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Baseball Playoffs
World Series 2005
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White
Sox have been absent from the Fall Classic for nearly 50 years.
The Houston Astros have never been. Both teams will lock heads
Saturday in Chicago. The Astros want to keep the streak alive
for wild-card teams. The White Sox simply want to end their
magical run the same way it began. Will Ozzie Guillen retire if
they Sox will it all? Will Roger Clemens retire if his hometown
team wins its first ever championship? Who has the edge?
ROTATION
Because of Albert Pujols' home run in Game 5 of the NLCS, the White Sox will face Roy Oswalt (20-12, 3-0 in the postseason) only once unless the series goes seven games. But by wrapping up the pennant Wednesday, the Astros preserved the chance to get Oswalt, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte six starts, with the lesser-regarded Brandon Backe in Game 4. It's not official, but look for Pettitte in Game 1 and Clemens in Game 2. Clemens, Pettitte and Backe were all touched for five runs in one of their playoff starts. The White Sox's rotation is riding an all-time high. EDGE: WHITE SOX. BULLPEN Notre Dame product Brad Lidge (42-for-46 in saves during the regular season) hasn't lived up to his billing so far this postseason. He has allowed 14 baserunners in nine innings, struggling with his control, and was given the night off Wednesday, when Houston clinched. Houston's bullpen is deeper than a year ago, as setup man Dan Wheeler held opponents to a .204 batting average during the season and has been an effective complement to Lidge. Garner no longer seems afraid to use Chad Qualls, another right-hander with good stuff. Mike Gallo's the best Houston has from the left side, and don't look for him in tough spots. The White Sox's bullpen was a strength during the regular season but has turned into a mystery. Ozzie Guillen probably should have gotten rookie closer Bobby Jenks an inning in the 8-2 victory in Game 4 but didn't. Orlando Hernandez was a valuable additional weapon in the first-round series against Boston, but the roles Guillen built during the season are out the window. EDGE: ASTROS. HITTING Paul Konerko says the White Sox rode their starting pitchers to the pennant, but he and several of his teammates, especially Joe Crede, A.J. Pierzynski and Jermaine Dye, are swinging the bats well. The Sox ended the regular season ninth in the AL with an average of 4.6 runs but are averaging 5.9 during the postseason, better than any of the other seven teams involved. Leadoff man Scott Podsednik has been getting on base (five hits, six walks and an error in the five games against the Angels) and running. Houston lacks the mashers it has been noted for in recent years (notably Jeff Kent, Moises Alou and Carlos Beltran) and no longer counts on production from Jeff Bagwell, who recovered from shoulder surgery to land a roster spot. The Astros were 11th in the NL in scoring during the regular season and were held in check by St. Louis' pitching. Stopping Craig Biggio, experiencing a late-career renaissance, and keeping speedster Willy Taveras off base is the key to stopping the Astros. Chris Burke and Adam Everett have been hot. EDGE: WHITE SOX. FIELDING Both teams are solid in this department and have playmakers at key positions. Aaron Rowand and Willy Taveras in center field, Juan Uribe and Adam Everett at shortstop. The White Sox's ability to turn clutch double plays, which dovetails nicely with a pitching staff that throws lots of ground balls, is one of the team's subtle keys. Biggio does not compare in the field to Tadahito Iguchi. While Taveras is excellent, the Sox's outfield defense is better than Houston's, as the Astros sometimes play men out of position to get extra bats in the lineup. EDGE: WHITE SOX. BENCH Houston has a versatile bench and Garner uses it, getting contributions out of almost everyone on his roster. Orlando Palmeiro, Jose Vizcaino and Eric Bruntlett are especially important. Bagwell should get some starts as the DH and adds an experienced bat off the bench in the games at Minute Maid Park. Like an NBA coach, Guillen has shortened his bench in the playoffs, starting the same lineup in all eight games. Pablo Ozuna was the only Sox reserve to play in the ALCS. Without the DH, Carl Everett will become a pinch-hitting weapon in the games at Minute