Its nice having some new blood in these Championship Series for a change - any predictions?

[NLCS/ALCS thread split/retitled - Outsports moderator]

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: m1 ]

I don't see any team of either league getting a sweep of the other, but I think the Angels will end up beating the Twins to play the Giants, who'll barely get past the Cards to play a full 7 game series; with the Angels being the World Series Champions. Does this make any sense at all???

It's a Parity Fest! I concur with Angels and Giants, since they don't have the homefield advantage, so why defy the pattern thus far? (And Cards-Twins just wouldn't be the same without Whitey Herzog bellyaching about that admittedly awful Hankydome... as much as a Twins victory would be worth it to see Selig wincing!)

Uh guys, we can't have separate threads for each league? When you have a unique one for every half-assed college gridiron game?

[quote]Originally posted by Bill W:
Uh guys, we can't have separate threads for each league? When you have a unique one for every half-assed college gridiron game?

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I agree. Separate threads for each LCS.

[quote]Originally posted by George_vikingfan:
Separate threads for each LCS.

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[The moderators had discussed the question previously, and agreed on a combined thread. At your request, though, the original thread has now been split into separate AL and NL topics. Thanks for your input.]

I hate to say it, but...Cards in 6.

When CITT posted his 2002 season preview way back in March, I predicted a Twins-Cardinals World Series. No reason to change my mind now. Cards in 5.

Cardinals in 5.

My Cards have been rolling, and I hope they keep the good times coming. After a season of adversity, they have finally hit their stride. They are 24-4 in their last 28 games. Nobody is playing as well as they are. The one concern is putting together a full starting rotation. Good news that Woody Williams is throwing again and feeling well. If he could come back and throw 5-6 innings, we might have a solid rotation.

I am thinking that the Giants may be in trouble because of the deplorable scheduling by MLB and the television networks. They started last Wednesday and played five games in six days flying to Atlanta twice. Had to come back from a 2-1 deficit and play twice in 24 hours. On to St. Louis and the opening game less than 48 hours later. May be a slow opener for them, and if the Cards get ahead in the series, it will be tough for the Giants.

Plus, we all know that the Cards are the hottest team in the playoffs. If Rolen were playing, there would not be one unattractive man in the lineup. That has to count for something.

Largely due to the homefield advantage, I'll go with the Cards in 7 games....I can just imagine a St. Louis-Anaheim World Series -- that much eye candy among two teams is almost too much to imagine! ....let's hope for some exciting late inning heroics that will make the postseason memorable.

I have to give Livan Hernandez tons of credit for pitching a gem in Game 4 against the Braves. I always rag on this guy for getting bombed early and often this year, but he came up HUGE. Ditto with Russ Ortiz in Game 5. If the Giants' inspired pitching carries over to the NLCS, that hungry, inspired line-up of superstar veterans should have enough to power SF into the Series. (BTW - watching these Giants celebrate on the field last night was an incredible! I love how moments like these reduce even superstars to little boys all over again).

The NLCS won't be easy, though. St Louis trampled Arizona (woo-hoo!!!) and I think they would have advanced even with Gonzo and Counsell in there.

Overall, St Louis and SF match up pretty evenly. This one's a serious jump-ball!

GIANTS in 7 !!!

Hey all...just found this place and it has been fun so far. It has been a great playoff season so far, more fun and interesting with Anaheim in and NY out. Dont dislike the Yankees, just tired of seeing them every year. Of the Cardinals and Giants, the Cardinals seem to be playing with more "jump". Smarter, more precise, more energetic play. The same goes for the Angels, although I did'nt get to see much of the TWins-A's series and living in Texas, we did not see much of the Twins anyway. Also, as someone else already stated, it would certainly make for a HOT looking series ! So, using this scientific measurements, I am predicting a Cardinals-Angels World Series, with the Cardinals (sexy Jim Edmonds providing a slight edge over beefy Brad Fullmer) winning in 6. But as I said, either way, it will be alot of good pitching, base running, hitting and close plays and I am going to enjoy every second of it.

On a related issue, I guess the games will be on FOX? Is there an alternative to listening to the dreadful duo we have had to put up with so far?


thanks! CA

All the games will be on Fox (although tomorrow night, Fox Sports Net will show one game because ALCS Game 2 and NLCS Game 1 are both being played at the same time--this is ANOTHER disgraceful thing that never used to happen until the last few years).

I can possibly understand how two DIVISION SERIES games could be played simultaneously (when you have four games that need to be played on the same day - although I think even that can be avoided with some creative scheduling) but for two CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES games to have identical start times is downright inexcusable!....just when I thought Selig had done everything possible to ruin the game and deprive millions of baseball fans of enjoying our national pasttime to its fullest (especially POSTSEASON play) he "tops" himself again....and don't tell me that this decision was solely at the network's discretion!.

What other sport would have its "semifinals" or "final four" games head-to-head against each other? -- can you imagine the NFL scheduling the NFC and AFC Championship games to kickoff at the same time or the US Open to have the mens and womens finals start simultaneously on opposite courts? -- this simply boggles the mind!....Will someone PLEASE remove Selig from his self-appointed throne (forcibly if that's what it takes) and let him know that he has LONG overstayed his welcome before he drives any more fans away from the great game that he is supposedly trying to endorse.

