Post by White Sox GM (Michael) on Sept 14, 2014 19:25:08 GMT -5
Finally, we know the two teams left in the American League.
American League Championship Series
#1 Oakland Athletics vs. #2 Chicago White Sox
Again, we have a matchup of the league's top-seeded teams.
The A's barely squeaked out a win last week, but they are still as formidable as ever. There is no one MVP-caliber hitter in Oakland's lineup, but it's great top-to-bottom. Carlos Santana, Chris Carter, Kyle Seager, and Yoenis Cespedes are all very good power sources, and players like Leonys Martin add a speed dynamic to the lineup. The pitching rotation is one of the AL's best, led by Hisashi Iwakuma, a very solid starter that never seems to get the recognition he deserves, and Lance Lynn, who has a sub-3 ERA and an impressive 21 quality starts. Mat Latos, another key contributor, has been having elbow issues, but he may be able to contribute as well. Led by Darren O'Day, the bullpen is very formidable and is consistently a very good source of holds.
The Chicago White Sox had little trouble winning this past week, but they now face a tough challenge ahead. The lineup is without the American League MVP, Giancarlo Stanton, at least for the next week in all probability. Still, this team is built around its lineup, as Chicago still has Edwin Encarnacion, Justin Upton, and Buster Posey in the heart of the order. Players like Ian Kinsler, Jason Heyward, and Pablo Sandoval round out the lineup and help make it one of the American League's best. The pitching is not quite as strong, but the White Sox get help from a slew of starters, including Doug Fister, Rick Porcello, John Lackey, and Matt Shoemaker. The bullpen, led by strikeout machine Kenley Jansen and closer Francisco Rodriguez, is solid across all categories.
Neither team overmatches the other in any one aspect. The White Sox need their bats to carry the load without Stanton, and the Athletics need a much improved performance over last week's from their starting pitchers. Expect a close and competitive matchup for the title of American League Champion.
American League Championship Series
#1 Oakland Athletics vs. #2 Chicago White Sox
Again, we have a matchup of the league's top-seeded teams.
The A's barely squeaked out a win last week, but they are still as formidable as ever. There is no one MVP-caliber hitter in Oakland's lineup, but it's great top-to-bottom. Carlos Santana, Chris Carter, Kyle Seager, and Yoenis Cespedes are all very good power sources, and players like Leonys Martin add a speed dynamic to the lineup. The pitching rotation is one of the AL's best, led by Hisashi Iwakuma, a very solid starter that never seems to get the recognition he deserves, and Lance Lynn, who has a sub-3 ERA and an impressive 21 quality starts. Mat Latos, another key contributor, has been having elbow issues, but he may be able to contribute as well. Led by Darren O'Day, the bullpen is very formidable and is consistently a very good source of holds.
The Chicago White Sox had little trouble winning this past week, but they now face a tough challenge ahead. The lineup is without the American League MVP, Giancarlo Stanton, at least for the next week in all probability. Still, this team is built around its lineup, as Chicago still has Edwin Encarnacion, Justin Upton, and Buster Posey in the heart of the order. Players like Ian Kinsler, Jason Heyward, and Pablo Sandoval round out the lineup and help make it one of the American League's best. The pitching is not quite as strong, but the White Sox get help from a slew of starters, including Doug Fister, Rick Porcello, John Lackey, and Matt Shoemaker. The bullpen, led by strikeout machine Kenley Jansen and closer Francisco Rodriguez, is solid across all categories.
Neither team overmatches the other in any one aspect. The White Sox need their bats to carry the load without Stanton, and the Athletics need a much improved performance over last week's from their starting pitchers. Expect a close and competitive matchup for the title of American League Champion.
