Cleveland-Chicago: Indians Prepare for Pivotal Series Against the White Sox

It's May 20 and the White Sox are riding a five-game winning streak, and playing much better than anyone outside of that blow-up-doll-ridden locker room gave them credit for at the start of the season. The Indians are at 22-22, are coming off a Battle of Ohio sweep, and are on a three-game losing streak.

I know it's only May, and there's still plenty of baseball to be played, especially between these two teams, but this series has all the makings of a momentum swing either way.

Game 1: 5/20 7:11pm CST @ U.S. Cellular Field

The first game of the series is the headlining game with reigning Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia facing off with the man that no one knows how old he really is, Jose Contreras.

Pitching

After a terrible start to the season where Sabathia's ERA was in space, he's quietly lowered his ERA to 5.47 in his last five starts. He's gone 3-2 with a 1.49 ERA; now that's the C.C. of last year. It did go along with the streatch of 44 1/3 scoreless innings streak by Indians starting pitching.

At 4-3, Contreras has been one of the better pitchers for the Sox. He has only allowed two earned runs over his last 14 innings. He hasn't pitched against the Tribe this season, but last year on opening day, he got hit every which way. I don' expect the same outing, but I'm not saying he's not going to get hit around.

Advantage: Indians. C.C. is coming around, and he's ready for the rest of the season to put up Cy Young type numbers.

Hitting

The Indians and Sox have both gone through their struggles at the plate. Currently the Indians are in their most recent funk. Even with the starters not giving up runs, they would still find ways to lose. They just got swept by the Reds! The Sox have been coming around. They took two from the Angels and swept the Giants. It is the Giants, but you can only beat who you play.

Advantage: Wash. The Tribe's lineup is clearly better with Grady, Martinez and Garko over an aging Thome and Konerko. I would watch for Carlos Quinten though.

Prediction: Indians over Sox 6-2

C.C. likes pitching against the Sox. Something has to break for the Indians. Contreras has had his struggles with the Indians. Indians break through tonight and break that streak of theirs, and that streak of Chicago's.

Game 2: 5/21 7:11 CST @ U.S. Cellular Field

Game two features the old school style of Paul Byrd against the strikeout man Javier Vasquez.

Pitching

Byrd currently is sitting at 2-3 with a 3.61 ERA. He has been kinda good and kinda bad all season. He really likes to watch the ball fly out of the yard. He's coming off one of his better performances of the season against the A's, going seven-and-one-third scoreless. He is 4-0 with a 3.61 ERA at U.S. Cellular in his career.

Vasquez has been the tough luck guy this season for the Sox. His last start he went six-and-two-thirds, giving up only two, but a late error tied the game and took him out of the line for the eventual win by Chicago. Vasquez has lost to Cleveland this season (0-1).

Advantage: Wash. Who knows which pitcher is going to come out tonight for either team. Byrd hasn't been all that consistant and Vasquez has been known to struggle at times getting quality innings.

Hitting

Byrd has had his struggles keeping it in the yard this season, and with a good hitters park like "The Cell", I don't expect anything different. Vasquez will get his share of "Ks" and it is something the Indians struggle with so keep an eye on that.

Advantage: Sox. Their lineup will have a chance to hit some balls out of the yard, but never underestimate the man on the hot corner for Cleveland

Prediction: Indians over Sox 4-3 in extras.

The Sox have a thing for hitting their home runs with no one on base, and that will be key. The Tribe will figure out a way to stay in it, and their bullpen will keep them in it after a less than stellar outing for Byrd.

Game 3: 5/22 7:11pm CST @ U.S. Cellular Field

The final game of the series will feature an unproven pitcher in Aaron Laffey against a struggling veteran in Mark Buehrle.

Pitching

Aaron Laffey is 2-2 with a 1.35 ERA. He's coming off a great performance against the A's, where he went seven scoreless. He is still unproven and has his moments of being a young kid, but he is learning to hold his own. He will give the Sox a lot of trouble.

Buehrle is 2-5 with a 5.27 ERA. Unlike C.C., his high ERA is not coming down any time soon. He has continued to struggle (take away the start against the wonderful Giants). He has always struggled against the Tribe, as we all saw on opening day, giving up seven earned in one-and-two-thirds innings. The Indians are the only team Buehrle has a losing record against and an ERA over four.

Advantage: Indians. I don't think the inexperience of Laffey will phase him against the Sox hitters. And Buehrle is just not the pitcher he used to be.

Hitting

The Indians will be licking their chops to get to Thursday's game. They love hitting off Buehrle, and will continue their hitting performance of opening day. The Sox hitters aren't all that familar with Laffey and that will be in Laffey's favor. They will be off-balanced and struggle.

Advantage: Indians. They will feast on a struggling Buehrle and get those bats hot to go play a tough Texas team.

Prediction: Indians over Sox 9-3.

The bats will open up, and they will use this as a game to build their momentum and their new divisional lead.

This will be a tough series for both teams, and they will both use this to learn and go forward. Tell me I'm a homer, it doesn't matter. Look at the matchups, they just favor the Tribe. Later in the season, the matchups could be different and completely favor the Sox. This will be a true test for both teams, and will let fans see where their team ranks in a tough and mediocre division.