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Tarik Skubal leads the Detroit Tigers past the Houston Astros in the MLB playoffs

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Tarik Skubal leads the Detroit Tigers past the Houston Astros in the MLB playoffs

HOUSTON – Let’s start with the nerves. Tarik Skubal sensed them. Like he had never done before. At least not since his major league debut.

This tells us what we should have known all along: The best pitcher in the American League is not a cyborg. He just throws like one. And pitched six electric innings Tuesday afternoon at Minute Maid Park, helping the Detroit Tigers win Game 1, 3-1, over the Houston Astros in the AL wild-card playoff series.

Of course, it's easy to understand why baseball fans compare the AL Cy Young Award favorite to a machine; After all, lefties aren't supposed to hit 100 miles per hour in the sixth inning.

Then follow that speed with a changeup that moves away from the zone and causes the hitter to chase it. But then Skubal did that too.

In the fourth inning, to be exact, with a few runners on and the ballpark heat coming from a crowd used to postseason baseball and used to their teams finding a way to to hit even the best pitchers in the game.

Victor Caratini was at the start. In the third round he prevailed against Skubal. Another win and we're talking about the Tigers needing to win the next two games to advance to the ALDS.

“That pitch was important for me,” Skubal said of the move. “That’s a credit to the pitching staff.”

Humility isn't essential when a starting pitcher is on the mound, but it helps in the clubhouse and pitching coach's office, especially when that pitching coach – Chris Fetter – is among the most creative in baseball, so when he makes a suggestion Optimization, it's good to listen.

It's also good to listen to the catcher. For the most part, Skubal does. Except when he shook off Jake Rogers in the second inning, threw what he wanted – a changeup – and ended up making a glove-handed comebacker off Yainer Diaz's bat.

“I learned my lesson,” Skubal said.

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He didn't let go of Rogers again. Not that he's used to it. He and Rogers are in sync in the same way that the best pitchers are in sync with their catchers. The catcher knows the pitcher as well as anyone. And also know the tendencies of the batsmen.

“We kind of know he has 100 points in his back pocket,” Rogers said, “which makes it a little more difficult to hit everything.”

And yet major league players can tee off on any pitch if they have an inkling that it's going to happen. So Rogers wanted to prepare Diaz for the transition to get him to hunt.

“Being able to control the inside (with heat) … you know, nobody likes to get hit and we're not trying to hit anyone, but being able to throw in these days is a huge, huge opportunity. ”

Throw close. Let the dough rest. Throw away.

Add the ability to fend off hamstring cramps — like he did in the sixth; AJ Hinch panicked as he went to the mound to check on him.

“What's wrong with this guy?” Hinch thought as he left the dugout.

You want to talk about terror?

He wasn't alone.

“I felt a lot better when I heard the word 'cramp,'” he said.

Add to that the competitive spirit of a linebacker and a fastball that falls as fast as it sizzles and a curve that's sweeping and a brain that's geared toward a skilled catcher?

Well, you get a pitcher who can throw multiple shutout innings in the playoffs. On the way. Against the core of the team of the last decade.

“He’s a thinking pitcher,” Hinch said.

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But that doesn't explain the nuance that brought Skubal to the top of the sport.

Yes, said Hinch, “he has guns. I mean, he’s the complete package of a guy you’d want to enshrine as chief of staff.”

And?

“As he becomes more popular and enjoys more attention and status, he works harder and harder in the game. I mean, I looked for him before I came here (press conference room) and he was doing arm exercises with our training staff.”

What Hinch enjoys almost as much as winning is seeing his boys get the love they think they deserve – to be seenso to speak.

The clamor for a big out? Or a critical strikeout? Or after you get out of trouble? Hinch and his team see this all the time, as do the Tigers fans.

“I’m excited for the baseball world to see this on the biggest stage of the year so far,” Hinch said, “because it’s authentic and has a real impact on our club.”

So no, it's not made of metal. He feels pain like everyone else. He also feels joy. And it turns out he's nervous.

He then walked onto the field before the game. Started playing catch. Ideas increased the fear again. The Star Spangled Banner. Then the walk to the hill at the bottom of the first.

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“Being nervous is good because it means you care about what’s going on,” he said. “As soon as I make my first cast, I think all that stuff is gone.”

It did. He certainly didn't do that.

Instead he took a breath. Then another. And another one. And executed his pitches and shut out the Astros.

Some heat. Some changes. A few fist pumps. Some screams.

“Then I’ll be at my best,” he said.

Contact Shawn Windsor: [email protected]. Follow him @shawnwindsor.

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