Drum roll, please – it’s time for a grudge match between our flying friends, the Baltimore Orioles, and guardians of... well, Cleveland, the Cleveland Guardians.
The Orioles swoop down on Progressive Field in Cleveland today with their talons fully sharpened. A venue that typically favors pitchers should only accentuate Corbin Burnes' already terrific season of a 2.57 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Conversely, the Guardians counter with their own shield bearer Gavin Williams, who has some respectable numbers at 3.82 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.
Let's be fair now and give our batsmen a little airtime. Baltimore’s lineup boasts hitmakers like Ramon Urias, Colton Cowser, and my personal favorite, Anthony Santander - a man who probably stole as many hearts as bases last season. Just kidding, it was only one base. On the other side of the fence, Cleveland is betting their fortunes on the bats of Josh Naylor, Tyler Freeman, and Steven Kwan. I’m sure Jose Ramirez’s name is there just for the decorations.
Analyzing the tit-for-tat between these teams in recent history, there’s definitely no love lost. The teams split their last 5 games, with the winning team scoring 7 or more runs in four of them. Ah, the sweet sound of baseballs sailing out of the park.
In the grand scheme of things, looking at regular season win-loss records, the Guardians narrowly edge out the Orioles – but hey, this sport isn't won on paper, right?
Based on recent performances, both teams have shown enthusiasm with the bat, but the Orioles seem to have re-grown their wings with a victory in their last dust-up. Oh, the twists and turns of this sporting carnival.
Anyway, enough of this nonsense. Hold onto your birdcages and defend your cornfields because here’s the prediction you've been eagerly awaiting – or not, who knows.
Albert’s Prediction: Baltimore Orioles by 2