Oh, what a delightful day to watch two titans clash on the baseball diamond. We've got the Chiba Lotte Marines ready to bring the high seas to the inland empire of the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Now, let’s cast our eyes on the recent rendezvous between our contenders. If we take a stroll down memory lane, we'll find the Marines washed over the Lions with tidal strength in their previous encounters. Now that’s more sweep than a janitor’s closet, wouldn't you say?
Moving on to reflect upon their respective individual performances, it seems the Marines have held the upper deck, with a respectable 37-31 win-loss record. Alternatively, the Lions appear to have been going through a bit on the 'mane', limping with a 24-48 record. There's no room for lionhearted puns with a record like that.
Bearing in mind their recent exploits, the Marines have managed to ensnare more victories than slips. And, although the Lions roared back into contention with some strong performances against Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, I can't say I'm entirely convinced of a sudden pride revival.
So, what's my thinly veiled prediction? Considering the consistency of the Marines against the occasional roars from the Lions...
Albert’s Prediction: Chiba Lotte Marines by 2