SI

Keys to victory for bluebloods in loaded ALCS, NLCS

One swing changed the Boston scouting report. Cabrera showed he is healthy enough now to turn on a 94-mph fastball and do damage. He had not had an extra base

Tom Verducci

Keys to victory for bluebloods in loaded ALCS, NLCS
Keys to victory for bluebloods in loaded ALCS, NLCS /

One swing changed the Boston scouting report. Cabrera showed he is healthy enough now to turn on a 94-mph fastball and do damage. He had not had an extra base hit since Sept. 17. The home run was the first one he pulled to leftfield since Aug. 25. The Tigers are a different team if Cabrera is a longball threat.

Strikeout artists like Tigers ace Justin Verlander have been dominating the postseason.
Strikeout artists like Tigers ace Justin Verlander have been dominating the postseason :: Brad Mangin/SI
Published
Tom Verducci
TOM VERDUCCI

Tom Verducci is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has covered Major League Baseball since 1981. He also serves as an analyst for FOX Sports and the MLB Network; is a New York Times best-selling author; and cohosts The Book of Joe podcast with Joe Maddon. A five-time Emmy Award winner across three categories (studio analyst, reporter, short form writing) and nominated in a fourth (game analyst), he is a three-time National Sportswriter of the Year winner, two-time National Magazine Award finalist, and a Penn State Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Verducci is a member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Baseball Writers Association of America (including past New York chapter chairman) and a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1993. He also is the only writer to be a game analyst for World Series telecasts. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, with whom he has two children.

Home/MLB