Who's Your Triage?

It's been said that the best way to overcome one's fear is to immerse one's self in the source of it. If this is true, then Jim Leyland may have cured an entire city's case of believeinmephobia last night.

In an act described as anything from desperation to stubbornness ot insanity, the Detroit Tiger skipper [left] told a media gathering yesterday afternoon that he would not be using his two top closers in Game 5 of the ALCS against Texas. To his point, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde were at critical mass with extensive duty for two consecutive games, each having experienced his highest pitch total of the season over the previous 48 hours. But if announcing their day off with such certainty was a surprise, his next revelation was the stuff triple-dog dares were made of.

"Who do you plan to use tonight?" a reporter asked. Leyland replied without hesitation. "We're going to try to get through the game with (Justin) Verlander and (Phil) Coke." Silence. A room full of loud-mouthed beat writers and international sportscasters weren't ready for what they just heard, not in the idea of JV throwing deep into the game, but in the only other name Leyland mentioned. Coke was one of two pitchers in the eighth inning of ALDS Game 4 whose appearanced failed to generate as much as an out. So instead of the impulsive "No, really?" follow-up, they observed unplanned moment of utter speechlessness.

Hours later, Verlander used his legs and once again lifted the franchise onto his shoulders, in a somewhat shaky yet nonetheless dominant 132-pitch effort that carried the Tigers two outs into the eighth inning with a three-run cushion. Just enough comfort for the often hurl-inspiring relief hurler as it turned out. Buoyed by Leyland's confidence, Coke fought through a trio of Texas hits and mowed down the heaviest part of the lineup in the ninth to close out a gutty 7-5 win, closing the Rangers' lead in the best-of-seven series to three games to two.

With every spin, twirl and plunge of this team's postseason thrill ride, we're all getting to know more about Leyland, the smoking gun behind the explosive ball club. First of all, we can see that he's having the time of his life. There's no bitterness, no profanity-fueled tantrums at home plate, and no hand-wringing at the collection of wounded soldiers within his ranks. When asked if he was worried about taking the field without Delmon Young, Magglio Ordonez [above] and the newly injured Delmon Young in the lineup, Leyland gave his questioner a look of chagrin. "Worried? I'm excited. We're in the American League championship series. We just went to New York and beat the Yankees, and now we're playing for the pennant. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity."

An opportunity that's equally stimulating on an intellectual level. Consider the considerations he's had to consider. First there's the mysterious case of the disappearing right-handed outfielders. Brendan Boesch, who in his first full major league season was hitting .306 with 44 RBIs before the All-Star break, sprained his thumb in August and underwent season-ending ulnar collateral ligament surgery (ouch!) last month. Young, the free-agent pickup from Minnesota that exploded his way into the playoffs, suffered a pulled oblique muscle after his heroic home run in the series-clinching win over New York. Then, at some point during the rain-soaked first game of the ALCS, Ordonez fractured the same ankle that ended his 2010 season.

As if that weren't enough to make one question the notion of fairness, Martinez [left] pulled an oblique muscle of his own, during his swing that sent a Colby Lewis pitch deep into the Comerica Park bleachers in the Tigers' game 3 win. Who knew hitting a homer could be such a health risk?

Most of us find fascination in things like sportfishing or . Skip finds it in the intricacies of manipulating the fractured elements of his team. Victor's oblique muscle isn't quite as immobilizing when he bats right-handed; however, his knees won't allow him to play catcher any more this season. Despite what's being called a "minor patella" issue, catcher Alex Avila is the only option behind the plate, his defensiveness and pitch management being central reasons why anyone batting .080 in the playoffs (and falling!) would remain in the lineup. And Delmon Young's oblique injury seems to affect his ability to throw more than his ability to hit. "Hmmm... [deep Marlboro inhale]... what if I make Young the DH, bat Victor against lefties and pinch hit with Don Kelly?" There's costumes in the barn and dad knows music. What if we put on a show?

The details of each injury are merely clues to Leyland, as he tries to solve the puzzle of how to win the American League pennant. While his colleagues are playing chess in the park, Leyland is playing chess IN THE PARK. Perhaps the most important piece of all may be Avila [at right, consulting with Verlander], arguably the team's most valuable player on a team that also happens to have the AL batting champ, the soon-to-be Cy Young winner, and a closer who's saved each and every one of his 52 opportunities.

Avila re-aggrivated his damaged knee during Game 3 of the ALDS, when he stepped on Yankee first-baseman Robinson Cano's foot while attempting to beat out a bunt. The knee is now grotesquely swolen, to the extent that Leyland will only refer to his pregame training room regimen as "unbelievable." It has started to affect his other knee as well, and as that knee goes, so goes the fate of this team.

But don't tell that to Jimmy Smokes. He's too busy creating a world champion. One man's M*A*S*H unit is another man's masterpiece.