[EmpireWF]

Baseball is a funny game. If in spring training you told me the American League Championship Series would be played between the Tigers and Athletics, I would have laughed in your face. But nevertheless, it is true. The big AL losers in recent memory and the team that could never win a series will play for the right to go to the World Series.

Surprise is me because I picked both of them to be eliminated in the first round lol. Anyway, this should be a great series. Both teams have some great pitching. The Tigers offense is better though than Oakland's. And remember, as we saw in the Yankee series, good pitching beats good hitting.

And although I doubt Kenny Rogers can have a repeat of his Game 3 performance, I'm still picking the Tigers. I just can't go against their overall pitching and offensive production.

My prediction: Tigers in 6 Games.

I'm most looking forward to seeing Barry Zito pitch in the ALCS...game one to be exact. I expect Oakland to take game 1 at home (being the Division Champs), lose game two and take 3 or 4 before losing in 6 in Detroit.

[flamnotspam]

EmpireWF, I hope to see you in the W.S. Tigers in 6 sounds pretty good to me!!

[hotshot7796]

tigers in 6?.........yep i can agree with that

[Trashed]

I told you all that the Yankees would not win the World Series playing their style of softball/baseball where the key is to score as much runs possible and hope the other team doesnt even with the crappy Yankee pitching. Did you really expect Randy Johnson do deliver you a trophy? I mean something is wrong when Cory Lidle is the savior to your season and this Yankees/Tigers season proved it! I hope the Mets win it all and put a dagger into the heart of the Yankees thus making the Bronx a Mets town and everyone will start wearing more Wright, Beltran and Reyes clothing. Of course Yankee brass will respond to that by making a trade for Alfonso Soriano!!! LOL!!! The Yankees are the Jokeland Raiders of baseball. One of the most poorly run franchises in the sport who seem to think that to gather up the most 30 something no upside players are the key to winning. Yankee fans better hope that Derek Jeter wins the MVP because that's all theyre gonna have apparently! The Yankee run is officially dead. All you Yankee fans start wearing orange and royal blue because the Yankees have no patience to develop the pitching and talent necessary in their own system to win a championship ala '96. That would mean rebuilding (if thats possible with that cast and payroll), lower attendance and less money for fat George. Im so happy these Bronx buffons failed! It showed that like the Beatles' song goes "Money Can't Buy Me Love."

[legend]

Trashed- Every single thing you said is right on. Has anyone considered that this current Yankee habit of falling apart in the playoffs has occured since the YES Network came into existence? Rather than rely on the formula that won for them, they had to put a "product" out on the field to get viewers to subscribe. That product was not able to play good solid baseball like what had won them four titles. Think about this- everyone worried about who would be on the playoff roster, but with that line-up that was put out there for the first three games, who in it would ever be pinch hit for? Nobody, no matter if it was lefty vs lefty. That's why you need the lesser parts, to make some plays, move runners, and then have guys off ther bench for situations. Perhaps now that YES is firmly entrenched, someone in NY will realize this, but don't hold your breath. Trashed, I steered you back to these rotten chokers, and for that I apoloize.

[Trashed]

Originally Posted by legend

Trashed- Every single thing you said is right on. Has anyone considered that this current Yankee habit of falling apart in the playoffs has occured since the YES Network came into existence? Rather than rely on the formula that won for them, they had to put a "product" out on the field to get viewers to subscribe. That product was not able to play good solid baseball like what had won them four titles. Think about this- everyone worried about who would be on the playoff roster, but with that line-up that was put out there for the first three games, who in it would ever be pinch hit for? Nobody, no matter if it was lefty vs lefty. That's why you need the lesser parts, to make some plays, move runners, and then have guys off ther bench for situations. Perhaps now that YES is firmly entrenched, someone in NY will realize this, but don't hold your breath. Trashed, I steered you back to these rotten chokers, and for that I apoloize.

...no apology necessary my friend. And I want you and everyone to know that I didnt see anything except the games played yesterday. I didn't read any news reports, post game commentator expertise, NOTHING!! I'm just speaking on my admittedly limited knowledge of baseball and using logic. So if you're a Yankees fan change now and ESPECIALLY if you live in the Bronx like me. This team doesn't deserve anything except for hatred by their own fans and other teams. The "evil empire" is dead, the Deathstar has been destroyed twice in a row ironically as life parallels film! I myself am a Seattle Mariners fan proud and true. I just kept it quiet sort of like Bruce Wayne does Batman!

[MJHMarc]

You change your favorite baseball team, Trashed, as often as I change my clothes. I guess it is smart in some respects so that you are pretty neutral for all teams at the same time. Even as a Dodgers fan, I still support the Mets and Yankees because I live in the New York section of Antartica.

[chsbletz]

The big problem with the Tigers regarding game one as a throwaway is that it automatically makes game two a must-win situation. Jim Leyland has decided to stick with his starting rotation and go with Nate Robertson, his shakiest starter, tomorrow. If Barry Zito is on his game, it probably won't matter who the Tigers start. But, in the event Zito is somewhat less than excellent, wouldn't it make more sense to have a well-rested Verlander opposing him?
In my opinion, the Tigers have to win one of the first two games. If they don't, they will be playing uphill the rest of the way---not what you really want to have to do. I firmly believe that Verlander would give them a much better chance in tomorrow's game, but Leyland makes the big bucks to make difficult decisions in situations like this. We'll all soon know how this one turns out.

[MJHMarc]

My Tips:
1)Start off the series slow with a win
2)Gain Confidence
3)Beat Them!

[chsbletz]

Now we know why Jim Leyland was selected as the Manager of the Year. He not only used Nate Robertson exactly right, and got him out of there when he should have, but he prepared his hitters perfectly in their approach to Barry Zito. He rendered all of the Athletics' scouting reports useless. He might be the Tigers' ace in the hole. His team has to look at him as if he's Albert Einstein reincarnated in a baseball uniform.

[ThePundit]

I didn't post to this thread yesterday but I'm going to stick with my A's in 5 prediction

Now all they have to do is win 4 straight.

[MJHMarc]

Originally Posted by chsbletz

Now we know why Jim Leyland was selected as the Manager of the Year. He not only used Nate Robertson exactly right, and got him out of there when he should have, but he prepared his hitters perfectly in their approach to Barry Zito. He rendered all of the Athletics' scouting reports useless. He might be the Tigers' ace in the hole. His team has to look at him as if he's Albert Einstein reincarnated in a baseball uniform.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Great post, chsbletz!

[EmpireWF]

Has Leyland been named Manager of the Year yet? I think the awards wait at least another week.

Anyway, the Tigers are never down too long. They may give it up but they always fight right back quickly. Amazing determination by the team.

[chsbletz]

Leyland was chosen as American League Manager of the Year by the Sporting News.

[chsbletz]

Obviously, the Oakland Athletics now live in a world of hurt. They almost certainly can't come all the way back to win the ALCS, but they could win a game or two. If today is as cold as yesterday was in Detroit, I give them just about no shot at all. The ball simply won't fly in extremely cold weather, espeically when a game is being played on the biggest playing field in Major League Baseball. So, the Athletics would need to depend on small ball, something they are ill-equipped to do. They lack foot speed, bunters, and hit-and-run specialists. If they lose today, as I expect them to do, they had better retool their roster significantly before next season begins. They have gone just about as far as they can with this group of players.