One Detroit Tigers starting pitcher took an interesting detour on his way to the MLB playoffs
Onetime Fort Worth (TX) Cats (American Association) fireballer Max Scherzer appears to have the most prominent role among former Independent players who will be in major league baseball’s high octane Octoberfest, but he will not stand along.
Scherzer, who was at Fort Worth for a time in 2007 before he signed a bonus contract with Arizona, will be Detroit’s Game 3 starter in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees after winning 15 games (15-9, 4.43) for the Tigers. He will be joined in the eight-team playoff spotlight by Brad Ziegler of Arizona, who once pitched for Schaumburg, IL in the Northern League, and is an important part of the Diamondbacks’ bullpen.
While some Indy players had their hopes of the postseason dashed in recent days or by Wednesday night’s histrionics and rosters do not have to be finalized until just hours before the first game, indications are Can-Am League graduate Raul Valdes (New Jersey Jackals and Nashua, NH) will be the second left-hander in the Yankees’ bullpen.
It also is possible veteran lefty Alberto Castillo may be in Arizona’s pen, while right-hander Dane De La Rosa has some chance of being on the Tampa Bay staff.