sports: I know I said I was going to preview all of the playoff series in Major League Baseball, but do to going to see Argo (my most recent post), pro football, and other movies that will discussed at a later date, not to mention I have a job, I was unable to get to the LCS's before they started. It turns out I am glad for that. Besides spouting some generic match-up info, much of which would have been discussed when looking at the rotations and rosters leading up to the Divisional Series, there may not have been much to say. But now there have been two games played in each series. So lets see where the teams stand.
In the American League seires between the Tigers and Yankees, the story has been nothing short of fascinating. The script has been totally filliped on both teams. The Tigers, thought of by most(including me) to be a three man team with bad defense and pitching beyond Verlander has been nothing short of the total opposite. While Verlander turned in an historic performance in game five of the Divisional Series, the entire rest of the starting rotation has been no less great, posting an ERA blow 1.00 . And their two offensive stars, have been great, with Miguel Cabrera driving in runs and Prince Fielder getting robbed in key situations (the Coco Crisp grab over the wall) but nonetheless hitting the ball well. The Yankees have even more so turned into the opposite of what we thought they would be. Their offense has been nothing short of horrible. Robinson Cano just set a record for consecutive at bats in the playoffs without a hit, and there are several other hitters in their lineup hitting under .130. Alex Rodriguez can't hit strkes, and Curtis Granderson is swinging at pitches that are no where near the strike zone. The only productive players for the Yankees this post season have been Ichiro and Jeter, two guys who are supposed to get on base and get knocked in by the guys who are all stuggling. And to make matters worse Jeter is now out for the remainder of the post-season with a broken ankle. The Yankees pitching staff on the other hand has been very solid, not allowing more than 5 runs in a single game this post season, and ace C.C. Sabathia has been the lights out long inning ace people hoped to see. But the Yankees are headed to Detriot down 2-0 and with a horror show of a pitching match-up for the crucial game three: Justin Verlander vs. Phil Hughes. Even if Verlander weren't coming off an all time great playoff performance (9IP, 4H, 1BB, 11K, 0ER) it would still be a lopsided match-up between an elite pitcher and one who is good but also gives up a lot of home runs, which the Tigers are more than capable of hitting. If the Yankees hitting doesn't turn around in a hurry, and against one of the best pitchers in baseball, the hole they have dug themselves may be to deep to climb out of, especially when missing their captain and all time great, Derek Jeter.
The NLCS provides a little more intrigue after two games. Heading back to St. Louis we have seen the best of what both teams have to offer. In game one the Cardinals pulled out to a big lead behind their ace, Kyle Losche, and the power in the middle of their lineup, particularly Freise and Beltran, beating up on the Giant's pitching. We also saw in that game the Giants' on big deficiancy. With no true power in the middle of the lineup they struggled to come all they way back having to base hit their way out of a big hole. In the second game we saw the opposite. We saw the base hitting of the Giants hammer Chris Carpenter out the game early as his pitch count rose while Ryan Vogelsong and the unbelievably deep Giants pitching staff (whose relievers also did a great job in game one after the six runs allowed by Madison Bumgarner) held the powerful Cardinals in check leading to a rather emphatic 7-1 beat down of the Cardinals. And that is what the series is going to come down to. The power and clutch hitting of the Cardinals against the deep pitching and wear you down base hitting offense of the Giants. Who brings their best every night will be what determines the series.
No picks since the series are underway. But there you go with analysis. Oh hell, Tigers vs. Giants. There you go.
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