ALCS Preview: Red Sox take on Tigers

The Tigers and Red Sox are one step away. One step is all they need to be playing for the World Series. They have come so far, each in their own ways. The Red Sox came out of the 2012 season with much to improve on, finishing in last place of the American League East, with a horrifying 69-93 record.  The Tigers are coming off of a season where they had played well, representing the American League in the 2012 World Series. They were swept by the Giants in the series. This series between the Red Sox and Tigers is shaping up to be a good one, as both teams are among the best in the Major Leagues. 
Batting:
Both the Red Sox and Tigers have good, clutch lineups. Over this season, the Tigers and Red Sox finished with the top two batting averages in the Major Leagues. Detroit lead the way with a .283 average; followed closely by the Red Sox with a .277 mark. They also finished first and second in runs, this time with the Red Sox (853 R) scoring more than the Tigers (796 R). And, OPS? Yes, they both finished first and second in OPS. The Red Sox .795 OPS was just a tad bit better than the Tigers .780. This series already has the makings of much excitement through the offenses, as these two teams had arguably the two best offenses in the major leagues.    


Pitching:
The Tigers starting rotation was dominant this year. Even in an overall down year from Justin Verlander, the Tigers took advantage of Max Scherzer's breakout season, and good seasons from Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, and Rick Porcello. They ranked fourth in starter's ERA over this season, with a 3.44 mark. Only the Cardinals, Reds, and Dodgers had better ERAs than the team from Detroit. But, you cannot underestimate Boston's rotation either. Although their starting rotation posted an eleventh best 3.84 ERA, they still can be dominant on any given day. Their rotation was given a boost from the acquisition of Jake Peavy, but I still consider their rotation worse than the Tigers.


This series looks to bring quite a matchup between these two teams, with the Tigers looking to defend their AL title, and the Red Sox looking to show that they are the real deal. I have to go with the Red Sox in this matchup, especially since the Tigers went 1-2 with a 7+ ERA in Fenway. Now they are in the postseason, with more pressure, more fan involvement, and no home field advantage. The Red Sox are great at home, going 53-28 in Fenway. They went 1-3 in Comerica Park this season, but I still am going to go with Boston. Due to their great hitting, timely pitching, and home field advantage, I predict the Red Sox to advance to the World Series by defeating the Tigers in this series 4-2. 

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