Just a friendly reminder, folks, don't try to predict the weather but predicting baseball games may actually help pay your bills.
Strapping on the gloves for this first game of the American League Divisional Series, we've got the Cleveland Guardians hosting the Detroit Tigers. Now let's dig in.
Looking at the pitchers for this shindig, the Tigers have got Tyler Holton on the mound. His postseason stats are quite eye-catching...zero ERA, zero WHIP, and striking out just over eight batters per nine innings. Not bad, oh but wait! There's nothing for this season because the lad hasn't even shown up yet. On the other hand, we've got the Guardians' Tanner Bibee, who caused quite a stir last season with a 3.089 ERA and a WHIP of 1.154. This season? Also nada, zip, zilch in the stats pocket. It's clear they both enjoy making us hold our breath.
Checking out the past clashes between these kittens and their guards, the Guardians seem to have the upper hand. They've whipped them three out of the last five, and not for nothing, but two of those victories were at the Guardians' home ground, Progressive Field. A field, by the way, that unfortunately for our batters, leans more towards the pitchers.
Recent results? The Tigers are surfacing from an inconsistent close out of the season but have captured their last two games. The Guardians, however, have stumbled around a bit towards the end, taking a few hits, but maintaining a strong posture throughout.
Now, if you're looking for a dollar from this here uncle Albert, I'd lend my voice to the clamor for the Guardians. The home ground advantage, recent head-to-head battles, coupled with the slightly better regular season record, point a little (only a smidge) in favor of the Cleveland Guardians.
But hey, let's not forget that this is baseball, and any talk of certainty isn't quite the straight face truth.
Albert's Prediction: Cleveland Guardians by 2