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: gamecock ]

Rolen will be missed. SF in 6.

Tell me about it - my fav stud of the playoffs is gone

[quote]Originally posted by osufan:
Tell me about it - my fav stud of the playoffs is gone

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Yeah, Rolen's presence on the field will definitely be missed (in more ways than one) but the fortunately the Cards have quite a bit more eye candy to keep me salivating (Drew, Marrero, Tino, Simontacchi, Pujols)....I'm sure that Scotty will be giving his teammates all the "moral support" he can in the dugout and the clubhouse with the hope that he can take the field again in the World Series.

[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: gamecock ]

[quote]Originally posted by gamecock:
but the fortunately the Cards have quite a bit more eye candy to keep me salivating (Drew, Marrero, Tino, Simontacchi, Pujols)....

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The Cards certainly don't lack eye candy. But the Giants counter with David Bell, Jeff Kent, Rich Aurilia and, my personal fave, JT Snow. This might be the best-looking infield ever assembled. I'm surmising, of course, not being an actual baseball historian.

Definitely a great series to "watch."

The Giants aren't bad in that category either, jordan, but they lost a few points in the "hottest infield" category when they replaced 3B Billy Mueller (Shawn Estes' boyfriend) with David Bell....Bell is decent but the cute Mueller has never lost his boyish good looks despite being 31 years old.

I'll go out on the limb...Cardinals in 5.

~Adam

I put my prediction elsewhere, but here it is again: Cards in 6!

Giants in 5. They're coming to a peak which will carry them to the World Series!

Rich Aurilia is the hottest guy on the team. Boy what I could do with that hot Italian sausage!

I think David Bell is WAYYYYYYY sexier than Billy Mueller. Shawn Estes was a sad loss as far as not being able to view his good looks, but his mind case pitching has NOT been missed.

JT Snow is a hot looker, but can anyone see any evidence that he even has a penis? I can't!

I think it'll be the Cards in six. Tino goes to the World Series for the fifth straight year.

I will go with Giants in 7. I think it's finally time for Barry to shine.

[quote]Originally posted by Munson Man:
Tino goes to the World Series for the fifth straight year.

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And, since he's a below-average offensive 1B (like he was last year for the Yankees), his performance doesn't have much to do with that.

Will you hoes keep your player-centered drooling in Hot Jock Talk?

[quote]Originally posted by Bill W:


And, since he's a below-average offensive 1B (like he was last year for the Yankees), his performance doesn't have much to do with that.

Will you hoes keep your player-centered drooling in Hot Jock Talk?

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Tell it, Bill! Cards in 5, I hope! Their starting pitching is just a bit shaky, though--but when Morris, Williams and Finley are on, they are really, really good. And Benes showed that he can find his form. The Cards won without Rolen earlier in the season--though not as consistently--so they can win without him now. The key will be to keep Bonds off the bases and NOT SERVE UP HOME RUNS like free bobble-head dolls!

Scheduling the games at the EXACT same time is idiotic. Would it have been too burdensome at least to begin one of the games at 7 EST (6 CST) and the other at 9 EST (8 CST)? That way fans could catch a bit of both? Selig just continues to prove that he is beyond incompetent.

It's also nice to have a Midwest-West Championship series this time around; it could either be all California or all Mississippi river, too.

Ho-mentary: The Twins are defnitely more attractive than Anaheim. Torii Hunter, Jacque Jones, Christian Guzman....

Yeah, he's been below average for the past few years in every category except class.

I don't think there's an "e" in "ho."

It's a fine line between what belongs here and what belongs in Hot Jock Talk, but it's a source of debate between the moderators and Jim and Cyd and I don't see anything too bad here.

But let's try to focus on the games and teams in this thread, OK? Please feel free to start a thread in HJT about Playoff Hunks or something.

Thank you for your understanding and help. I believe that my e-mail is working, so if you have any problems or anything, please e-mail me.

Giants in 7! JT 's batting will finally match his looks and defense...

The Cards added Scott Rolen to their 25 man postseason roster, following several days of speculation to the contrary....although it's not certain when (or if) he'll be in the lineup this is a good sign since LaRussa strongly implied yesterday that he was NOT going to risk only have four available bench players (since he's carrying an 11 man pitching staff) throughout the 7 game series -- and I have a feeling this series will likely go to the deciding 7th game before a winner is determined.

Sometimes even only ONE at bat can make all the difference in the momentum of a series -- anyone remember Kirk Gibson in 1988? (his final World Series stats that year: 1 for 1....and the more talented A's never had a chance after Gibby's heroics in game 1).

[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: gamecock ]

5-0 Giants. Hmmmm...Barry Bonds seems to have come to play this postseason.

Did you see the Giants slug fest in the first few innings of tonight's game!

History shows that the first win in the NLCS leads to the Championship. GO GIANTS!

