stu3@mhuxh.UUCP (Mark Modig) (10/09/84)
<...> Well, everyone else is getting into it, so here's my chance to put my foot in my mouth once more in a big way. My predictions for the World Serious... Tigers. The Series might go 6. The Tigers will probably try to run on Terry Kennedy a bit, although they really haven't done much stealing this year. They do have some speed, tho, so unless the Padres make an adjustment that helps, this is going to be a problem for the Padres. On the flip side, Parrish has probably the best arm to second in baseball right now (you've got to be good to throw out Willie Wilson). Pitching, I think, is fairly even if everybody pitches the way they can. The Tigers have terrific statistics (94-0 in games where they have the lead going into the 9th, etc.), but they don't mean a whole lot. The Padres have Nettles and Garvey at the corners, and Templeton at short. These guys are outstanding, even though Templeton doesn't have quite the speed he used to and his bat is a little erratic. Wiggins is at second; the Padres need him to perform both with the bat and the glove if they are to win. The Tigers have some possibly less well-known names in the infield, but they are extremely strong. Evans is not a great first baseman defensively (despite his play in the playoffs) but other than that the Tigers are solid defensively. Offensively, the infield probably gives a little edge in power to the Padres, but other than that they are strictly even or better. In the outfield, the Padres have "Tony Gwynn and two other guys". (Flames from outraged Padres backers welcome, but I really don't think that much of the Padres outfielders as a group. It's too bad they don't have Kevin McReynolds.) They really give up a lot to the Tigers here, both defensively and offensively. The Padres have been hurt here by injuries too. The Padres will probably be hurt by the DH because they don't really have a strong consistent hitter or hitters that aren't already starting. This is the basic weakness of the Padres; compared to the Tigers, their reserves just aren't in the same league. So there it is. ON PAPER, the Padres are definitely underdogs. But anything can happen, and it usually does--remember last year when the bottom part of the Oriole order really came through? Nevertheless, when a prediction has to be made, you have to go by the paper. The Padres definitely have what it takes; the trouble is that the Tigers simply have more. The Padres need to get leads early and hang on to them in order to win; they also need a great Series from people like Garvey, Nettles, Gwynn, etc. if they are going to win. Good luck to them (they'll need it). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mark Modig ..ihnp4!btlunix!mom