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Larry Ness
Sep 29 '20, 7:00 PM in 4h
MLB | Yankees vs Indians
Play on: Yankees -103 at pinnacle
My free play is on the NY Yankees at 7:00 ET.
The Cleveland Indians saw their three-year run as AL Central champs end last season when they won 93 games but the Twins won 101. Cleveland was in a three-way battle for the division's top spot all season but an EIGHT-game losing streak from Sep 8 thru Sep 16 threatened to end Cleveland's playoff hopes. However, the Indians completed their biggest comeback of the season in Sunday's season finale, overcoming a four-run deficit against Pittsburgh, to post their NINTH win in their last 11 games. Cleveland finished 35-25, tied with the Chicago White Sox, just ONE game back of Minnesota. The Indians won the tie-breaker over the White Sox, dropping Chicago to the No. 7 seed and giving Cleveland the No. 4 seed and the home-field advantage for their wild-card series.
So which team do the Indians draw in this 'dangerous' two-of-three series? It's none other than the NY Yankees, who were a clear favorite to win the AL pennant and represent the AL in the World Series. However, the Yankees have fought injuries all season and have had an up-and-down year. New York opened 16-6 but then lost SEVEN in a row. The Yankees ended that slide but through games played Sep 8, sat only 21-21. With the team's playoff hopes in danger, the Yankees answered with a season-high 10-game winning streak from Sep 9-19. However, the Yankees ended the regular season by losing SIX of their final eight contests.
The teams didn't meet in the regular season but this Game 1 pitching matchup is a CLASSIC! Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.84 ERA) takes the mound for New York, while Cleveland counters with Shane Bieber (8-1, 1.63 ERA). You may have heard that Cole signed a nine-year, $324 million contract in December. The Yanks won his first five starts of 2020, lost his next four and then won his last three (more in a bit).
I can't imagine that Bieber won't win the AL's Cy Young Award this season. He became MLB's first pitching Triple Crown winner since Johan Santana in 2006 and the first Cleveland player to accomplish the feat since Hall of Famer Bob Feller in 1940. Bieber tied Chicago Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish for the most wins in the majors, while his ERA and strikeouts (122) were tops in baseball (his BAA was .167).
Maybe this isn't all that important. Bieber has an 8.31 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees and Cole is 3-1 with a 2.50 ERA in five career starts vs the Indians (teams are 3-2). What I will make note of is Cole's stellar postseason performance of 2019, when he posted a 4-1 record with a 1.72 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in five starts for Houston. What's more, his final three starts of the current season saw him go 3-0 while pitching seven innings in each one. He gave up a modest 10 hits over those 21 innings and two ERs for a 0.67 ERA and a 24-3 KW ratio. Bieber should get his Cy Young but Cole gets the better of him here.
Good luck...Larry
Sep 29 '20, 7:00 PM in 4h
MLB | Yankees vs Indians
Play on: Yankees -103 at pinnacle
My free play is on the NY Yankees at 7:00 ET.
The Cleveland Indians saw their three-year run as AL Central champs end last season when they won 93 games but the Twins won 101. Cleveland was in a three-way battle for the division's top spot all season but an EIGHT-game losing streak from Sep 8 thru Sep 16 threatened to end Cleveland's playoff hopes. However, the Indians completed their biggest comeback of the season in Sunday's season finale, overcoming a four-run deficit against Pittsburgh, to post their NINTH win in their last 11 games. Cleveland finished 35-25, tied with the Chicago White Sox, just ONE game back of Minnesota. The Indians won the tie-breaker over the White Sox, dropping Chicago to the No. 7 seed and giving Cleveland the No. 4 seed and the home-field advantage for their wild-card series.
So which team do the Indians draw in this 'dangerous' two-of-three series? It's none other than the NY Yankees, who were a clear favorite to win the AL pennant and represent the AL in the World Series. However, the Yankees have fought injuries all season and have had an up-and-down year. New York opened 16-6 but then lost SEVEN in a row. The Yankees ended that slide but through games played Sep 8, sat only 21-21. With the team's playoff hopes in danger, the Yankees answered with a season-high 10-game winning streak from Sep 9-19. However, the Yankees ended the regular season by losing SIX of their final eight contests.
The teams didn't meet in the regular season but this Game 1 pitching matchup is a CLASSIC! Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.84 ERA) takes the mound for New York, while Cleveland counters with Shane Bieber (8-1, 1.63 ERA). You may have heard that Cole signed a nine-year, $324 million contract in December. The Yanks won his first five starts of 2020, lost his next four and then won his last three (more in a bit).
I can't imagine that Bieber won't win the AL's Cy Young Award this season. He became MLB's first pitching Triple Crown winner since Johan Santana in 2006 and the first Cleveland player to accomplish the feat since Hall of Famer Bob Feller in 1940. Bieber tied Chicago Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish for the most wins in the majors, while his ERA and strikeouts (122) were tops in baseball (his BAA was .167).
Maybe this isn't all that important. Bieber has an 8.31 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees and Cole is 3-1 with a 2.50 ERA in five career starts vs the Indians (teams are 3-2). What I will make note of is Cole's stellar postseason performance of 2019, when he posted a 4-1 record with a 1.72 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in five starts for Houston. What's more, his final three starts of the current season saw him go 3-0 while pitching seven innings in each one. He gave up a modest 10 hits over those 21 innings and two ERs for a 0.67 ERA and a 24-3 KW ratio. Bieber should get his Cy Young but Cole gets the better of him here.
Good luck...Larry
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