The Rays Tank: Derek Jeter Out For The Season, LCS Underway

Good morning Rays fans. The pennant series are underway, and the biggest news of the weekend is of course Derek Jeter's freak injury from Saturday night: a fracture in his right ankle.

Jeter had been nursing an injury in his right foot since early September, and the source of his injury may have been a hidden stress fracture that finally gave way. If true, there may be a valuable lesson for how teams treat "bone bruises" moving forward, wrote orthopaedic surgeon Neal Blitz for the Huffington Post.

If anyone knows what hospital he will be recovering at, please post in the comments. I would love to send him a gift basket.

Game 1 of the ALCS was almost Detroit's until Jose Valverde gave up four runs in the ninth inning to tie the game. Ichiro Suzuki and Raul Ibanez(!) each homered to tie the game up 4-4. In the 12th inning, Miguel Cabrera reached base and scored on a double by Delmon Young, whose pinch runner would score after advancing on the error by Jeter. Drew Smyly returned to pitch a second inning of relief, slamming the door for the Tigers win, 6-4.

Game 2 of the ALCS saw Anibal Sanchez on the mound against Hiroki Kuroda. Scoreless until the seventh inning, Detroit took a three run lead thanks to a botched call at second. I'm cool with the Yankees losing, but someone remind me why don't we have instant replay challenges in baseball? Phil Coke then pitched two innings of relief and shut down New York. Tigers win again, 3-0.

The Yankees are now in disarray without their lead off hitter, having not scored a run since Jeter left Game 1. Detroit leads the series 2-0, and will play game three in Comerica Field tomorrow night.

In the National League, Carlos Beltran and David Freese both crushed two-strike homeruns to lead the Cardinals over the Giants 6-4 in Game 1. Neither Lance Lynn or Madison Bumgarner were able to make it past 3.2 IP, and neither team would score after the fourth inning. St. Louis leads the series 1-0.

On to the Links!

- This catch by Anibal Sanchez with two men on in the first inning.

- "What the Best Pitcher in Baseball Taught Me About Prep School, Socrates, and the Art of Not Selling Out", a great piece on potential Cy Young renaissance man R.A. Dickey.

- Fangraphs: (Our) Brian Anderson discusses facing Derek Jeter in the playoffs.

- Jason A. Churchill on the prospect push of younger players into the majors, and the potential cost on teams next year for Baseball Prospectus ($).

- Attendance has been an issue in New York, with neither game of the ALCS selling out Yankee Stadium. (!!!)