It is down to the Final Four. Two teams from each league will slug it out for the right to claim the pennant and league representation for the World Series. This is the League Championship Series.
All four Division Series went down the wire, a postseason first. Every game in that postseason round was as heartstopping as it can be. But now the stakes are higher, and League Championship Series promises an even greater amount of intensity and drama that every fan will love to see. Here is a preview of the two LCS matchups.
American League Championship Series
New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers
Season Series: Yankees won 6-4
The Yankees and Tigers won their respective five-game series on the strength of their aces CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander's impressive Game 1 and Game 5 gems. Now the two AL contenders find themselves in a struggle for the coveted pennant and a trip to the World Series.
The Yankees may have won the Division Series, but it came with a price. Alex Rodriguez was a non-factor, while Derek Jeter limped with a slightly injured foot. If the two veterans overcome both pain and anxiety, then it's a big plus. Age will again be a factor for the Yankees, as they try to rediscover the fountain of youth against a younger Tigers squad, whose heart of the order with Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Delmon Young is usually the most potent. The Tigers likewise barely made it against the younger Athletics, but now they are up against the ageless wonders from the Bronx. The Yankees only hope that history wouldn't repeat itself, having lost both postseason meetings to the Tigers in 2006 and last season. It'll be up to Sabathia and Verlander to lead their teams to the pennant.
National League Championship Series
San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Season Series: Series Tied 3-3
The Cardinals are still alive, as they overcame a 6-0 deficit to beat the Nationals 9-7. Now they await the 2010 World Series champions from San Francisco, who beat the Reds to make it to this stage. In a rematch of the last two World Series champions, a lot of bragging rights will be at stake.
First off, which has the more potent offense? The Giants already have a batting champion in Buster Posey, along with equally reliable batters Pablo Sandoval, Marco Scutaro, Hunter Pence and Angel Pagan. The Cardinals counter with Carlos Beltran, Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina and David Freese. In the six regular season meetings, the Giants outran the Cardinals 30-22, underscoring a more potent offense. But the Cardinals have been an opposing batter's nightmare in the past two postseasons, as manager Mike Matheny continued to mix and match with his pitching staff. No surprise that Kyle Lohse, Chris Carpenter, Jason Motte and Lance Lynn lead the parade. The Giants are no slouches either in the arms, with Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Barry Zito and Sergio Romo as their primary pitching weapons. Both teams' pitching staffs are not far behind in terms of ERA. However, for a victor to be decided, the offense has to step up, otherwise we are in for a long series.
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