World Series

First, a bit about the LCS’s:

In the ALCS, I got the right team in the correct number of games, but it didn’t go at all like I expected it to. I figured, with the situation the Angels pitching staff was in, that they would get beaten handily in the first 2 games and then never really recover from it.

Instead, Byrd and Washburn pitched very well, kept them in both games, and they managed to win one of them, and if not for a terrible miscommunication by an umpire, they actually might have won both games.

So, instead of being down 0-2, they went back to Anaheim with the split, and in my opinion they actually had the advantage at that point, and I really believed they now had the better chance to win the series. Instead, they came out flat and got swept.

In the NLCS, I got the team, but I had them in seven. This proved to be another epic battle, although not quite as epic as last year, full of great moments and close games.

The Cardinals are a very good baseball team. Their problem both this season and last, is that they ran up against a great pitching staff in the post-season. Last year, they hit the wall of Pedro, Schilling, and Lowe, and this year they had to contend with Pettitte, Oswalt, and Clemens. I just didn’t see any way that they could go through those 3 guys 2 times each and come out with 4 wins, and don’t see it happening for the White Sox either.

The White Sox have a better offense, they have a very good pitching staff, and they have a solid bullpen.

The starting pitching dominated the Red Sox and Angels and were not affected at all by the long layoff between the ALDS and the ALCS, so this one now probably won’t affect them much either. I think it’s a different story with the bullpen though.

Those guys threw a total of 7 pitches (all by Cotts) in the ALCS back in game 1 on the 11th. That’s just too much rest for any bullpen this late in the season (or really any time for that matter) and I think it will have an effect on them. And they certainly cannot expect their starters to continue to throw complete games.

As for the offense, they had trouble scoring runs in the first 2 games against Byrd and Washburn, and those 2 guys are a far cry from Clemens, Pettitte, and Oswalt. You might say that they came into that series a little rusty because of the layoff, but if that was the case, then here they are again.

With the exception of Pettitte in game 1, the Astros starters dominated the Cardinals offense in that series, and Pettitte took a line drive off the knee in batting practice right before the game. If not for that, it’s quite possible the Cards might have been out in four.

Because they didn’t have to go to a seventh game, they are able to line their pitching up again to get the big 3 at the top. Clemens starts game 1, Pettitte game 2, and Oswalt game 3, all on at least 5 days rest, Clemens and Pettitte having six. And having Backe for game 4 isn’t all that bad either, especially at home.

I also think the Astros have the advantage with the DH rule in both parks as well. As usual, the NL has the advantage in the NL park because the AL loses what is usually a key hitter in their lineup; in this case probably Carl Everett. But when they’re in Chicago, I don’t think the AL advantage will be quite as big as it usually is.

Normally the NL adds a guy to their lineup as a DH, who is usually a 4th outfielder or top pinch hitter, in either case, it’s not usually a guy that they can expect to get a lot of offense from. But with the Astros, they have the advantage of adding the bat of Jeff Bagwell. Sure he’s coming off shoulder surgery that hasn’t allowed him to play the field, and he hasn’t been doing anything more than pinch hitting himself, but he’s still a very capable hitter, and given 4 at-bats a game in Chicago, he could make a difference.

No matter what though, this thing comes down to pitching as always. The Astros should be able to win at a minimum, 2 out of every 3 games started by Clemens, Pettitte, and Oswalt, and they get to start all 3 of those guys twice.

The White Sox have everything it takes, and are perfectly capable of winning it all. But like the Cardinals, I don’t see them getting through that top 3 twice and pulling out 4 wins.

I’m going with the Astros in 6, but I will not be surprised if this thing never makes it back to Chicago, and I honestly believe that a sweep is not out of the realm of possibility.