Game 159: Tigers at Twins - Final Home Game of 2012

Tigers: Jackson (CF), Berry (LF), Cabrera (3B), Fielder (1B), Young (DH), Dirks (RF), Peralta (SS), Avila (C), Infante (2B)

Twins: Span (CF), Revere (RF), Mauer (C), Morneau (DH), Doumit (LF), Parmelee (1B), Plouffe (3B), Casilla (2B), Florimon (SS)

It's the last start of the year for Hendriks. It hasn't been a season to remember. His journey has taken him there and back again, from a definite starter in Triple-A to the Majors, and then back and forth a couple of times, and then to today. He was brilliant in Rochester, but in his 15 starts with the Twins he's only logged four "quality". One was his first start of the season. His most recent was two starts ago, in Cleveland. Instead of looking good for an entire game, or even stretches of games, Hendriks has usually looked good for innings at a time. He needs to develop a better feel for one or two more of his pitches, and that's only going to happen if he gets better with his command and finds a way to give the batter the opposite of what he's looking for. It's clicked in Rochester. The Twins need it to click in The Show.

His first four starts with the Tigers were pretty terrible, but in the seven starts since he's only been blown up once. In this recent stretch he's averaged nearly seven innings per outing (48 innings) with a 2.25 ERA and 40 strikeouts and just six walks. He's on fire right now, and the Tigers are looking to put some distance between themselves and the White Sox. Sanchez came to Detroit to help them with the pennant. We all hate the White Sox, but there's nothing more fun than beating a team on the way to the playoffs. The offense has to get a hold of Sanchez today.