Verlander looking for win number 25 today at 7

[Winged_Wheel88]

Justin Verlander has never been one to focus on personal milestones. Nor does the Tigers' ace worry about setting goals, knowing he would either let down once they're accomplished or get down on himself for not reaching them.

That's why the top candidate for this year's American League Cy Young Award isn't getting too worked up about the possibility of recording his 25th win in his 34th start of the season Saturday against Jeremy Guthrie and the Orioles -- a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Bob Welch won 27 for the 1990 A's.

Since then, only John Smoltz (1996 Braves) and Randy Johnson (2002 D-backs) have won 24 games, each needing 35 starts to reach that mark. But more than 20 years have gone by without a 25-game winner in the Majors.

"It's more important for trying to get [home-field advantage]. Obviously, we're battling with Texas right now," Verlander said, referring to the Tigers' race against the Rangers for the AL's second seed. "It's not anything I looked at as, 'Hey, it would be cool to win 25.' It was always 20. It's specifically why I don't set goals, like I've always talked about. You can always let down a little bit if you achieved what you wanted to. As opposed to the sky's the limit, you never know what you can achieve, so keep pushing."

Verlander's lofty win total, of course, is also a product of his run support (5.53 per start), but there is no doubt the right-hander has put up incredible numbers all across the board. He also leads the AL in the other two "pitching Triple Crown" categories with a 2.29 ERA and 244 strikeouts (nine per nine innings, ranking third in the AL).

And while Detroit manager Jim Leyland has drawn the line in the sand regarding Verlander's playoff usage, saying he won't pitch on three days' rest in the AL Division Series, he is perfectly willing to let his ace do whatever it takes, within reason, to reach this milestone.

"I'll give him every benefit of the doubt to win his 25th game, with the expense of not getting him injured. I'm not getting him injured," Leyland said. "He will have an extra day going into the playoffs, and he has an extra day this time. So, that's a help for [Saturday]. He will get every opportunity to win 25, but not at the expense of me doing something stupid."

The potential 25-win season is particularly impressive given the number of starts he has made. He has 24 victories in 33 starts. According to STATS Inc., no pitcher since the end of World War II has won more games in as few starts. Mickey Lolich, for example, is the last Tiger to rack up 25 wins. He did it in 1971, but he made 45 starts that season.

Only three pitchers can match what Verlander has done so far, with 24 wins in 33 outings: Mel Parnell (1949 Red Sox), Bobby Shantz (1952 Athletics) and Roger Clemens (1986 Red Sox).

On top of that, Verlander will enter Saturday's game having won 12 starts in a row -- a club record since at least 1919. He is the first pitcher to do that in the Majors since Johan Santana in 2004, and only five pitchers in Major League history have longer streaks since 1919, the most recent being Ellis Kinder's 13 straight wins in 1949.

MLB.com Gameday | MLB.com: Gameday

Impressive shit.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

It's almost time.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

This popcorn isn't tasting so good right now.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

His team comes back and ties it up. Verlander was already out of the game, but he will not get the loss.

Maybe his worst outing of the year, but I nevertheless tip my hat to the man for the outstanding year he's had wearing the Old English D.

 

[higgyfan4]

His team comes back and ties it up. Verlander was already out of the game, but he will not get the loss.

Maybe his worst outing of the year, but I nevertheless tip my hat to the man for the outstanding year he's had wearing the Old English D.

+1