MLB Opening Week Series Preview: Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins

Monday, April 1 – 4:10 PM (TV: Fox Sports Detroit)

Justin Verlander vs. Vance Worley (RHP)

August 12, 2012; Philadelphia, PA USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher

Vance Worley

(49) pitches during the first inning of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Vance Worley was acquired by the Minnesota Twins this offseason in the trade that sent Ben Revere to the Philadelphia Phillies. Worley made 23 starts for the Phillies last season, pitching 133 innings and striking out 18% of batters faced (MLB average is about 19%). He finished 2012 with a 4.20 ERA and a 3.85 FIP.

According to Worley’s BrooksBaseball.net player card, he threw a (90.4 mph) fourseam fastball (35%), sinker (31%), and slider (22%) as his primary pitches with the occasional curveball (7%) and changeup (5%) last season.

MLB Depth Charts’ projected Twins batting lineup:

1. CF – Aaron Hicks
2. 2B – Brian Dozier
3. C – Joe Mauer
4. LF – Josh Willingham
5. 1B – Justin Morneau
6. RF – Chris Parmelee
7. DH – Ryan Doumit
8. 3B – Trevor Plouffe
9. SS – Pedro Florimon Jr.

MLB Depth Charts’ projected Detroit Tigers batting lineup:

1. CF – Austin Jackson
2. RF – Torii Hunter
3. 3B – Miguel Cabrera
4. 1B – Prince Fielder
5. DH – Victor Martinez
6. LF – Andy Dirks
7. SS – Jhonny Peralta
8. C – Alex Avila
9. 2B – Omar Infante

Wednesday, April 3 – 4:10 PM (TV: Fox Sports Detroit)

Anibal Sanchez vs. Kevin Correia (RHP)

Mar 7, 2013; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher

Kevin Correia

(30) throws during a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox at Hammond Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Correia was inexplicably given a two-year, $10 million dollar deal by the Twins this offseason. He’s not a completely horrible pitcher (though decidedly below average), but he’s nothing special, and certainly not the type of player that a team would need to guarantee two years to. Correia appeared in 32 games last season for the Pittsburgh Pirates (28 starts), finishing with a 4.21 ERA, a 4.43 FIP, and a 12% strikeout rate in 171 innings.

According to his BrooksBaseball.net player card, Correia threw a cutter (28%), a (90.9 mph) fourseam fastball (25%), sinker (24%), curveball (12%), and changeup (12%) last season.

Thursday, April 4 – 1:10 PM (TV: Fox Sports Detroit)

Rick Porcello vs. Mike Pelfrey (RHP)

Apr. 21, 2012; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher

Mike Pelfrey

(34) pitches during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Pelfrey was another veteran innings eater that the Twins signed this offseason to get them through the year. Unlike Correia, though, Pelfrey was given a one year deal worth a more reasonable $4 million (plus performance bonuses). He missed most of 2012 with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and ended up with only 19.2 innings of work. For his career, though, Pelfrey has a 4.36 ERA and a 13% strikeout rate.

According to his BrooksBaseball.net player card, Pelfrey threw a sinker (37%), (92.9 mph) fourseam fastball (28%), slider (15%), and splitter (13%) as his primary pitches, and an occasional curveball (6%) and cutter (1%).

We’ll see whether or not Jim Leyland throws out the getaway day lineup for the Tigers in the first series of the season.