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DETROIT -- From All-Star starter to post-season headliner -- Max Scherzer is Jim Leylands pick again. Patrick Kane Jersey . Detroits 21-game winner will start the AL division series opener Friday night at Oakland, with star Justin Verlander following in Game 2. Leyland announced the Tigers rotation Tuesday, putting an end to any speculation about who would start Game 1. "I truly feel that I could start any one of my guys and I would feel comfortable," Leyland said. "I think that the kind of year Scherzers had ... Im sure somebody will find something wrong with this choice, but I think thats kind of hard to argue." Scherzer (21-3) was baseballs lone 20-game winner this year and started for the American League in the All-Star game, which Leyland managed. But Verlander (13-12) was the 2011 AL MVP and has been one of the top pitchers in the game over the last few seasons, so Leyland could have picked either. "Its awesome," Scherzer said. "Were going up against a great team, and I have a shot to go out there and pick up the win, first time. What more can you want?" The Tigers won the AL Central for a third straight year, thanks to an exceptionally deep rotation. Anibal Sanchez, the ALs ERA leader, wont pitch until Game 3 against the Athletics. Doug Fister starts Game 4. Leyland said relievers Bruce Rondon and Phil Coke will likely miss the series due to elbow problems. Scherzer is a favourite to win his first Cy Young Award, and its not just because of his lofty win total. He finished fifth in the AL in ERA and second in strikeouts while holding opponents to a .198 average. No wonder Verlander was deferential to his teammate after Leylands announcement. "If it was me, Id probably make the same decision," Verlander said. "Max has had a magical season, and when a guy has a season like that and everythings going right, why not ride it?" Verlander was the Cy Young winner in 2011 and finished a close second last year to David Price. This season has been more of a struggle. His 3.46 ERA was his highest since 2008. Verlander pitched six scoreless innings in each of his final two starts, and if he can provide more of the same in the playoffs, the Tigers should be dangerous. "I put in a ton of work, and I really feel like the last couple starts were a whole lot better," Verlander said. "Im pretty doggone close to right where I need to be." Scherzer will face Bartolo Colon (18-6) in the opener. Colon was second to Sanchez in the ERA race. Leyland said the final decision on a Game 1 starter came in the last few days, and he decided Tuesday was a good time to announce it. "Im doing this so I didnt get bugged by you guys for another three or four days," Leyland said. "It gives you guys some time to play with it, it gives your readers time to second-guess it, enjoy it, agree with it, whatever they want to do. So we figured we owed that to you." Rick Porcello, Detroits No. 5 starter, will move to the bullpen. The Tigers can use some help in relief if Rondon and Coke cant pitch. Rondon looked good recently, but it sounds as if his arm problems will keep him sidelined for the time being. For all their impressive pitching, the Tigers are still vulnerable if their lineup slumps. Last year in the World Series, Detroit was shut down by San Francisco in a four-game sweep. After clinching the division last week, Detroit lost three straight in Miami against the lowly Marlins, scoring only three runs in three games. Henderson Alvarez threw a no-hitter against the Tigers in the finale. "Im not as concerned as the fans and everything, because I know this is the way it is -- we either hit or we dont," Leyland said. "That simple. Im not going to sit around and worry about it." Trevor Van Riemsdyk Blackhawks Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Jonathan Toews Jersey . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. http://www.blackhawkshockeyjerseys.com/Bobby-Hull-Jersey/ . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca! Hi Kerry, I wanted to say that I love reading your take on these questions and I loved your book. I have a question regarding the Montreal vs. Minnesota game the other night. Now I am a Habs fan so this may seem like a strange question but late in the third, Minnesotas Marco Scandella was called for hooking, clearly this was a good call but my concern is this - at this point the Canadiens were already winning 6-1 and I was thinking did the referee really need to make that call? I mean, there must come a point where the whistles have to be put away, no? There is nothing wrong with a decisive win, and if the offending player had say given a blatant head shot or high stick to the face call it, but to me the hooking just added insult to injury and maybe should not have been called. So my question is - does there come a time when you just put the whistle away and just let the game finish? Thanks as always,Dan Boucher Dan: Thank you for the kudos. Your philosophical question pertains to an area of officiating called "game management." Please understand that game management is not just about making a decision to call or not call a penalty. It goes much beyond that and pertains to a refs "feel" for the game as it is being played out in the moment. The most exciting and entertaining games are when the players are allowed to compete hard and on the edge where physicality is properly balanced with player safety. No different than a pot of water on a stove, the temperature of a game can intensify and will boil over if the chef does not turn down the heat at the appropriate time. A referees ability to appropriately manage the emotional element of the game (players and coaches) is crucial in this regard. That can include situations when player frustration results during an embarrassing blow-out game. The good referee knows when to impose his authority in a way that achieves a positive result. Former NHL Director of Officiating John McCauley, my mentor and current NHL referee Wes McCauleys late father, told me that "the very best game is one played with "controlled bedlam" and the most successful referee is the one that can get the players to play on his terms with laying the hammer down!" John was talking specifically about "game management." There are some fans that take the position that a penalty is a penalty regardless of the sccore or the time of the game. CM Punk Jersey. Your question Dan highlights a more realistic and practical approach that balances a referees ability to enforce the rules (maintain integrity of the game) with common sense judgment through his feel for the game and what a game requires in the moment. The wide gap in the standard of rule enforcement from days of old has narrowed in the "new, newer NHL." The expectation from the majority of the hockey community is that a violation of the rules will (should) result in a penalty called by the referee. It is often hard to understand how a puck over the glass is an automatic penalty in overtime while an obvious hold might not be called? We know there is ongoing work to be done by the Officiating Dept. in the area of coaching and holding the refs accountable to the expected standard. As these theories pertain to your specific question Dan let me say that an obvious penalty must be called at any time in the game, regardless of the score or the time! In addition to maintaining player safety, all flagrant fouls, stick infractions, dangerous hits and fouls on scoring opportunities should never be overlooked by the referees. Marco Scandella of the Minnesota Wild hooked Max Pacioretty with a potential scoring opportunity after a turnover in the neutral zone. While Pacioretty did not lose possession of the puck the referee maintained the expected standard when Scandella hooked the hands of the Montreal player as he was cutting toward the Minnesota goal. A "must call" was made in spite of the 6-1 Montreal lead with 3:40 remaining. It is also important to note that the referees worked the game right to the end with a consistent standard when Daniel Briere was assessed a penalty for holding Mikael Granlund with 1:49 remaining in the game. The infraction occurred as Granlund carried the puck up the wall in the neutral zone and was stalled from behind with a tug-hook and eventual free-hand grab by Briere that forced a loss of puck possession. The proper standard was maintained with the holding penalty called against Daniel Briere and resulted in Danny Heatleys power play goal with two seconds remaining in the game. If the referee had missed, or worse yet avoided calling the infraction committed by Briere you can bet the game temperature would have spiked through Wild frustration during the final minute and a half. The timing of the Briere infraction allowed for excellent "game management" to be demonstrated by the referee. 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