I think the Sox, for sure. This isn't a real brazen prediction, but I would say they close it out in 4-6 games. If I had to put money on it, I would probably take your 5 games. But I can honestly see a sweep--and God, I hope so.

Enjoy the Series, Napa!
 

I really have no idea. Of course I think the Astros will win but I don't know if it is going to be a long or short series b/c I don't know about Chicago's pitching staff. I know I'm biased but I don't think they can hold water against the Astros. Clemens, Pettitte, Oswalt, and Backe followed up by Qualls (has only giving up one hit during the playoffs) Wheeler(0.00 era during playoffs) and Lidge. They just completly shut down the 3rd best offensive NL team. In 3 of the 6 games against the cards, St. Louis only scored 1 run. Everyone is now scared of Oswalt now and he has been pitching real good, but remember he was the obvious # 3 pitcher on this team. I'm saying Astros in 6. Any team that can beat this pitchung staff deserves to be the Champs.
 

And another note, the pitchers the astros have faced through the playoffs I think are a whole lot better than what Chicago has seen.

The Astros went through Smoltz, Hudson, Sosa, Carpenter, and Mulder.

Who is the best pitcher the Sox faced? Jarrod Washburn? David Wells? Lackey?

The Astros have already been facing great pitching so while the Sox have a great staff, one would think the Astros would be more prepared for it while the oppisite can bee said for the Sox.

At least thats what I'm hoping.
 

Not sure about the pitching staff??

Did you not see them go four straight complete games. Let me repeat that; four straight complete games. I don't care if the Angels aren't the offensive powerhouse that the Cards are. A complete game is an accomplishment in the playoffs and to go four straight, that's just ridiculous. Even if the starters pitch half as good as the did in the ALCS, they still have a solid bull pen. And eventhough they may be young, with Cotts and Jenks, they still have El Duque, who proved against Boston that he is still clutch when it comes to the playoffs.

I'll give you that Houston has pretty awesome pitching staff, but the Sox have never relied on offense to win their games. We could end up having 7 games with less than a dozen combined runs.

No matter which way it falls, I think it is pretty cool to have the series come down to two stellar defensive teams. The further baseball gets away from the homerun-driven era the better. Stolen bases, sacrice bunts and suicide squeezes all make for a much more exciting game.

Good luck, and may the better team win.
 

I know they are good, I just don't know how good is what I was trying to say.

But here is a quote from Jim Caple that I enjoyed

"No two teams and fan bases have endured more pain while refusing to whine about it than the improbable 2005 World Series dance partners. Red Sox and Cubs fans take note: The White Sox and Astros deserve our praise."
 

Fuck Jim Caple.
 

Thank you, Big Boi, you beat me to it.

And the "fan base" is hardly existant in Houston, unless you count days that Roger Clemens is starting. What a joke.
 

What are you talking about? Thats probable the dumbest thing I have ever heard. So because there isn't Astros fans here in Nebraska there probable isn't Astros fans anywhere? Good conclusion.

Minute Maid averaged 35,000 per game this year. The cubs averaged around 39,000. I didn't realize that a 4,000 person difference made your fan base non-existant.
 

Do they not have grammar in Benson? "So because there isn't Astro fans..." There AREN'T Astro fans is the phrase you are looking for. Come on Kyle.
 

Kyle, I went to four Asstros games last year, and the *only* game that the Juice Box was full for was for Clemens. And this was against the Cubs, whom they were battling for a Wild Card spot, not to mention divisional rivals!

For God's sake, I got a ticket behind home plate 20 rows up 2 hours before the game. That is pathetic.
 

Forgot to finish my thought there, but I was speaking of a four-game series, all night games, in Houston, against a divisional rival/gunning for the same playoff spot. Not referring to how many Astros fans there are in Nebraska.
 

Sorry, last one:

Astros Avg Attendance: 35,000
Capacity (Ballparks.com): 42,000

Cubs: 39,000
Capacity: approx 39,538

So, a difference for the Cubs of 538 seats empty, to the Astros 7,000 empty.
 

