Okay sports fans, let's break this down. We have the Hanshin Tigers charging into the nest of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and this fight promises to be as elegant as an interpretive dance recreated by a drunk uncle at a wedding.
Last season’s game between our feathery combatants saw the Swallows swoop in for a convincing win, but lately the roles seem to be reversed as the big cats have had their claws out, notably slicing through the Swallows in their recent clash.
While Tokyo's Swallows have not exactly seen a fairy-tale season so far with a rather bleh record (5-6), the Tigers are not exactly roaring either, but are at least stalking the upper regions of mediocrity (7-6).
Tigers, the perennial prowlers, seem to have eaten their Wheaties recently, while Yokohama apparently plucked some feathers from the Swallows in their latest encounter. All things considered, it’s about as clear as a foggy day in London who will emerge victorious from this tussle.
Since I see my prediction cue card slowly wheezing up to my face, my crystal ball tells me, fair sports aficionados, to prepare yourselves for a tiger-ish triumph with Japan's finest feline squad clawing their way to a close victory. We might not need to fetch the bandages, but there could well be some minor pecking wounds.
Albert’s Prediction: Hanshin Tigers by 2
