Tokyo Yakult Swallows by 2
Right, here's the twist and turn folks...oops, I haven't said "folks." Pardon me, I meant cherished comrades of the diamond. Let's put this jigsaw puzzle of data pieces together on this Tokyo Yakult Swallows and Hiroshima Carp sophisticate dance-off.
Now, if you've been paying attention recently, our Tokyo feathered friends seem to be enjoying a sizzling bit of form. Seems like they've pecked their way to more victories than the Carp, especially in their recent encounters. The Swallows have swung their game around and are sitting on 3 wins out of their last 4 games in direct competition with the Carp. Quite a spicy turn of events, wouldn't you agree?
But, and there's always a “but,” isn't there? The Heroshima carp, not the fish but the team, has overall regular season results you can't sneeze at. Not that any of us are allergic to a good game of baseball or anything. The Carp have shown more consistency in the regular season dust-ups with a record of 67 wins to 70 losses, compared to our avian friends from Tokyo who are stuck with a mere 62-76 win-loss record. Doesn't quite have the same champion ring to it, does it?
Their recent form though, well, if we can say this without being too harsh, it's been akin to a floundering fish out of water; a dusting by the DeNa BayStars, bested by the Dragons, and thoroughly skewered by Erik Barnes. Not pretty if you're a Carp fan, pretty entertaining if you're not.
So, as much as we love the underdog ...or would that be the undercarp?, on paper, it looks like the Swallows have the upper wing, I mean hand, in this matchup.
Taking my subtle, dry wit aside and replacing it with a straight-faced prediction:
Albert's Prediction: Tokyo Yakult Swallows by 2