Who Needs the Yankees For an Exciting ALCS?
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by Nejoshi
The Sports Lounge 's ALCS Preview
For all the talk about the New York Yankees, this American League Championship Series features the league’s two beat teams. The Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox were baseball’s best teams, winning 96 games each. However, all season long the Red Sox were considered to be elite while many wondered if Cleveland was a fluke. A series into the 2007 Playoffs, there is little doubt that the Indians are in fact an elite team as well.
The Sox come into this matchup looking great. The injury-depleted Angels offered little resistance as Boston put on a clinic on how to play all three facets of the game. Beckett and Schilling were incredible in their starts, and the bullpen showed their muscle during Dice-K’s unspectacular start, going over five innings without allowing a hit in the pivotal comeback victory in Game 2. Boston’s offense looked scary in their Game 3 blowout victory. The entire lineup was a factor in the series clinching victory, but the most encouraging part of the Red Sox triumph was that David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were slugging from start to finish.
Ortiz was simply sensational, reaching base 11 times in his 13 plate appearances, a .846 on-base percentage for you math majors out there. He simply takes his game up another notch once the playoffs start, and he’s the closest thing we have to a “Mr. October” these days. Protecting Boston’s designated hitter in the lineup is Ramirez, who suffered through one of is worst regular season ever. There were questions about whether or not he could be Ortiz’s complement for the long haul of an October run, but that’s not an issue anymore after Ramirez’s performance in the ALDS. Boston’s left fielder hit two home runs against the Angels, including his first-ever walk-off home run as a member of the Red Sox, a shot that effectively said good night to the Halos.
The Indians aren’t short on confidence themselves, hitting .315 as a team against New York in Round 1. Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez, and Ryan Garko all hit over .300 for the series, and each of them went yard. Travis Hafner battled through a mediocre season, but had a walk-off hit and a homer in the first round. Cleveland’s offense is potent, and is capable of matching the Red Sox home run for home run. However, this offense struggled against Boston pitching in ’07, and will have its hands full in the opening two games at Fenway.
Cleveland’s rotation is extremely top heavy, which gives them a fighter’s chance to steal one in Fenway and sink their teeth into the series. C.C. Sabathia didn’t look too great in his first start of the postseason, though and he will need to be much sharper facing Beckett on the road. Even if Sabathia can turn it up a notch in his start, it may not be enough against Boston’s ace. I think the Indians have a better chance of earning an early road win with Fausto Carmona in Game 2. The 19-game winner looked brilliant in his postseason debut, but has a full load as he takes the rubber against Curt Schilling.
These two teams have proven that they are loaded, both offensively and with their pitching, but this series is likely to be decided by the guys no one is talking about. By that I mean the bottom of the starting rotation. Games 3 and 4, which feature Daisuke Matzusaka, Tim Wakefield, Jake Westbrook, and Paul Byrd, will go a long way toward deciding this series. Boston’s set of starters looks to have the slight edge in those matchups, and their superior bullpen will go a long way toward deciding those games. Sabathia and Carmona are phenomenal, but the Indians will be done in by an ordinary back end of the rotation. Boston’s lineup should feast on Westbrook and Byrd, and take advantage where the Yankees failed to. Francona’s club has been considered the majors best for a reason, and will knock out the pesky Indians. Pick: Red Sox in 7
