World Series Preview

Get ready for it. The flashbacks to Bob Gibson and Mickey Lolich. The play at the plate with Lou Brock and Bill Freehan. Denny McLain popping up out of the woodwork. Every possible aspect of the 1968 world Series revisited. If I was a Cardinal fan, I'd want more to be made about the 1934 series, they actually won that one. Let's break it down shall we?

Pitching:













Game one features a battle of rookies. Anthony Reyes has giving up an average of one home run in every one of his starts this year. He faces Justin Verlander, who only had three pitchers with more wins and was in the top 5 in ERA in the AL. Chris Carpenter is the only Cardinal starter to win more than 12 games. He was second in the NL in ERA but no other Cardinal starter had a ERA below 4.00. Adam Wainwright used his knee-buckling curve to propel the Cards to the World Series. The downside to that is every Tiger player saw that an will be waiting for it. In addition to Wainwright there are two other rookies in the bullpen, and the player with the most experience is Braden Looper. While the Tiger pen is relatively young as well, they have been pretty damn good throughout the playoffs. The have only giving up 12 hits in 20 2/3 inning. Just Looper himself has given up 8 in 6 1/3.
Advantage: TIGERS

Hitting:
















Name a Tiger who hasn't had a big hit in the playoffs. OK, besides Neifi Perez. With the return of Casey, Neifi will be back on the bench and the lineup that so far has produced 82 hits, 19 doubles, and 13 home runs will be intact. Placido Polanco is hitting .471. that's practically two hits a game. The Cards as a team are only hitting .256, and yes I know the pitchers batting will drag down the average a little, but when Yadier Molina leads your team in average, RBI's and home runs, that's not a good sign.
Advantage: TIGERS

Fielding:












This aspect is pretty much a wash. Each team has it share of guys that can make outstanding plays, then boot the next ball hit toward them. So this one splits down the middle.
Advantage: EVEN

Coaching:
















One's has a 5-12 World Series record and loves kitties. One is a Marlboro smoking bad ass who has turned a perennial loser into a winner. I am bit biased here, but how can I vote for a guy who wears sunglasses at night, over a dude that still wears spikes in the dugout.
Advantage: TIGERS

Overall:

Everyone outside of St Louis has the Tigers winning this easily, and that makes me a little cautious. After all this is the same attitude the greeted the Yankees against this same Tigers team. Then again everyone thought in 1998 the Yankees did what everyone though they would do and swept the Padres. While the bats have been hot of late, what's been the Tigers bread and butter this year, is the same reason teams win in the playoff, their pitching. So that's why it will be...

Tigers in 5!

No liveblogs this weekend. I will be glued to a T.V screen at various parties on Saturday, and attending Game 2 on Sunday. I'll try to get game recaps and some pics, and will more than likely liveblog game 3 on Tuesday.