Well when you went to the game last year, they actually averaged over 38,000 per game which is 93.3% capacity. There was only four teams with a higher percentage than that.

So how many fans do you need to make your fan base "existant"?

Does it have to be more than the all mighty Cubs otherwise you don't count?
 

And as far as you getting a good seat, weren't you sitting by yourself? It's a little easier to get a good seat when you only need 1 ticket.
 

The stadium was 1/3 empty at 3 of the four games I was there. And, seemingly, no one that was around me much cared about what was going on during the game (not to mention I was immediately sitting next to more Cubs fans than Astros fans). And the Clemens game--the Cubs jumped on him early, he got yanked after 5 or 6, and half the crowd filed out.

I know you're all defensive, and upset because your arguments suck, but from what I have personally seen, the Astros have fickle, crappy fans.
 

Mike this is why people don't like cub fans.

What you have said is that because the Astros don't fill their stadium as well as the Cubs their fan base is non-existant.

So based on that No one in the majors has a fan base except for the Cubs since they had the best attendance numbers this year.

I am going to back off this one now. I guess I didn't realize that baseball outside of Wrigley is non-existant. New York doesn't have a fan base, Boston doesn't have a fan base, and the rest of the teams in the Majors do not have fan bases.

Mark Prior is a god, D-Lee is the greatest offensive player ever, Nomar is not gay and whatever else you cub fans say is true.

By the way, if I had a choice between being over .500 and having what Mike considers a "fan base" Im going to have to go with being over .500. Go CUBS.
 

I could really give a shit less whether or not you like me or other Cub fans. My point is, before you went off the deep end, is that from my experience, Houston's fans suck. Did I include you? No, because you generally know what you're talking about, and you legitimately like the Astros.

And I never said, nor implied, anything about other teams not having solid fan bases, jack ass. Boston has a bigger one than the Cubs, especially after last year. Same with the Yankees. I would say the Cubs have the third biggest. That obviously does not make a team good--and, obviously, I would happily take the Cubs as the worst-attended team in all of baseball, if that meant them being a winning franchise.

What I don't understand is your obsession with the Cubs. I was merely pointing out that Houston's fans generally suck, that they only support their team when Roger Clemens starts--this is from MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Then all of a sudden, it is Cub and Cub-fan bashing time. YOU'RE the one that brought up the Cubs with your stupid Jim Caple quote.

I can tell you one thing--if the Cubs were in the World Series for the first time in my lifetime, the last thing I would be worried about is the Astros and Kyle O'Connor. I would be worrying about how the Cubs were going to blow it.

So enjoy the precious two or three games you have left of this season, and stop worrying about the Chicago Cubs. I would start worrying about the Chicago White Sox, and if the Astros can beat them ONE time.
 

See I can worry about you, because I am not worried about the Astros blowing it.
 

Today is incredible slow at work so let me explain why I'm not worried about the series.

Game 1: Clemens gives about a C- effort leaves after 2 innings and hands the ball over to...gasp Wandy Rodriguez. Yet this is a very close game. Joe Crede single handedly wins this game.

Game 2: Pettitte gives about a B- effort and still only gives up 2 runs. The bullpens effort was an F- as they come in to give up 5 runs. Yet this too is a very close game.

Obviously this game tonight is a must win. But Oswalt is throwing followed by Backe and hopefully Clemens. I feel if the Astros get a solid B to B+ performance out of their pitching staff they will win any game.

Thats how I have seen the series so far anyway. How did you see the games NAPA or anyone else?
 

You better hope that Lidge hasn't turned into a total basket case. If his meltdowns don't stop, then the Astros are in big, big trouble. If they do stop, then I see this series going back to Chicago. I don't think Clemens is going to be back though, the word down here is that they couldn't come to terms on a contract extension with Satan.
 

"Inside sources" telling you that about Satan's contract, Big Boi? Are you sure you're not the one who is handling that?
 

Attorney-Client privilege. Sorry.