ALCS preview: Rangers vs. Tigers

Game 1: Saturday, 5 p.m.

Detroit (RHP Justin Verlander, 24-5, 2.40)

at Texas (LHP C.J. Wilson, 16-7, 2.94)

Game 2: Sunday, 4:45 p.m.

Detroit (RHP Max Scherzer, 15-9, 4.43)

at Texas (LHP Derek Holland, 16-5, 3.95)

Game 3: Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Texas (RHP Colby Lewis, 14-10, 4.40)

at Detroit (RHP Doug Fister, 11-13, 2.83)

Game 4: Wednesday, 1:15 p.m.

Texas (LHP Matt Harrison, 14-9, 3.39)

at Detroit (RHP Rick Porcello, 14-9, 4.75)

Game 5: Thursday, 1:15 p.m.*

Texas (Wilson)

at Detroit (Verlander)

Game 6: Oct. 15, 5 p.m.*

Detroit (Scherzer)

at Texas (Holland)

Game 7: Oct. 16, 5 p.m.*

Detroit (Fister)

at Texas (Lewis)

*-if necessary | All times PDT

Projected lineups

Detroit

Pos. / Player / Avg. / HR / RBI

CF / Austin Jackson / .249 / 10 / 45

2B / Ramon Santiago / .260 / 5 / 30

RF / Magglio Ordonez / .255 / 5 / 32

1B / Miguel Cabrera / .344 / 30 / 105

DH / Victor Martinez / .330 / 12 / 103

C / Alex Avila / .295 / 19 / 82

LF / Ryan Raburn / .256 / 14 / 49

SS / Jhonny Peralta / .299 / 21 / 86

3B / Brandon Inge / .197 / 3 / 23

Texas

Pos. / Player / Avg. / HR / RBI

2B / Ian Kinsler / .255 / 32 / 77

SS / Elvis Andrus / .279 / 5 / 60

CF / Josh Hamilton / .298 / 25 / 94

DH / Michael Young / .338 / 11 / 106

3B / Adrian Beltre / .296 / 32 / 105

C / Mike Napoli / .320 / 30 / 75

RF / Nelson Cruz / .263 / 29 / 87

LF / David Murphy / .275 / 11 / 46

1B / Mitch Moreland / .259 / 16 / 51

Keys to the series

The Tigers won six of the nine regular-season meetings against the Rangers. But Detroit Manager Jim Leyland was dismissive of those results on the eve of the series opener, pointing out that Texas was missing Josh Hamilton in one of the three series and Adrian Beltre in another. The Tigers could be the ones short-handed this time, because Delmon Young strained a side muscle in the final game of the division series. The Tigers’ No. 3 hitter, Young batted .316 with three home runs in the ALDS. He didn’t practice on Friday and his status is uncertain. If Young is out, right-handed-hitting Ryan Raburn is ikely to start in left field, especially in the first two games, when the Rangers will start left-handed pitchers. With C.J. Wilson and Derek Holland atop the Rangers’ rotation, third baseman Brandon Inge also figures start. The Tigers’ rotation is made up entirely of right-handers, meaning left-handed hitters David Murphy and Mitch Moreland should be in the Rangers’ lineup. Murphy batted .296 against right-handers in the regular season; 15 of Moreland’s 16 home runs were against right-handers. The Rangers were one of baseball’s top teams on offense; their .283 team batting average ranked first in the majors and their 210 home runs were second to the New York Yankees. That power was on display in the fifth game of the division series, when they hit four home runs, three by Beltre.