Post by Bill Stoneman on Sept 28, 2005 8:33:11 GMT -5
National League
Colorado Rockies (127-35) vs Florida Marlins (90-72)
This one will be an interesting matchup. The 2 NL teams who have made the playoffs all 3 years of UCSL's existence. Florida was only 3-6 vs the rockies this season, but seemed to play better against them in the series at the end of the year. It will be tough for Florida, since the Rockies have home field advantage, which means that the Marlins have to win at least 1 game in Colorado, where the Rockies were 64-17 on the year (not that they were bad on the road...only a 1 game difference). If the Marlins offense can somehow outslug the Rockies in a game in coors, the series may be up for grabs. They can't afford to fall behind early in the series.
Prediction- Florida has a huge mountain to climb to win this one. They need to beat Colorado at their own game to win. The loss of Chipper Jones likely does them in. Colorado in 4.
Montreal Expos (96-66) vs St Louis Cardinals (87-75)
This series is going to go one of 2 ways. Pitching and defense, which would give a Montreal team that led the NL in ERA and Fielding Percentage an edge, or a slugfest, which would tilt the series in the Cards' favor. If Pujols, Manny, Hafner and company can figure out Jae Seo, Zach Day, and Jerome Williams, they'll have a good shot at winning the series. Morris, Radke, and Clement will have to continue to pitch deep into games as well, or else the STL bullpen that had only 1 ERA under 4.34 may hand away the series.
Prediction- STL had a hot final month of the season, while Montreal kind of treaded water. But that will have nothing to do with the results of this series. Montreal in 5 on the strength of their bullpen and depth.
American League
Anaheim Angels (109-53) vs Chicago White Sox (98-64)
A match of the 2 AL teams to have made the playoffs all 3 years of the UCSL's existence. The key to the series for Anaheim will be to keep the Chicago bats at bay. Anaheim led the Majors in ERA, and need to keep up that kind of pitching to win the series. Chicago's pitching is shaky, but it was shaky last year too, and it turned it up a few notches to win the world series. Both teams can slug the ball, though Anaheim tends to be a little more patient. Going by the stats, Anaheim is a better hitting, pitching, and fielding team than the White Sox, but regular season stats don't win playoff games.
Prediction- I don't want to pick my series, but I'm willing to bet this series goes 5. And I'm about 65-35 on my team losing the series, since I suck in the playoffs.
Toronto Blue Jays (103-59) vs Seattle Mariners (92-70)
After 2 years of coming down to the wire then missing the playoffs, the Mariners make it in somewhat comfortably, winning the Wild Card by 4 games over a Texas team that never led them in the 2nd half of the season. The Mariners were actually under .500 over a third of a way into the season, but a few trades later were maybe the second hottest team in the AL (to Baltimore, who finished 5 back). Toronto has the 1-2 punch of Zambrano and Mulder, not to mention Kevin Brown who has had a Cy Young caliber season, which is countered by the 1-2 of Pedro and Halladay for Seattle, with honorable mention to Eaton. It will basically come down to whose big 3 pitches better. Seattle likely has the inside track, with sure Cy Young Winner Pedro, and Roy Halladay, who pitched very well in the 2nd half, after an injury and some first half struggles. For Toronto to win, they need Z, Brown, and Mulder to keep up what they've done this year (or the last month in Mulder's case), and Cintron needs to create havoc as he has done all year. A strong series from Paul Lo Duca, an MVP candidate just a year ago, would go a long way as well.
Prediction- This one is the toughest to predict. Sea tied for the #1 ERA in the majors, and Toronto was #3. Toronto hit much better as a team, but Seattle's first couple of months definitely bring their team hitting down. Their current lineup is very solid. Toronto had the better defense in the regular season. My gut tells me SEA in 5, but I just can't see how you can go against Toronto. I say Toronto in 5.
Colorado Rockies (127-35) vs Florida Marlins (90-72)
This one will be an interesting matchup. The 2 NL teams who have made the playoffs all 3 years of UCSL's existence. Florida was only 3-6 vs the rockies this season, but seemed to play better against them in the series at the end of the year. It will be tough for Florida, since the Rockies have home field advantage, which means that the Marlins have to win at least 1 game in Colorado, where the Rockies were 64-17 on the year (not that they were bad on the road...only a 1 game difference). If the Marlins offense can somehow outslug the Rockies in a game in coors, the series may be up for grabs. They can't afford to fall behind early in the series.
Prediction- Florida has a huge mountain to climb to win this one. They need to beat Colorado at their own game to win. The loss of Chipper Jones likely does them in. Colorado in 4.
Montreal Expos (96-66) vs St Louis Cardinals (87-75)
This series is going to go one of 2 ways. Pitching and defense, which would give a Montreal team that led the NL in ERA and Fielding Percentage an edge, or a slugfest, which would tilt the series in the Cards' favor. If Pujols, Manny, Hafner and company can figure out Jae Seo, Zach Day, and Jerome Williams, they'll have a good shot at winning the series. Morris, Radke, and Clement will have to continue to pitch deep into games as well, or else the STL bullpen that had only 1 ERA under 4.34 may hand away the series.
Prediction- STL had a hot final month of the season, while Montreal kind of treaded water. But that will have nothing to do with the results of this series. Montreal in 5 on the strength of their bullpen and depth.
American League
Anaheim Angels (109-53) vs Chicago White Sox (98-64)
A match of the 2 AL teams to have made the playoffs all 3 years of the UCSL's existence. The key to the series for Anaheim will be to keep the Chicago bats at bay. Anaheim led the Majors in ERA, and need to keep up that kind of pitching to win the series. Chicago's pitching is shaky, but it was shaky last year too, and it turned it up a few notches to win the world series. Both teams can slug the ball, though Anaheim tends to be a little more patient. Going by the stats, Anaheim is a better hitting, pitching, and fielding team than the White Sox, but regular season stats don't win playoff games.
Prediction- I don't want to pick my series, but I'm willing to bet this series goes 5. And I'm about 65-35 on my team losing the series, since I suck in the playoffs.
Toronto Blue Jays (103-59) vs Seattle Mariners (92-70)
After 2 years of coming down to the wire then missing the playoffs, the Mariners make it in somewhat comfortably, winning the Wild Card by 4 games over a Texas team that never led them in the 2nd half of the season. The Mariners were actually under .500 over a third of a way into the season, but a few trades later were maybe the second hottest team in the AL (to Baltimore, who finished 5 back). Toronto has the 1-2 punch of Zambrano and Mulder, not to mention Kevin Brown who has had a Cy Young caliber season, which is countered by the 1-2 of Pedro and Halladay for Seattle, with honorable mention to Eaton. It will basically come down to whose big 3 pitches better. Seattle likely has the inside track, with sure Cy Young Winner Pedro, and Roy Halladay, who pitched very well in the 2nd half, after an injury and some first half struggles. For Toronto to win, they need Z, Brown, and Mulder to keep up what they've done this year (or the last month in Mulder's case), and Cintron needs to create havoc as he has done all year. A strong series from Paul Lo Duca, an MVP candidate just a year ago, would go a long way as well.
Prediction- This one is the toughest to predict. Sea tied for the #1 ERA in the majors, and Toronto was #3. Toronto hit much better as a team, but Seattle's first couple of months definitely bring their team hitting down. Their current lineup is very solid. Toronto had the better defense in the regular season. My gut tells me SEA in 5, but I just can't see how you can go against Toronto. I say Toronto in 5.
