We all love Timmy but I don't think that he would serve us best in the rotation in the world series. This postseason, he has pitched 4 times (1 start and 3 relief appearances) and the results have been mixed. As a reliever, he has been stellar and given the team a chance to win every time. As a starter, he wasn't horrible but his command was worse and he was not as effective. It seems pretty clear that the best way to utilize him would be out of the pen.
As a reliever, Timmy feels like a secret weapon. It really feels like we have our Freak back when he comes into the game and just lets it go. When he starts, I don't know if he is just to fired up early on or holding back early on to try and get deep into the game. Maybe it is a combination of the two. Coming out of the pen, he just lets loose and gives ya all he has as long as he is in there.
His relief appearances this postseason have given me confidence that, even without ever getting the lost velocity back, he could get back closer to what we all remember him being. His issues feel much more psychological than physical at this point. Getting away for a while could be very helpful in getting past that. Maybe he will never win another Cy Young award but he can still be a very good starter for us in future seasons.
For now, let's go with where he looks more comfortable. His relief appearances are something the Tigers will have to game plan for and that is like a secret weapon of sorts. If a starter looks shaky early, go ahead and get the freak loose and have him ready to come in and settle the ship for 3-4 innings. If a game goes extras, he is certainly a guy I would love to see in there. Make him a weapon and not a liability.
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