The teams are 1-1 in silly mindgames, as in LaRussa's suggestion that Bonds expand his strike zone (HA! a recipe for assisting Cardinal pitchers), and Kenny Lofton's ludicrous tantrum over a not-that-close breezer... Have to credit Buck & McCarver for ridiculing Tony L's contention that they would pitch Barry like Bagwell or Piazza. BB is on a different plane, thus 2 of his caution-induced walks came around as runs.

kenny lofton is giving the giants what they've lacked for years - a true leadoff hitter to set the table for the rest of the lineup. hopefully his performance last night and in the atlanta series will continue and keep marvin benard and shinjo ( the previous leadoff hitters) on the bench.

Lofton's a hothead...gimme a break...what's his beef? Didn't he get enough hits/runs last night?

GIANTS in 5!!!!!!!!!

GIANTS-ANGELS in the world series!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[quote]Originally posted by tzeile29:
GIANTS in 5!!!!!!!!!

GIANTS-ANGELS in the world series!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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And I've got GREAT seats for all games this Saturday, Sunday and Monday (which may not be necessary
.

Giants win Game 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should be finished at home here in SF Game 4 or 5!!!!!!!!!!

Go Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill, my new San Francisco buddy, don't be so quick to write the Cardinals off just yet. The Cardinals desperately miss their energizer bunny, Scott Rolen, and he is scheduled to play in game 3 Saturday in San Francisco. The whole offense changes when he is in the lineup. Just wait and see. It is ironic that you live in San Fran and I live in St. Louis, and that both of our teams are in the NLCS. The Cardinals are my sentimental favorites, but I am also rooting for Barry Bonds, because he has never been this far in his career.

[quote]Originally posted by billsf:



And I've got GREAT seats for all games this Saturday, Sunday and Monday (which may not be necessary
.

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Bill, have I told you today just how goodlookin' and smart you are?

That aside, the Giants are playing some great ball. Finally, we're getting some clutch hitting on a consistent basis. Consistently good pitching too. I like the way this team is looking at this time of year.

Last time Giants were in World Series was the earthquake. If it's Giants Angels, isn't that a bad omen for more destruction?

[quote]Originally posted by SmoothRon:
Bill, my new San Francisco buddy, don't be so quick to write the Cardinals off just yet.

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I know better than that. Cards are formidable competitors.

billsf, i think the cards are done. they won't give up for sure, but our GIANTS are on a roll!

GO GIANTS! GO ANGELS!!!

Wow, have the Giants pitchers peaked at the right time or what? Livan Hernandez in game 4 against the Braves, Russ Ortiz in game 5, and Jason Schmidt in game 2 versus the Cards. THAT is what wins postseason series. If the Giants keep it up, I fear my Cards are toast.

But I'm not counting them out yet... I still said Cards in 6, right?

Actually, I think the key components working in the Giants favor right now are that Kenny Lofton and Rich Aurilia are coming to life at the exact right moment. We've missed especially Aurilia's contributions the entire season, the key reason we didn't get the NL West title.

The peak is on and should carry us into the World Series. I think this weekend will decide it.

The Giants have always been a power hitting team, not a pitching team, at least for the last several years.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: billsf ]

[quote]Originally posted by billsf:
Actually, I think the key components working in the Giants favor right now are that Kenny Lofton and Rich Aurilia are coming to life at the exact right moment.

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hey, don't forget that JT is finally hitting the ball well and Santiago has been punishing pitchers for pitching around Bonds.

its all down to execution at home this weekend. should be a great weekend of baseball here in the bay area.

Wow, what a nail-biter! 2-1 Giants now. Emotional game for the Cards. Amazing that they came back after a lousy defensive 2 innings to start, to win it. And Barry Bonds homered even.

But the biggest at-bat of the game was when Barry missed getting anything in the second with 2 outs and the bases loaded. If he had driven in at least 2 there, I think the series would be over Sunday. But it just got interesting again, there will be a game Monday, and Matt Morris gets to redeem himself. Now the Cards just need to scrap out a win against Livan with Benes on the hill.

Why didn't LaRussa just BRING IN KLINE to pitch to Bonds? No, he keeps in that bearish clown White, who already surrendered a double to allow the Giants to tie the damn game, and what does White do? HE SERVES UP A HOME RUN TO sexy, grizzled Benito Santiago!!! I'm not counting my Cardinals out, but come on! This is going to be really tough, since they only have 7 batters--Tino is basically batting like a pitcher and doesn't count.

*sigh*

Giants now up 3-1. I wouldn't be surprised if they close out the series tomorrow night at Pac Bell, even if it is against Matt Morris. I thought we'd at least get to see Rolen before the series ends... maybe LaRussa has to play him tomorrow night with Tino being benched as planned.

The poor Cardinals...well, they're on the precipice, no dobut about it.

I felt for Edmonds, who was trying to tie the game, but his single was too hard to bring Viña home. Pujols just got fooled and Drew...if he could only have been patient.... Leaving so many runners on base is a prescription for loss. I won't fault Benes, who at 35 with bad knees pitched beautifully. The Cardinals just don't have a dangerous enough lineup to compete with the Giants. They could still win if their pitching is perfect and LaRussa doesn't make more dumb moves, but that may be too much to ask.

I hope Rolen is well enough to play, because they really, really need his bat. Go CARDINALS!