by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

American League. Baltimore and Kansas City.

ST.LOUIS–This is a very intriguing series, here we have a team that lead the majors in home runs, the Orioles with 211, and Kansas City with 95 round trippers, last in the major leagues.

On the speed side of things, the Royals were number one with 153 stolen bases, while the Orioles only stole 44 sacks.

The Orioles must stop the Royals running game, they will bunt and steal you to death, that is the way they have won this season. As far as the pitching is concerned, the Royals have a better bullpen, but the Orioles have a very respectable relief staff, plus a very nice rotation, at least one equal to the Royals.

Buck Showalter manager of the Orioles and manager Ned Yost of the Royals, two solid baseball men. I favor Showalter, he is very creative and can manage with the best. I can’t forget the game in which Showalter, when managing the Diamondbacks, at Candlestick park ordered an Intentional walk on Barry Bonds, It was in late May 1999. The Diamondbacks led San Francisco, 8-6, with two out when Bonds walked to the plate with the bases loaded.

When he walked to first base, the run forced in by the rare intentional walk made it 8-7. Gregg Olson, who had walked five other batters in the eighth and ninth, went to a 3-2 count on Brent Mayne before getting him on a line drive to right field, ending the game. I have never seen a manager walk a hitter intentionally forcing a run. Buck Showalter did it and he won the game. I broadcast that game for the Giants, and I will never forget that moment. When a manager can make a difference, I think Showalter will be the one during this series, with all respects to Ned Yost.
Orioles in 6 games over the Royals.

National League. San Francisco and St Louis

These teams met seven times during the regular season, San Francisco won four. Two teams that play for their home crowd, and I mean crowds. The Giants averaged 41,588 at AT&T Park, while the Cardinals had a 43,711 average at Busch Stadium. Bruce Bochy will be trying to take his club to the third World Series in the last five years, with two Championships on his trophy case.

Cardinal manager Mike Matheny replaced Tony La Russa, and in three seasons as skipper of the Cards has won an average of 92 games each season and taken them to their third consecutive NLCS, under his command. This is no La Russa’s team, there is no Albert Pujols or David Freese on this St Louis team, they are both wearing red, but not for the Cards, but the Angels. Yet Matheny is a very methodical manager, in a way a good continuation to the Tony La Russa days, which have kept this great baseball franchise on top.

The Giants have more experienced players, but the Cardinals have Yadier Molina, the best catcher in baseball, as their leader, specially handling that pitching staff. The Giants continue to win with pitching. Against the Nationals the Giants did not score more than three runs in any of the four games, yet they won three of those four with their pitching and excellent defense. There are some concerns about Adam Wainwright the #1 pitcher for the Cardinals, he still dealing with tendinitis and discomfort in his right elbow, and has been pitching like this since June.

Overall the Giants have more home-run power in their lineup, the Giants are not a speedy team, neither are the Cardinals, and in the bullpen the Giants have sort of an edge. You can flip a coin here, it’s anybody’s series. Madison Bumgarner and Adam Wainwright could both open two games.

This series could go all the way to a seventh game, which will be played at Busch Stadium, and for that, home crowd advantage, I give the edge to the Cardinals in seven games.

World Series: St.Louis Cardinals vs. Baltimore Orioles

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Museum and does News and Commentary each week on http://www.sportsradioservice.com