After my impressive Division Series performance, I look to continue my streak with some Championship Series predictions. First, we’ll start with the American League:
Detroit vs. Oakland
Comments: While I wasn’t surprised to see Oakland advance, I was rather shocked to see Detroit knock off the Yankees – in an impressive fashion I might add. The Tigers proved me wrong in the regular season and continue to do so in the postseason. I finally believe. Their pitching just plain gets it done. Their similarity to last year’s White Sox’ team is uncanny; they weren’t even close to favorites, jumped out to a big AL Central lead, faltered the final six weeks, but then regained momentum come playoff time. The comparisons might have to stop there, however, as Oakland is going to be tough to beat. Detroit won the regular season series 5-4, but their decision to throw Nate Robertson Game 1 might be a series-costing mistake. He’s a notorious poor second-half pitcher and has a 5.46 career ERA against the A’s. The decision also means Kenny Rogers, who is 23-1 at Oakland since 1995, doesn’t pitch until Game 3 in Comerica, and Jeremy Bonderman (arguably their best hurler) will only be available once throughout the series…Placido Polanco absolutely owns the A’s, batting a career .493 against them (33-for-67)…Kenny Rogers and Justin Verlander each allowed only one steal all season, but the A’s don’t run anyway…Jeremy Bonderman may have some extra incentive; remember, he had a prominent role in “Moneyball.” Billy Beane allegedly threw a chair at a wall when the A’s scouting director selected Bonderman – a high school pitcher – in the first round of the 2001 amateur draft. Beane traded Bonderman to Detroit a year later in a three-team swap that brought Ted Lilly to Oakland…Esteban Loaiza gets the call Game 2, and since he’s 7-2 with a 3.16 ERA since Aug. 1, it’s probably the right move…Rich Harden is the series’ biggest wild card. He again had a subpar performance in an instructional league game Monday and hasn’t pitched in a big league game since Oct. 1. He’s capable of dominance, but is a bit of an unknown at this point. The A’s are actually still undecided if he’ll go Game 3 or Game 4; the thinking being, if Harden goes Game 4, there’s no chance he’ll be available Game 7, but if Dan Haren goes Game 4, both he and Harden would be available Game 7, since Haren is more likely to be able to go on short rest. It allows them to have much more flexibility…Detroit is no joke, but Oakland ultimately takes the series.
Athletics 4-3
St. Louis vs. New York Mets
Comments: Both teams enter far from healthy. While the Mets are missing Pedro Martinez, Orlando Hernandez and possibly Cliff Floyd, the Cardinals are without Jason Isringhausen, Mark Mulder and have a banged up Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen. Expect a high scoring series here, as both Jeff Weaver and Oliver Perez might get starts in a series deciding the National League champion. New York won the regular season series 4-2, but this will be the Cardinals’ third consecutive trip to the NLCS. Still, this team hardly resembles those squads, as the Cardinals finished with just an 83-78 record this year. They won’t be doormats, however, as they will make a series out of it…The Cardinals are throwing Jeff Suppan Game 2, even though his home/road splits (3.18/5.36 ERA) suggest they should do all they can to give him a start in St. Louis…Tony La Russa’s decision to throw Chris Carpenter Game 4 of the NLDS wasn’t a bad one, but it does mean Carpenter won’t be available until Game 3, although that means he could go in a possible Game 7 as well…The Cardinals’ bullpen was considered a weakness heading into the playoffs but tossed 11 1/3 scoreless innings during the NLDS…I know Anthony Reyes has been largely disappointing, but I still say he has the talent to spin a gem during this series…The Mets led all of baseball in scoring and face a poor road team with homefield advantage, it’s New York’s series to lose.
Mets 4-2.
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