Cramer: ALCS Preview

So, I was wrong about the Cardinals winning it all (at least St. Louis fans get to watch the Rams now...). But let's not forget that I was right in saying the White Sox weren't contenders in the Central, and that Holliday would boost the Cardinals into the playoffs (I didn't guess he'd be the reason they lost, though). Also, if you read into my subliminal support of the Phillies in my last post, you wouldn't even consider me wrong right now (at least until they lose to the Rockies)... regardless, allow me to continue.

Here we are a few days after the playoffs began and we've learned a few things about the American League. For one, the Yankees are quite good. Two, the Angels are also quite good. So what can we expect in the ALCS? If history has any bearing, we should expect the Angels to battle their way into the World Series... but does it?

If you've read Zeus of Sport at all, you know that I've been pretty consistent in saying that the Yankees would find themselves in some trouble if they had to play the Angels at any point in the playoffs. Well... here it is. New Yorkers that know anything about the Yankees over the past 10 years or so are worried, and they should be.

The Angels showed resilience, and great baseball in sweeping the Red Sox, a team which has had their number over the past few years. The Yankees showed the same two qualities, but against an inferior squad in the Twins. 9th inning rallies and stellar defense/pitching allowed both teams to advance to meet each other in the ALCS.

Who was better though? The Angels. They held a Red Sox team that is always among the most potent offensive teams in the league to 0 and 1 run in Anaheim, before heading to Boston and giving up some runs but still managing to pull it out in the 9th. The Yankees faced adversity in game 2, but I think even pessimistic New York fans knew that Tex or A-Rod would take care of business (kudos to whoever knew that both would get the job done).

I'm going back and forth on this one. I have visions of A-Rod being awful against the Angels in the playoffs a few years back, but his new playoff identity may overtake that. It's also hard to overlook the additions the Yankees got this year (Burnett, CC, Tex, Phil Hughes' success in the bullpen).

I don't know what the Vegas odds are on this series, but I would imagine that the Yankees will be favored. I don't view it that way. It's a coin-flip, so get your quarters out. So if heads=Yankees and tails=Angels, who am I picking in this one?

Heads. Based on a gut feeling that this is the year for the Yankees, especially after watching them battle through the ALDS (Twins aren't very good, but anything could have happened... it's baseball).

Time will tell...

Check back for a NLDS Review when the Rockies vs. Phillies series concludes (pray for no snow).