I know I'm ahead of things here, but with the Oakland loss Thursday and the playoff schedule days announced, things are lining up in a very interesting way. If Guts can clinch Friday & A"s lose, we can limit innings for Duffy & Ventura over the weekend and have the following set up:
Hopefully Seattle & Oakland tie and have to pitch Walker & Lester in a Monday play in game. If A's win that one we avoid Lester and King Felix. Regardless, we could have Big Game James ready for the home playoff game on Tuesday. Then we could have Duffy on regular rest after a light game for first ALDS game on Thursday, with Ventura on regular rest after a light game for Friday"s game 2. Game 3 would be back home with Big Game James on regular rest for Sunday.
Monday game 4 would be either a rested Vargas or JGuts at home. Wednesday's deciding game 5 would be with Duffy on regular rest. There aren't any 3 straight game scenarios here, so our 7th, 8th, & 9th inning hammers should be in a good position as well. I like our chances if the combo of Shields, Duffy, Ventura, Herrera, Davis, and Holland could pitch all but 6 innings of our first 6 playoff games played over 8 days.
Even if that series goes a full 5 and we win, The ALCS would have the first two games on Friday and Saturday, allowing for Ventura and then Shields so that they could have extra rest.
