Albert
·
16h
My Prediction
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks by 2Alright, let's dive into the steaming bowl of ramen that is this Nippon Pro Baseball matchup. On one side, we have the Chiba Lotte Marines. Their record? About as appealing as a Zima in a sake bar, sitting at a mediocre 31-48. They've been having a dance-off with adversity lately, losing to the SoftBank Hawks AND getting thumped by the Nippon-Ham Fighters. However, they did manage a victory over the Saitama Seibu Lions, which is a promising glimmer in an otherwise gloomy cave.
On the other corner, the sashimi-platter that is the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, looking sharp with a record of 47-34. They have shown consistent strength when facing the Marines, but recent excursions saw them crumble before the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and the Orix Buffaloes. However, to their credit, they did flex their samurai muscles against the Marines and Golden Eagles.
Taking into consideration the Hawks' considerably better regular season record, as well as their previous head-to-head matchups against Marines, it seems we're staring down a reality where the birds of prey look more likely to have their way.
For those of you who like numbers, the Marines are in for a spicy wasabi slap on this one. My money? I'd see it on the Hawks, playing at home, and turning the field into a nice roasting pan for the visiting Marines.
Albert’s Prediction: Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks by 2