2014 World Series Preview
Sept 20, 2014 9:55:06 GMT -5
Post by Ben (Rays GM) on Sept 20, 2014 9:55:06 GMT -5
Good morning everyone and welcome to the final weekend of the Championship Series! I'm sorry I haven't been with you for my usual commentary during these exciting 2014 playoffs - I blame real life - but I'm here now and wouldn't miss the World Series for anything! We're going to take a look at the current NLCS and ALCS match ups to see what each team needs to do to win, and then we're going to look at some potential World Series match ups. So without further ado, let's take a look at the Championship Series!
NLCS: (1) Milwaukee Brewers vs (2) San Francisco Giants
SF Probable Starters: Jered Weaver (TEX), Yusmeiro Petit (@ SD), Ervin Santana (NYM)
MIL Probable Starters: Hector Noesi (@ TB), Wade Miley (@ COL), Alfredo Simon (@ STL)
The Giants have been here before, having made the NLCS in both 2012 and 2013 but never progressing, falling to the Reds in 2012 and the Diamondbacks in 2013. The Brewers, meanwhile, are the only one of the four remaining teams to have made a World Series, having claimed the title back in our first season in 2011. For PJ, however, this would be a first victory, as the 2011 Brewers were being run by an absent Christopher, who hadn't been seen since the summer - quite a feat for the team!
The Brewers take a commanding lead into the weekend, but hope is not lost for the Giants, who are only narrowly behind in BB, XBH, WHIP, and QS and could take those to make this 6-6. 6-6 would still be a victory for the Brewers via the tiebreaker, courtesy of the Brewers 7-5 win in the teams' only matchup back in week 10, but with a little luck HR and AVG could conceivably be up for grabs. Without a doubt the Brewers remain the favorites, but victory for the Giants is not impossible. The Giants would appear to have the stronger pitching this weekend, but the quantity is the same for both teams, so it would stand to reason that IP and K will likely fall the Brewers' way. The Giants have no room for error, so a single save or a single SB for the Brewers, or a few strong hitting performances to extend the lead in HR and AVG, would probably seal this for Milwaukee.
ALCS: (3) Toronto Blue Jays vs (4) Detroit Tigers
TOR Probable Starters: Mike Minor (NYM), Stephen Strasburg (@ MIA), Miguel Gonzalez (BOS), Jacob DeGrom (@ ATL)
DET Probable Staters: Collin McHugh (SEA)
Like the Giants, the Blue Jays are in their third straight Championship Series. Like the Giants, the Blue Jays fell in both 2012 and 2013 - both times to their division rival, the Rays. With the Rays out of the picture, will this be their year? Standing in their way is Detroit. Though they held winning records in both 2011 (12-6-4) and 2012 (11-7-4), the Tigers were unable to challenge for playoff positions in either season as strong Royals teams won the Central while the AL East supplied Wild Cards. Winning their division last season, they were knocked out in the ALDS by the Rays. This year they've made it through to the ALCS and stand on the brink of their first World Series appearance.
This match up is close. The Tigers' lead couldn't be narrower, and a tie would send Toronto through due to their 10-2 victory in week 9 followed by a 6-6 tie in week 22. With Toronto sending out four starters this weekend to the Tigers' one, Ks and QS could easily go the Blue Jays' way. The Tigers need to overcome the Blue Jays' narrow lead in batting average in order to feel even the slightest bit comfortable, but would still need something more - a save, perhaps, a couple steals, or a barrage of walks - to be truly in the drivers seat. A couple of Toronto homers would really send the message that the Blue Jays were ready to make their first World Series - too bad that Wilmer Flores and Dom Brown were on their bench this week!
World Series previews to follow!
NLCS: (1) Milwaukee Brewers vs (2) San Francisco Giants
HR | SB | BB | AVG | XBH | PA | IP | SV | K | ERA | WHIP | QS | Score | |
SF | 1 | 3 | 10 | .269 | 9 | 130 | 30.0 | 1 | 34 | 5.10 | 1.17 | 3 | 2 |
MIL | 3 | 2 | 11 | .296 | 11 | 154 | 47.1 | 0 | 42 | 2.09 | 1.14 | 4 | 10 |
SF Probable Starters: Jered Weaver (TEX), Yusmeiro Petit (@ SD), Ervin Santana (NYM)
MIL Probable Starters: Hector Noesi (@ TB), Wade Miley (@ COL), Alfredo Simon (@ STL)
The Giants have been here before, having made the NLCS in both 2012 and 2013 but never progressing, falling to the Reds in 2012 and the Diamondbacks in 2013. The Brewers, meanwhile, are the only one of the four remaining teams to have made a World Series, having claimed the title back in our first season in 2011. For PJ, however, this would be a first victory, as the 2011 Brewers were being run by an absent Christopher, who hadn't been seen since the summer - quite a feat for the team!
The Brewers take a commanding lead into the weekend, but hope is not lost for the Giants, who are only narrowly behind in BB, XBH, WHIP, and QS and could take those to make this 6-6. 6-6 would still be a victory for the Brewers via the tiebreaker, courtesy of the Brewers 7-5 win in the teams' only matchup back in week 10, but with a little luck HR and AVG could conceivably be up for grabs. Without a doubt the Brewers remain the favorites, but victory for the Giants is not impossible. The Giants would appear to have the stronger pitching this weekend, but the quantity is the same for both teams, so it would stand to reason that IP and K will likely fall the Brewers' way. The Giants have no room for error, so a single save or a single SB for the Brewers, or a few strong hitting performances to extend the lead in HR and AVG, would probably seal this for Milwaukee.
ALCS: (3) Toronto Blue Jays vs (4) Detroit Tigers
HR | SB | BB | AVG | XBH | PA | IP | SV | K | ERA | WHIP | QS | Score | |
TOR | 1 | 2 | 14 | .246 | 10 | 138 | 28.2 | 0 | 35 | 3.14 | 1.29 | 3 | 5 |
DET | 3 | 1 | 10 | .245 | 4 | 118 | 61.2 | 0 | 53 | 2.04 | 1.05 | 5 | 6 |
TOR Probable Starters: Mike Minor (NYM), Stephen Strasburg (@ MIA), Miguel Gonzalez (BOS), Jacob DeGrom (@ ATL)
DET Probable Staters: Collin McHugh (SEA)
Like the Giants, the Blue Jays are in their third straight Championship Series. Like the Giants, the Blue Jays fell in both 2012 and 2013 - both times to their division rival, the Rays. With the Rays out of the picture, will this be their year? Standing in their way is Detroit. Though they held winning records in both 2011 (12-6-4) and 2012 (11-7-4), the Tigers were unable to challenge for playoff positions in either season as strong Royals teams won the Central while the AL East supplied Wild Cards. Winning their division last season, they were knocked out in the ALDS by the Rays. This year they've made it through to the ALCS and stand on the brink of their first World Series appearance.
This match up is close. The Tigers' lead couldn't be narrower, and a tie would send Toronto through due to their 10-2 victory in week 9 followed by a 6-6 tie in week 22. With Toronto sending out four starters this weekend to the Tigers' one, Ks and QS could easily go the Blue Jays' way. The Tigers need to overcome the Blue Jays' narrow lead in batting average in order to feel even the slightest bit comfortable, but would still need something more - a save, perhaps, a couple steals, or a barrage of walks - to be truly in the drivers seat. A couple of Toronto homers would really send the message that the Blue Jays were ready to make their first World Series - too bad that Wilmer Flores and Dom Brown were on their bench this week!
World Series previews to follow!