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SPORTS
October 27, 2010
Bee in the Know... A World Series quest
STEPHANI BEE Sports Columnist
The championship series in both the National and American League proved to be upsets. The Philadelphia Phillies and their stellar three— Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt—succumbed to the Giants and their relentless pitching staff. San Francisco’s offense grinded through at-bats to get to the soft underbelly of the Philly pen to win in six games. In the American League, the Texas Rangers beat down on the Yankees’ rotation to win their series in six games as well, setting up a World Series that will highlight
pitching, pitching and maybe a few sluggers in between. Cliff Lee will toe the rubber in the first game for the Rangers opposite Tim Lincecum, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, for the Giants. This matchup should prove to be just as enticing as the thought of Halladay vs. Lincecum was. Both Lee and Lincecum have been at the top of their games in October, so this is anyone’s game. Game two will feature Matt Cain and C.J. Wilson. Cain is a man who defies his peripheral stats and always plays above his projections. Wilson, in his first season as a full-time starter, was proven both unhittable and mortal during the championship series. Look to Cain to step up again, though. Paired with Lincecum, Cain has provided the Giants with one of the best 1-2 punches in the game. Jonathan Sanchez and Colby Lewis are set to tango in game three. Lewis has had a renaissance season after taking a two-year sabbatical in Japan, and he’ll face the righty-leaning Giants lineup. He has been able to perform beyond the baseline expectations, and he should match up
well against San Francisco. Sanchez was bounced early in his game-six start against the Phillies as manager Bruce Bochy wanted to go for the win, using several starters to close out the final game. If Wilson can establish the strike zone early, he should come out ahead. In the fourth game, Madison Bumgarner should get the ball for the Giants opposite Tommy Hunter. Bumgarner, only 21 years old, is already a better starter than Hunter and should be able to keep San Francisco ahead if his offense can provide some support. When it comes to the battle fought at the dish, Texas definitely has the edge. Though any hitter can hit like Babe Ruth in a short series or come out an unlikely hero, and though the Rangers do have a couple of holes in their lineup, they still do pack a punch with the likes of Nelson Cruz, Vladimir Guerrero and ALCS MVP Josh Hamilton. However, when the Rangers are on the road, they will lose the benefit of the designated hitter and will have to move Guerrero to right field, weakening their defense significantly in
the corner and removing an offensive weapon from their lineup (granted, the Giants will also be without the DH). The Giants, on the other hand, have rookie phenom Buster Posey to lead the charge surrounded with the likes of Aubrey Huff, another man having a comeback year, Pat Burrell, who was plucked from the dumpster from Tampa Bay, and waiver-baitturned-hero Cody Ross. Texas has the bats to blast the Giants, but the Giants also have the pitching to stymie the toughest of sultans. If this series had to be decided on pitching alone, it’d be difficult to make a choice because the rotations are so evenly matched. San Francisco is hankering for their first World Series since moving to the Bay area, while Texas is looking for their first-ever championship. When it comes to this matchup, it’s going to be the winner taking home the glory by a hair, and though Giants General Manager Brian Sabean did a superb job patching his roster midseason, the edge is in Arlington. Prediction: Rangers in seven.
Courtesy of MCT San Francisco Giants Tim Lincecum has gone 2-1 in the playoffs with a 1.93 ERA.
WINGER: DALTON BALANCES SPORTS AND SCHOOL
BRIAN EVANS / For the Daily Titan Junior left wing Dalton Braniff skates through two USC defenders to drive toward the net. In this game, the Titans beat USC 5-1.
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It took plenty of advertising efforts to rally enough of an audience to come watch the games. Once the team was able to get students to attend, they slowly developed a growing fan base. “The team has come a long way from their start in ‘08. They’re scoring more goals, and winning games and (No. 96) has been a key component of their offense,” said Tristan Gonzalez, 20, a loyal Titan hockey fan. “After our crowds had grown and we had started to learn how to win, it was all worth it. Our hard work really paid off coming into the second season because we got a lot more talent to come to our try-outs,” Braniff said. Being able to balance hockey with the rest of his activities is a laborious task. In addition to hockey, Braniff is an active member of a campus fra-
ternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon; he is on His fellow teammates had only the philanthropy committee and the praises to say about their colleague. standards board. “On the ice he’s the kind of guy The fraternities weekly meetings who goes out and works till he’s are sometimes at the same time as about to throw up; then he does, hockey pracand gets back tice, so he ofout on the ice Dalton plays with a ten must miss and does it all his meeting. over again,” dedication and intensity “His grades said Patrick rarely seen. He has a true are excellent; McDevitt, se passion for hockey... he works very nior defender. hard as a stu“Dalton - Kallan Smith dent-athlete. plays with a Senior forward He is an exdedication and tremely valuintensity rarely able member seen. He has a for our chapter,” said Nick O’Dell, true passion for hockey and won’t 22, Sigma Phi Epsilon president. quit unless it’s physically imposBalancing everything involves a sible to continue. I would play on a lot of late nights. line with him any day,” said Kallan “After getting home from prac- Smith, senior forward. tice, I just want to pass out, but Braniff believes this season will be there’s always something more im- an outstanding one. He has confiportant than sleeping that I have to dence that the Titans will rise against do,” Braniff said. anyone in their division.
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