Leyland ‘slept great' after Game 4 loss

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OAKLANDTigers manager Jim Leyland has been around baseball long enough that nothing really rattles the 67-year-old skipper.Think Wednesday nights blown lead in the ninth inning against the As kept him up tossing and turning in his hotel bed? Not quite.I slept great last night, Leyland said a couple of hours before the decisive Game 5 at Oakland Coliseum.According to Leyland, the 4-3 loss in which his club held a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth was a little easier to take in that his ballclub really didnt do anything wrong.I know this sounds crazy because we were all a little heartbroken, I wasnt really as upset as everybody else was last night, and Ill tell you why: We didnt walk them. We didnt hit a batter. We didnt make an error. We didnt throw the ball away or make a bad fundamental play. They beat us. They earned it. They hit the ball, and stroked the ball good off of Jose Valverde last night. Were we all a little heartbroken? Sure, but, you know what? They earned it.What may have also aided Leylands nocturnal success was the fact that hell be sending his ace, Justin Verlander, to the mound on full rest as his team tries to book a ticket to the American League Championship Series with a win against the As.Verlander pitched seven strong innings in the Tigers Game 1 victory, surrendering just one run while walking four and striking out 11.Leylands biggest concern when it comes to Verlander is that hed like to keep the star right-hander's pitch count down. Verlander threw 121 pitches in Game 1.Thats the one thing you worry about Verlander, its not so much that the A's are working the count, its that they foul pitches off, which gets his pitch count up sometimes, Leyland said. Thats what youve got to watch for tonight. I think the first inning will be a big inning for him to settle in with everything thats going on. I think hell be good no matter what, but I think the first inning will be a big inning.Leyland said he has access to his full pitching staff, including starter Doug Fister, if necessary. But his team will be in trouble if he has to go that route.This game will probably be decided with Verlander in the game. I dont have anybody better than him. If they get to him that much, well probably be in trouble.Hes confident that the Tigers will be able to put Wednesdays stunning loss behind them.You learn over the years, and I always use the expression, you cant chew yesterdays breakfast. Its over and they beat us, they earned it, they had a great celebration on the field. Game 5 is tonight, its going to be exciting, loud, and this is what we do for a living.

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