Expect Another Sweep
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by user Xinoph
While the NLCS has unexpectedly become a battle, tied at two games apiece heading into Game Five tonight at St. Louis, the American League Champion Detroit Tigers have been resting on their laurels. They've had the past three days to watch the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets go at it - unexpected perhaps doesn't cut it.
After all, many analysts (foolishly, I always thought) didn't expect this Cardinals team to get past the first round, let alone win two games in the NLCS. I was cheering them on initially - they helped me win in the friendly baseball playoff pool here at work (I managed to get all the first-round series exactly right, down to number of games). Now they've screwed me, though - I thought for sure the Mets would sweep them. Oh well.
Still, these conditions certainly favor the Tigers. Next weekend's World Series games in Detroit have the potential to be the coldest on record, beating out the 1997 Florida-Cleveland game, where gametime temperature was 38F. Lows for the weekend are in the low 40's or high 30's (Fahrenheit), and could easily creep lower in the next few days. Detroit's rotation seemed to be struggling at the end of the season, but bounced back in the playoffs; this long a rest will give them plenty of time to return to top form.
Meanwhile, the National League champion will have at most two days of rest, perhaps as little as a day. Whichever team emerges from the NLCS - and I still think it will be the Mets - will have a tough time against the ready-to-roar tigers. It may go five games, but even that seems unlikely.
Sorry, National League fans, but it seems entirely possible - likely, even - that the NL will be swept in the World Series for a third straight year. NL fans should hope the Mets win, so at least the Cardinals aren't swept from the series for the second time in three years. That would just be embarrassing.
The only bad thing about a sweep for Tigers fans is that their team would win the Series in either New York or St. Louis, instead of at home. Trust me guys, that's OK. Having watched my team win a World Series in St. Louis, I can say it feels just as good whether it's a home or an away game. A parade at home (or a "rolling rally", if it's in Boston) is good enough.
