After some scintillating Division Series, wherein the each of the three game fives (games five?) was better that the one which preceded it, I am ready to make my predictions for the League Championship Series. For those who don't remember, and who probably don't much care anyway, I went 2-2 in the four LDS, hitting on the Brewers and Rangers, and missing on the Yankees and Phillies.
ALCS
Not sure why I am not sold on the Rangers. After all, they ARE the defending AL champs. Maybe it is just the fact that as an AL team who plays most of their games well past my bed time, I am just not that familiar with them. Also, I look at the Tigers and see a team that seemed to get better as the season went along, and then beat the team with baseball's best record in the Division Series. So I'll go with the Tigers to take down the AL gonfalon.
And speaking of the Tigers, I love seeing Lloyd McClendon in their dugout. Yeah, the Pirates weren't any good while he managed them, but I liked the guy, liked the passion he brought to the job. Plus, he made regular use of the word "flummoxed." How can you not like him?
NLCS
Logic tells you to go with the hot hand, and that is the Cardinals, who stormed through September to win the wild card spot, and who then beat the Phillies in the LDS by beating Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Roy Halladay. Logic also makes you see that the Brewers were the team that outdistanced those same Cardinals over 162 games in the NL Central. Prince Fielder will no doubt be leaving Milwaukee after this season, so this may be the Brewers last shot at taking it all. That degree of urgency will get them past the Cardinals and into the Fall Classic.
As always, watch, but don't bet.
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