was facing, so I faced one from each team."No doubt, one of those imaginary hitters had Yankees pinstripes. It took until the final night of the regular season, and a wait in the clubhouse before heading to the airport, but Verlander now knows h football facts e'll be facing the real thing under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium and a national television audience Friday night.The way Verlander has pitched this season, the greater challenge has been for hitters getting ready for him. But this one could be a challenge for both sides.When Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson recently talked about the caliber of pitching his Yankees would face in the postseason, football facts Verlander was the face of it."Postseason [pitching] is different," Jackson said. "They take time on you in the postseason. You don't see those lesser staffs. ... You're going to see Verlander twice for 18 innings [in a five-game series]. He's going to be there. He starts at 7 o'clock, he's going to be there at 9:45. You're going to have an evening with Mr. Verlander. He's going to be there all nig football facts ht."So, in turn, are the Yankees, who know they can gain command of this series if they can beat Verlander. And so far this year, they're the one team Verlander has faced more than once and not beaten. Considering he had two chances against them, it's doubly impressive. But considering he pitched quality starts both times in no-decisions, games that swung late in New York's favor, it wasn't for la football facts ck of effort.Both times -- Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, then May 2 at Comerica Park -- Verlander tossed six innings of three-run ball with four walks and eight strikeouts. Both times, the Yankees ran up his pitch count and forced him out, drawing 114 pitches from him in the season opener and 127 back in Detroit. They fouled off strikes, worked pitch counts and forced runners on base.Those were t football facts he only times all year that Verlander walked four batters. But then, those were outings that came before Verlander literally found his unhittable form.Five days after Verlander's second no-decision to the Yankees, he took the mound in Toronto May 7 and took apart the Blue Jays lineup, tossing a no-hitter with only one walk and the minimum 27 batters faced. From that point on, he went 22-2 with a 2 football facts .08 ERA, allowing just 136 hits over 203 innings with 199 strikeouts. He just missed out on becoming the Majors' first 25-game winner since Bob Welch in 1990."I think the numbers speak for themselves," manager Jim Leyland said. "I think what he's done for our ballclub speaks for itself. And I'm kind of glad that's over with, to be honest with you. It's only human nature to get wrapped up in it a l football facts ittle bit, and I think he's handled it really, really well."Verlander finished off the American League's first pitching Triple Crown since 2006 when Jered Weaver was scratched from his final start Wednesday. He also completed the resume on his AL MVP candidacy. All those issues now are over, including the MVP balloting. As big as he was for the Tigers in the regular season, the Tigers know he's cr football facts itical in the postseason.By clinching early, the Tigers were able to line up Verlander to pitch Game 1 and a potential Game 5. If the Tigers were to win those, they would need only one more win from their other starters, including Doug Fister in Game 2. The Tigers haven't lost with Fister on the mound in eight starts since Aug. 14."With Verlander and Fister, they're two of the best pitchers right football facts now," Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta said. "We go to New York, they have good hitting guys, but with these two guys, I know they can do a pretty good job. So we'll be ready for that." football facts
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