ALDS Schedule 2014: TV Information and Game 3 Predictions
A couple of lopsided outcomes in the American League Division Series has the definitive schedule looking rather short ahead of Sunday's Game 3 doubleheader.
The Kansas City Royals have used the momentum from their wild-card win to gain a 2-0 series lead on the Los Angeles Angels, MLB's best team in the regular season. Despite a formidable pitching staff, the Detroit Tigers are on the brink of elimination heading home against the Baltimore Orioles.
Only the third games of these respective showdowns are guaranteed, as both could end Sunday in rather anticlimactic sweeps.
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Let's take a look at the TV schedule for the rest of these best-of-five affairs, along with predictions as to how Sunday's action will play out.
| 3 | LAA at KC | Sun., Oct. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | TBS |
| 4* | LAA at KC | Mon., Oct. 6 | 6 p.m. | TBS |
| 5* | KC at LAA | Wed., Oct. 8 | TBD | TBS |
| 3 | BAL at DET | Sun., Oct. 5 | 3:30 p.m. | TBS |
| 4* | BAL at DET | Mon., Oct. 6 | TBD | TBS |
| 5* | DET at BAL | Wed., Oct. 8 | TBD | TBS |
Game 3 Predictions
Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers
They made a bold deadline trade to get him. Now the Tigers will have to trust in former Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price to save them from the brink of elimination at Comerica Park.
Before the Orioles staged an epic rally, scoring four runs in the eighth to take Game 2 by a score of 7-6, ESPN Stats & Info pointed to how this leg of the ALDS may as well already be over:
SportsCenter's shocking anecdote highlights how inept Detroit has been toward the end of games in the ALDS thus far:
Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated weighed in:
That puts even more heat on Price to deliver in the ultimate pinch. At least Detroit is at home and showed it could compete well at Baltimore.
Price is embracing Game 3 and all that it entails.
"This is the time you want to be able to step up for your team, for your fan base, for the city of Detroit," said Price, per The Associated Press, via ESPN.com. "This is a special moment, to be able to go out there and throw my game, and that's what I plan on doing."
A lot is at stake for the Tigers. Despite being the inferior team in terms of record, they went all-in by acquiring Price. Having made the ALCS the previous three postseasons and failed to deliver a World Series title, this year's hopes could all come to an abrupt end if Price isn't right.
The Tigers bullpen can't do much worse, and it should be encouraged by being in friendly territory. Price will give his best, as Detroit will be refreshed and keep itself alive at least for one more game.
Prediction: Tigers 7, Orioles 4
Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals
Talk about a team that won't take, "No!" for an answer. Or a club that's caught lightning in a bottle and hasn't looked back.
The Royals squeaked into the ALDS in extra innings over the Oakland Athletics and have proceeded to shut down L.A.'s offense—which scored the most runs in baseball in the regular season—in back-to-back, 11-inning thrillers.
The Angels scored a combined three runs in two home games—really more with all the extra baseball. That is flat-out inexcusable with the likes of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, not to mention Josh Hamilton and others, in the batting order.
Kansas City has kept on the grind and pounced at the most opportune moments. Eric Hosmer's late Game 2 heroics were a prime example of just that when he got his proverbial pitch, per ESPN's Mark Simon:
There is something to be said for teams pulling out these marathon playoff games. This tweet from ESPN Stats & Info, even if it's a bit unrealistic, certainly bodes well for KC:
All the momentum is on the Royals' side as they head to Kauffman Stadium trying to close out this series in improbable, dominant fashion.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports analyzed the ideal circumstances:
Doubting Kansas City has proven futile in the young postseason, especially with how well its bullpen has performed as of late, per MLB:
Now that the Royals are returning home, they ought to keep their hot streak going and sweep the underachieving Angels. It won't go extra innings, because James Shields, KC's best pitching combination of experience and overall production, presents L.A. with its toughest matchup yet.
The Angels will put forth a valiant road effort with their most runs of the ALDS, but they'll still fall far short of expectations against a team that seems to want it more.
As long as the overall quality of pitching remains intact and the speedy Royals, who led MLB with 153 stolen bases, can keep the opposition anxious, there's no reason they can't continue this October Cinderella run.
Prediction: Royals 6, Angels 5
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