Why didn't anybody see this coming? For the second straight year an unexpected contender from the American League Central will face off against an unexpected contender from the National League Central in the 2006 World Series. So if we continue with this trend, I guess it's safe to say that the 2007 World Series will be the Cleveland Indians against the Milwaukee Brewers. Well, we'll see.
Last year, the Chicago White Sox dominated the Houston Astros with pitching and timely hitting, sweeping them in Game 4 with a 1-0 victory. This year's Fall Classic, which begins tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET, on FOX, has given us every reason to believe in similar results when the Detroit Tigers will welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to Comerica Park in Motown. But will it in fact be similar to last year?
This is arguably one of the most inconceivable matchups in World Series history, for both teams limped pathetically into the playoffs and were written off immediately.
The Tigers (95-67) held first place in the AL Central for most of the season over the White Sox and Twins, and were in control of their own destiny entering the season's final series at home against MLB's version of Napoleon Dynamite, the last-place Kansas City Royals. Apparently though, the Royals had been practicing some dance moves, and somehow managed to complete the three-game sweep of Detroit, crowning the Twins as division champions on the final day. The Tigers settled for the wild card, and after a couple of A-Rod whiffs and Magglio Ordonez bombs, they now find themselves entering their first World Series since 1984 with an unbelievable pitching staff with a stunning postseason ERA of 2.32, a potent offense, and a loveable, yet all-business manager in Jim Leyland.
The Cardinals conclusion to the regular season is nearly comparable to the fable of the tortoise and the hare, for they held an 8.5 game lead over second-place Houston who cut that lead to half a game within the last two weeks of the season. Thanks to a fortuitous wake-up call for St. Louis, however, the hare ultimately woke up from his relaxing nap and finished the race before the tortoise, clinching the division for the Cardinals with a terrible 83-78 record. Nevertheless, this underdog club rose to the occasion by eliminating an overrated San Diego Padres team, and squeaking by the heavily favored Mets last night on the road at Shea Stadium in the seventh and deciding game. The Cards edged out the 3-1 win thanks to another superb outing by NLCS MVP Jeff Suppan and a two-run (daresay Aaron Boone-like) homer by catcher Yadier Molina. For whatever reason, it is in the Cards.
But we are now faced with the most perplexing question of them all: Who wins it all? Most of us wouldn't think twice about choosing the Tigers, who have dropped just one game this postseason, and declare them champions immediately. The story is just too perfect. The team, the manager, the fans, and the city deserve it more than anybody, and it's difficult not to root for them either if you happened to catch their celebration over the Yankees in Game 4, consisting of numerous remarkable moments like running up and down the foul lines high-fiving fans, and Kenny Rogers pouring champagne all over a security guard. But let us not forget the Cardinals, who are coming off one of the most emotional series ever witnessed. They know they are underdogs, but they have been since late September and they only seem to thrive on that.
Their pitching has also been significantly solidified in this last series with terrific starts by Suppan, Jeff Weaver, and Chris Carpenter; and let's not forget the offense, led by NL MVP hopeful Albert Pujols. Yet with intriguing matchups across the board including Weaver facing his former team, as well as Tigers' second baseman Placido Polanco, combined with expert managing on both sides on what appears to be a balanced playing field, it remains impossible to call.
So again, who will win it all? It's anyone's guess.
Tigers in 7.