’Pen Pal
Series picks: Yankees
and DiamondbacksMy upset pick, the St. Louis Cardinals, didn't come through for me, but the rest of the teams did. I picked three out of four, which isn't bad.
I'll take a .750 average any time. On the golf course, three out of four fairways are good, as well as three out of four OIRs (on in regulation). In fact, I don't think I ever hit .750 in a slow-pitch softball league!
So the teams for both League Championship Series are set. In the National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks will play the Atlanta Braves, and in the American League, the New York Yankees will face the Seattle Mariners. This is good stuff, and my eyes will be glued to the television for the next two weeks. I've never missed a World Series game in my adult life and I don't expect to this year, either. Let's review the teams and I'll give you my picks.
In the National League, did the Diamondbacks show you some pitching or what? The Cards pitched well, too, but with Curt Schilling on the hill for two of the games, the 'Backs were tough. Schilling was the man! He was virtually unhittable and he carried the team into the NLCS. The Braves swept the Astros so they have had a lot of rest going into the next series, but when you get to this point of the season, I think too much is made about rest. It's do or die, so rest is overrated. Motivation is what carries a person or team.
Randy Johnson has lost seven straight postseason games, so he's due. Yes, the Braves have Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine with John Smoltz coming out of the 'pen, but I think the Diamondbacks are too tough right now, so my pick is Arizona in six games.
Now to the American League. Both Seattle and New York were shaken throughout their respective series. They both got a real scare, but in the end, their talent and experience came through and they were able to overcome. How about Seattle's Jamie Moyer? Was he terrific in his two starts? Here's a guy who throws in the low- to mid-eighties, yet he's a 20-game winner and he sucked it up and pitched well in the divisional playoffs.
When you face a guy like Moyer, part of his mystique is that when he gets a batter out, that batter can't believe it, so his next time at-bat, he's even more tense. Moyer gets to the mind, which is a good thing for most pitchers to emulate, regardless of the level of competition. Ichiro was his usual self. The guy is phenomenal. His .450 average with runners in scoring position is awesome. But they're playing the Yankees, and as I said last week, the Yankees are the Yankees and they know how to win.
Look at the third game against Oakland. Did you see Derek Jeter's play that saved the game and maybe the series? On a hit down the right-field line, as the throw came toward home plate and went past the first baseman, Jeter caught the ball and tossed it sidearm to the catcher to get the out. No way was he supposed to be there. In Game 5, Jeter caught a ball falling into the stands. Another big-league, All-Star ballot play. The Yanks know what it takes to get to the big dance, so my pick is the Yankees in seven games.
So there you have it, the Yankees against the Diamondbacks in the Series.
Pal Eldredge is a baseball commentator for KFVE
and former varsity baseball coach at Punahou School.
His column runs Mondays during the Major League Baseball season.
Star-Bulletin sports can be reached at 529-4785 or: sports@starbulletin.com