Series Preview: Tigers vs. Carp

Series Preview: Tigers vs. Carp
October 9, 2014

Scheduled Games & Probable Starters:

Saturday, October 11, 2pm: Randy Messenger (13-10) vs. Kenta Maeda (11-9)

Sunday, October 12, 2pm: Atsushi Nohmi (9-13) vs. Daichi Ohsera (10-8) (?)

Monday, October 13, 2pm: Shintaro Fujinami (10-7) vs. Bryan Bullington (9-8) (?)

Record This Season:

@ Koshien Stadium: Tigers 7, Carp 2

@ Mazda Stadium: Tigers 4, Carp 6

@ Other: Tigers 3, Carp 2

Total: Tigers 14, Carp 10

Team Stats:

ERA: Tigers: 3.88 (5th); Carp: 3.79 (4th)

AVG: Tigers: .264 (3rd); Carp: .272 (2nd)

Runs Scored: Tigers: 599 (3rd); Carp: 649 (2nd)

Runs Against: Tigers: 614 (4th); Carp: 610 (3rd)

Home Runs: Tigers: 94 (5th); Carp: 153 (1st)

Stolen Bases: Tigers: 55 (Last); Carp: 96 (2nd)

Top Players:

AVG: Tigers: Matt Murton (.338); Carp: Ryosuke Kikuchi (.325)

HR: Tigers: Mauro Gomez (26); Carp: Brad Eldred (37)

SB: Tigers: Hiroki Uemoto (20); Carp: Yoshihiro Maru (26)

Wins: Tigers: Randy Messenger (13); Carp: Kenta Maeda (11)

Holds: Tigers: Shinobu Fukuhara (38); Carp: Ren Nakata (18)

Saves: Tigers: Seung-hwan Oh (39); Carp: Kam Mickolio (25)

What to Watch for:

  • The Tigers (0-3) come in to the Climax Series with no previous series wins since the new format began in 2007. The Carp (1-0), on the other hand, won their lone appearance last season against the Tigers, also at Koshien Stadium.
  • The Tigers finished September/October with a 14-13 record, while the Carp ended on a 12-16 note.
  • Messenger is 2-2 against the Carp this season with a 3.12 ERA, but has allowed them no earned runs in two starts at Koshien this season. Maeda is 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA against the Tigers. However, he is pitching on 4 days’ rest for the first time this season, and did not look too dominant against a relaxed Giants lineup in his last start.
  • Carp closer Mickolio is injured and will not play in this series. The rest of the Carp relief squad has been shaky of late, giving the Tigers an edge in the latter innings of close games.
  • Game 1 of this series is extra important this year. Should Super Typhoon 19 cause rainouts, and if the series is unable to be completed by October 14, the team holding the series lead at that point will advance to the Final Series. If the series is tied 1-1 at that point, the second place team (Tigers) advances by default.

My prediction: Tigers in 2

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