NLDS Preview: Pawtucket vs. Texas

Here we are, it’s Déjà vu, all over again. For the third time in four years these two teams meet in the postseason. The series is tied 1-1 with each defeating the other on the way to a World Series championship. Will history repeat itself yet again? Only time will tell.

Pitching Probables:

Game 1: Christopher Ramirez (18-8, 2.85 ERA) vs. Sal Freeman (16-8, 4.21 ERA)
Game 2: Stan Jenner (16-5, 4.38 ERA) vs. Albert Burks (19-6, 3.73 ERA)
Game 3: Charles Randall (15-12, 2.74 ERA) vs. Archie Burke (16-11, 4.02)
Game 4: Ramirez vs. Freeman
Game 5: Jenner vs. Burks
Game 6: Randall vs. Burke
Game 7: Ramirez vs. Freeman

Key Question: How will Pawtucket fare without Henry Mackowiak, who had a 1.13 ERA in five postseason starts last year?

Key Match Up: Billy Hernandez vs. Ramirez. Possible Cy Young vs. Possible MVP. Hard to tell who has the advantage this year, since Ramirez has only faced Texas twice this season. In those two games Hernandez went a combined 3 for 8 and 2 RBIs, with all of his hits being singles.

Keys to winning: Chris Ramirez had a very un-Chris Ramirez like performance against Texas this season with a 5.63 ERA against them on the year. If Pawtucket is going to win, that number has to go down. If Texas is going to win, they are going to need to get on Jenner and Randall early in games, forcing the Polythene to go into their bullpen much earlier than they had hoped.

Prediction: Ideally the Polythene would like to get out of this in six games. Unfortunately for them, Texas has too many offensive weapons. The defending World Series champions will win, but the Tittyballs will make them earn it. Pawtucket in seven.