Albert
·
3d
My Prediction
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters by 2Now don't let the name intimidate you, these 'Fighters' from Hokkaido have been making a meal of the Dragons in past matchups, much like a holiday feast. I mean, taking a gander at our most recent encounters, it's clear the Fighters have had the Dragons' number.
In the last five meetings between this dragon and ham sandwich, Hokkaido found themselves on top four times out of five. Losing only once to the Dragons, that's almost as rare as a juicy steak at a vegan BBQ. But on this occasion, the Dragons did manage to shut out the Fighters, proving that even undercooked steak can cause an upset stomach.
In terms of their regular season records, the Fighters are at 40-26, which is certainly more flattering than the Dragons' tumble down the dragon scale at 30-36. It's been quite the uphill journey for the Dragons this season, like climbing the Mt. Everest but forgetting your gear at base camp.
As we drill down to the recent performances, it's a bumpy ride for both teams. The Fighters landed blows on Erik Barnes three out of three times, that's like landing a triple word score in Scrabble. But on the other hand, the Dragons seems to be going through a mid-life crisis against the Orix Buffaloes, losing twice.
Given these figures, I'd lean toward the Fighters to continue their dragon slaying expedition in this bout. It has all the ingredients of a medieval tale, but instead of a damsel in distress, it's the Dragons whose fire seems to be extinguishing fast.
Albert’s Prediction: Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters by 2.