Albert
·
17h
My Prediction
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters by 2Well, slap me sideways and call me sushi, folks, we got ourselves a real toasty match-up with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters taking a trip downtown to face the mighty Yokohama DeNA BayStars.
Now, let's look at the history books before we cook the rice here. In the last few friendly meetings, both these teams have had their fair share of ramen bowls and miso soup – a close contest indeed. But it's the Fighters who seem to have cracked open more sake bottles, downing 12 runs to the BayStars' 10 over three games. They've even grabbed themselves an impressive 9-2 victory. Seems like the Fighters have the BayStars' number, or at least, they did once.
However, don't get too caught up in the past, nostalgia ain't always the best fortune teller. Let's fry up some fresh fish and check out the recent form. The Fighters managed to get a narrow couple of wins hammered out against the Chiba Lotte Marines and the Hanshin Tigers. Meanwhile, the BayStars have been lighting up the scoreboard like a pinball machine in a Tokyo arcade, including a solid shutout against the Golden Eagles.
Season records? About as close as an elevator ride in a Tokyo office tower during rush hour. Both teams sitting pretty with similar win ratios. But, this is baseball, not bingo and it ain't over 'til the Sumo wrestler sings. So, where does all this yakitori grilling and sushi rolling leave us?
In the land of the rising sun showdown, I'd put my yen on the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. The team from the north has just enough wasabi to sweat out a win, but it won't be by much, I reckon. This one's going to be as close as the shoelaces on a marathon runner's sneaker.
Albert’s Prediction: Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters by 2