Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland is using his players like pieces in a chess game and he is clearly outmanaging Joe Girardi. Leyland has been mixing and matching and he’s getting the very best out of four bench players so far in this series. Brandon Inge only hit .197 for the Tigers this year during the regular season. But, he has played in all 3 games in this series and he is 3 for 6 (.500 avg, 1.238 OPS) with a double and 3 runs scored. Ramon Santiago has played in 2 games in this series and he is 2 for 6 (.333 avg, 833 OPS) with a double and 2 RBIs. Ryan Raburn (2 for 4 with 1 RBI) and Don Kelly (2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI) have also swung the bats well against the Yankees. Leyland has been a genius in this series so far for the Tigers.

Delmon Young and Miguel Cabrera have been really hitting the ball well against the Yankees’ pitchers so far in the playoffs. Delmon Young has played in all 3 games for the Tigers so far in this series and he is 4 for 12 (.333 avg, 1.218 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 2 homers and 2 RBIs. Miguel Cabrera is also hitting the crap out of the ball as he is 3 for 9 (.333 avg, 1.167 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 1 homer, 3 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Look for the Yankees to try to avoid pitching to at least Cabrera the rest of this series.

32-year old switch-hitting DH/C Victor Martinez is on fire this month with a bat in his hands. Martinez has played in 9 games so far in September and he is 13 for 36 (.361 avg, 1.036 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 2 homers and 13 RBIs. He is really seeing the ball well this month as he has only whiffed 2 times in September so far. Martinez has now played in 128 games this year for the Tigers and he is 155 for 476 (.326 avg, .832 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 10 homers, 90 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Martinez has given Miguel Cabrera solid protection in the lineup and they need that to continue in the playoffs.

25-year old righty swinging LF Delmon Young has been playing solid baseball since coming over in a deal with the Twins. Young has played in 13 games for the Tigers so far and he is 17 for 56 (.304 avg, .757 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 2 homers and 10 RBIs. He has been swinging at everything though as he has only whiffed 4 times for the Tigers and has yet to walk! Young has now played in 97 games overall this year for the Twins & Tigers and he is 98 for 361 (.271 avg, .677 OPS) with 31 runs scored, 6 homers, 42 RBIs and 1 stolen base. The Tigers hope that Young keeps hitting well and he might, because he’s going to see a lot of fastballs hitting in front of Miguel Cabrera.

30-year old 2B/OF Ryan Raburn has been sleepwalking through this season and it cost him a starting job. He is trying to salvage his year as he always seems to finish years strongly. He has played in 12 games so far this August and he is 13 for 41 (.317 avg, .854 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 2 homers and 7 RBIs. Raburn has now played in 97 games overall this year for the Tigers and he is 74 for 319 (.232 avg, .658 OPS) with 39 runs scored, 11 homers, 39 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He will likely have to get most of his P.T. at 2B the rest of this season after the Tigers dealt for Delmon Young. Raburn can still be an asset for the Tigers if he can finish strongly with the bat in 2011.