The Major League Baseball playoffs are in full swing this fall and include some very appealing match-ups.
The New York Yankees are defending World Series Champions. Last year the Yanks knocked off the Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win their 27th title. It was their first World Series title in their new stadium. Currently, the Yankees are in the ALCS against the Texas Rangers, led by pitching ace Cliff Lee. Also on their team, the Yanks have this year's front runner for American League MVP; namely, All-Star Center Fielder Josh Hamilton.
This year marks the first time in Texas Rangers history that the team made it past the first round of the playoffs. In that round, the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2. The Yankees, on the other hand, took care of the Minnesota Twins 3-0 in a best of five series. This was the Yanks third consecutive victory over the Twins.
The Yankees have a powerful lineup that includes All Stars Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter with pitchers such as C.C. Sabathia and Phil Hughes. While the Rangers have a well-balanced and aggressive lineup with with Hamilton, Michael Young and Ian Kinsler, this series looks to be explosive to those who enjoy baseball. The two teams seem to be well matched. The Rangers are hoping to make their first World Series in franchise history, so they could make the extra push to win.
In the National League, the defending NLCS champion Philadelphia Phillies face a very difficult San Fransisco Giants team that has great pitching and a lineup that gives teams fits. The Phillies look for their second World Series title in the last three years. The team most recently took the title in 2008 when they defeated the Rays 4-1 in a best-of-seven series. The San Francisco Giants last appeared in the World Series back in 2002 when they were beat by the Los Angeles Anaheim Angels in seven games, 4-3. The Giants look to win their first World Series title since their last title in 1954, which is the third-longest drought in MLB history behind that of the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians. The former New York Giants look to win their first World Series as the San Francisco Giants.
All Star phenom Tim Lincecum, who went 16-10 in the regular season with 231 strikeouts and a 3.43 ERA, along with Jonathan Sanchez, who went 13-9 with 205 strikeouts and a 3.07 ERA, look to lead the way for the Giants. They'll face a very intimidating Phillies lineup, which includes Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino. The Phillies counter with CY Young candidate Pitcher Roy Halladay, who went 21-10 in the regular season with 219 strikeouts and a 2.44 ERA. Halladay was also in his first playoff appearance against the Cincinnati Reds, when he pitched a complete game no-hitter. The Phillies have their veteran Pitcher Roy Oswalt, who was added to the roster this past season from the Houston Astros. Oswalt went 13-13 with 193 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.76 in the regular season.
What looks to be a very interesting and exciting postseason, strictly by the pitching match-ups in both leagues, should be one for the ages. As a Red Sox fan, I would like to see the Yankees sent home early. As a true fan of baseball and someone who likes to see something new, I would like to see the Texas Rangers handle business and upset the favored Yankees in the ALCS, and I like the Giants' chances in the National League. Both the Rangers and the Giants have great pitching and play small ball. They play the games the way they should; namely, with speed, great pitching and defense. If theses two teams can upset the defending champions in both leagues, we should have ourselves a heck of a World Series here in 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment