Angels, Nationals predicted to square off in 2014 World Series
By: Warren Younger & Joe Jacques
By this time of year, sports fans in this country are already thinking about football. For us, it’s still baseball season. There is nothing better than October baseball, and its coming really soon. Baseball is by far the best sport that was ever invented, and there is nothing better than the thrill of playoff baseball and pennant races. At this point in the season, the races are starting to take shape. With that in mind here are our 2014 MLB playoff predictions.
Starting with the American League, in the Divisional Series we have the Angels taking on the Royals and the Tigers taking on the Orioles.
The Angels have been by far the best team in baseball over the past couple months and for good reason. The Angels offense has been the most prolific offense in the game, leading the league in total runs scored. Followed by a top heavy rotation and a solid bullpen they have gotten the job done better than every team in the league. They should have no problem taking down the Royals three games to none.
On the other side of the bracket we have the surprising Orioles and the not-so-surprising Tigers.
Coming into the season the Tigers were a lock for the division after reaching the American League Championship Series last season but have had a tougher time than most holding off the surprising Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals. They still have a solid ball club backed by reigning two time MVP Miguel Cabrera and an all-star pitching staff which features three Cy Young award winners.
The orioles are the opposite. Coming off a World Series win it was the Red Sox expected to run away with the division again. Obviously that hasn’t been the case as the Orioles have held first place in that division all season. Backed by new acquisition Nelson Cruz the Orioles have been the most consistent team in the league.
However in a best of five series, it’s not about constancy it’s about playing your best and when you have to face a rotation featuring three of the game’s best pitchers and an offense that has the two-time reigning MVP it’s an uphill battle.
Tigers will win the series three games to one.
In the American League Championship Series we have the Angels taking on the Tigers. The Tigers have been a streaky team all season and despite having three big name pitchers none of them have pitched like their old selves all season. The one word describing this Tigers team is “underwhelming” as they have performed well below what they were expected to. The only thing keeping this team afloat is the sheer talent of the team which has carried them all season but it falls short as the Angels overpower the Tigers and move on to the World Series with a four games to one victory.
Heading to the National League it’s going to go down like this.
The Pirates would play the Nationals, and the Cardinals would play the Dodgers, with the Nationals getting home-field advantage.
The Dodgers offense is heating up, but they have too many questions with their rotation. The Nationals are the deepest and best team in baseball.
Their rotation led by Doug Fister and Stephen Strasburg is the best in the MLB, and they don’t rely on one player in their lineup. I have the Nationals beating the Pirates in four games. Next I have the Cardinals beating the Dodgers in five games in the NLCS. I have the Nationals beating the Cardinals in the NLCS to win their first ever National League Pennant.
A projected Angels vs. Nationals World Series will give baseball fans a good World Series for the first time in three years.