Maid. EDGE: ASTROS. MANAGERS Both Guillen and Garner are willing to go against the book when their gut tells them so, and both have been punching the right buttons this October. Garner has more postseason experience, having taken Houston to Game 7 of the NLCS a year ago, but Guillen's lack of experience hardly bothered him against Boston and Los Angeles, when he came out on the winning side against managers who had won World Series. Guillen's reputation as an entertainer masks his abilities. He put his players in the right spots. Witness Hernandez's escape act in Game 3 of the division series. EDGE: WHITE SOX. INTANGIBLES Both teams could have butterflies, as this is a base camp where they've never overnighted. The summit climb ahead could be daunting. Look for low-scoring, close games in this series, a style the Astros are comfortable with but one that brings out the best in the Sox, who under Guillen are 65-38 in one-run games. Lidge has not been a huge asset in extra-inning games for the Astros. The Sox are riding a surge of confidence after winning 12 of their last 13, including seven of eight in the playoffs. It's fortunate for them that the series opens in Chicago, as Houston has the bigger home-field advantage. It has won 79 of its last 109 at Minute Maid, with a seven-game postseason winning streak snapped Monday. Nine of the last 13 World Series have been won by AL teams. Weather in Chicago could play a small factor as temps are forecasted to dip into the 50's. By now, the entire city of Chicago is riding the Sox magical season. EDGE: WHITE SOX. PREDICTION: White Sox in six. AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
ANAHEIM ANGELS
VS.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
(Angels won
season series 6-4)
WATCH FOR:
Angels will be fighting through fatigue after two cross-country
flights in the first round. They lost Game 4 at Yankee stadium
on Sunday, then flew overnight before eliminating Yankees in
Anaheim on Monday night. Meanwhile, the White Sox have been
resting since finishing their sweep of the Red Sox on Friday,
and have their rotation set up the way they want it with Jose
Contreras at the top. Bartolo Colon left Monday night’s pivotal
game 5 early with a shoulder injury. That and a depleted
rotation could spell trouble for the Angels. Opposing managers
Mike Scioscia and Ozzie Guillen like to play a National
League brand of baseball. The White Sox led the league in
sacrifices during the season, so don't be surprised to see them
lay down the bunt often. Both teams specialize in manufacturing
runs to make up for lack of much power beyond Vladimir Guerrero
and Paul Konerko. The team that gets its catalyst on more, the
Angles with Chone Figgins or Chicago with Scott Podsednik,
should have the advantage. The White Sox haven't lost in two
weeks, and have not won the World Series since 1917. White Sox
General Manager has supplied Guillen with all the necessary
parts to win now. No one expected the Sox to be in the position
they are Will Guillen really quit if the Sox win it all? We
will have to wait and see.
Prediction:
White Sox in six
NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
HOUSTON ASTROS VS. ST.LOUIS CARDINALS
(Cardinals won season series 11-5)
WATCH FOR: Central rivals meet in first NLCS rematch since Braves-Pirates in 1991-1992. Cardinals beat Astros in seven games last year, rallying against Roger Clemens in Game 7 at Busch Stadium. Astros have a dominant closer in Brad Lidge, who converted 26 of last 27 save chances in regular season. Stellar pitching was needed this year for the Astros because of an anemic offense. The Astros went toe-to-toe with the Atlanta Braves before finally knocking them out in the 18th inning of Game 5. Cardinals, on the other hand, swept San Diego in divisional series. Cardinals OF Reggie Sanders set NLDS record with 10 RBIs, and Cardinals got plenty of hitting from the likes of Albert Pujols (.556), David Eckstein (.385), Jim Edmonds (.364), and Abraham Nunez (.364). Al Reyes, the Cardinals top middle reliever, tore elbow ligaments in regular-season finale and will require surgery, forcing him to miss playoffs and 2006. The Astros have depth at pitching which could ultimately decide the series. The Astros are healthy and are armed to challenge the Cards for the NL crown.
Prediction: Astros in seven
2005 Baseball Power
Rankings
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