2014 Baseball Playoffs Reach League Championship Series Stage

Now that the divisional series have all finished in this 2014 Major League Baseball season playoffs, we are left with four surviving teams: Baltimore and Kansas City in the American League...and St. Louis and San Francisco in the National League.  The Royals and Giants, the wild-card one-game winners, have continued their momentum and knocked off teams originally thought to be favorites (Los Angeles Angels and Washington, respectively).  The Orioles and Cardinals (who are coming off impressive series wins against Detroit and the LA Dodgers) are both well-managed teams, both with a strong sense of unity and a strong bullpen...crucial in those later innings after the starting pitcher, no matter how strong he has pitched earlier, begins to tire and becomes vulnerable.  Just ask the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose star-studded lineup could not save them against the Cardinals when their starters (especially Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw) could not depend on relief pitching to help them out when they began to fade in the 6th and 7th innings.  Baltimore and St. Louis, on the other hand, are rock-strong with their relief pitching...and for this reason, I pick them to make it to the World Series.  However, my personal preference is to see Baltimore face off against San Francisco...with the Giants ultimately prevailing.

The League Championship Series begin Friday with Baltimore playing Kansas City while St. Louis plays San Francisco, beginning on Saturday.  I expect some exciting, well-played games in these upcoming series...