Detroit Tigers vs. San Francisco Giants - Game 1 tonight at 8 in San Francisco - TV: FOX
Who to take? The slow-starting Giants, who at the same time are hot: They've won six straight elimination games and got down 3-1 in the NLCS to the Cardinals and 2-0 to the Reds before winning those series with three straight victories (all three 'Ws' against the Reds were on the road).
Or the Tigers, who outscored the Yankees 19-6 in a four-game ALCS sweep? Could they be rusty? They've had five games off to wait for tonight's Game 1. Toeing the mound tonight is Barry Zito for the Giants and Justin Verlander (a product of Goochland High School in Virginia) for the Tigers. The other starting pitchers are expected to be, for the Giants, Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Ryan Vogelsong, and for the Tigers, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, and Doug Fister.
The Tigers were a World Series favorite at the beginning of the year with an ace like Verlander and hitters like Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera (who ended up being baseball's first Triple Crown winner since 1967) and Delmon Young (who captured MVP honors for the NLCS), but struggled all year and didn't surpass the White Sox in the AL Central until the final weeks of the regular season.
The Giants are back in the World Series after winning it two years ago with a superb pitching staff. This season's staff hans't been as dominant, especially Lincecum, who struggled to a 10-15 record and 5.18 ERA in the regular season. The Giants haven't been great on offense either, hitting the fewest home runs in the majors this season. But even after losing Melky Cabrera to suspension for testing positive for PEDs, the Giants have averaged five runs per game.
I think things are lining up for the Tigers to take this World Series. They are finally starting to gel and their high-priced pieces came together just at the right time in the season. The Giants are hard to dismiss, though, with their never-say-die attitude and home field advantage (because the NL won the All-Star Game). Tonight's Game 1 is huge for the Tigers. It is a start for Verlander and the Tigers could steal home-field advantage right away with a victory. I'm going to go with the Tigers in 7, but I could easily see this going to the Giants and reserve the right to change my prediction half way through the series (haha).
Who to take? The slow-starting Giants, who at the same time are hot: They've won six straight elimination games and got down 3-1 in the NLCS to the Cardinals and 2-0 to the Reds before winning those series with three straight victories (all three 'Ws' against the Reds were on the road).
Or the Tigers, who outscored the Yankees 19-6 in a four-game ALCS sweep? Could they be rusty? They've had five games off to wait for tonight's Game 1. Toeing the mound tonight is Barry Zito for the Giants and Justin Verlander (a product of Goochland High School in Virginia) for the Tigers. The other starting pitchers are expected to be, for the Giants, Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, and Ryan Vogelsong, and for the Tigers, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, and Doug Fister.
The Tigers were a World Series favorite at the beginning of the year with an ace like Verlander and hitters like Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera (who ended up being baseball's first Triple Crown winner since 1967) and Delmon Young (who captured MVP honors for the NLCS), but struggled all year and didn't surpass the White Sox in the AL Central until the final weeks of the regular season.
The Giants are back in the World Series after winning it two years ago with a superb pitching staff. This season's staff hans't been as dominant, especially Lincecum, who struggled to a 10-15 record and 5.18 ERA in the regular season. The Giants haven't been great on offense either, hitting the fewest home runs in the majors this season. But even after losing Melky Cabrera to suspension for testing positive for PEDs, the Giants have averaged five runs per game.
I think things are lining up for the Tigers to take this World Series. They are finally starting to gel and their high-priced pieces came together just at the right time in the season. The Giants are hard to dismiss, though, with their never-say-die attitude and home field advantage (because the NL won the All-Star Game). Tonight's Game 1 is huge for the Tigers. It is a start for Verlander and the Tigers could steal home-field advantage right away with a victory. I'm going to go with the Tigers in 7, but I could easily see this going to the Giants and reserve the right to change my prediction half way through the series (haha).
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