Here's a capsule summary around the horn first:
CATCHER
Anaheim: Bengie Molina.
San Francisco: Benito Santiago.
Molina is a good defensive catcher that can occasionally get lucky with a bat. Santiago has defied age, handles the glove well, and has been filthy with the bat. Hitting behind Bonds ensures lots of chances too. Edge: S.F.
FIRST BASE
Anaheim: Scott Spiezio
San Francisco: J.T. Snow
Snow is doing well in the playoffs, but I think he's rather streaky. Both have pop, Snow's got the better glove, but I think Spiezio's the more consistent player.
Edge: Anaheim
SECOND BASE
Anaheim: Adam Kennedy/Benji Gil
San Francisco: Jeff Kent
Kent is having an atrocious playoff, and Kennedy is cruising...although he didn't deserve the MVP and I think he may have shot his wad a tad too soon. Kent is doing well with the glove, and I think he will come around with the bat. Gil's been an adventure defensively, and is really a factor.
Edge: S.F.
SHORTSTOP
Anaheim: David Eckstein
San Francisco: Rich Aurilia
Hmm...too vastly different players. Aurilia's got the better glove, in my opinion (I've seen Eckstein throw the ball into the dirt too much). He's also got more power. Eckstein, of course, is the pest, and is an expert at getting on base (although he was less of a factor in the ALCS).
Edge: Even
THIRD BASE
Anaheim: Troy Glaus
San Francisco: David Bell
Glaus spanks Bell to pieces with his power, although Bell hits fine and is a solid guy at the hot corner. Bell, actually, is hitting superbly in the playoffs, although Glaus is cooking (and probably should have gotten MVP in the ALCS).
Edge: Anaheim
LEFT FIELD
Anaheim: Garret Anderson
San Francisco: Barry Bonds
Anderson is a MVP candidate. Bonds is the MVP. 'Nuff said, although Anaheim would win against any other left fielder probably...
Edge: S.F.
CENTER FIELD
Anaheim: Darin Erstad
San Francisco: Kenny Lofton
Lofton's a drama queen who's had some nice hits in between a mediocre playoff. Erstad hustles his butt, has a better glove, and is far more consistent.
Edge: Anaheim
RIGHT FIELD
Anaheim: Tim Salmon
San Francisco: Reggie Sanders
Neither are having remarkably good playoffs, but both are fine-fielding guys with some power (Salmon a little more). I'd probably bank on Salmon because he's more of a team leader too.
Edge: Anaheim
DH
Anaheim: Brad Fullmer/Shawn Wooten
San Francisco: dunno--Tom Goodwin?
Fullmer's got some pop, Wooten is a solid player. Goodwin can run well, and has a good glove.
Edge: Anaheim (but that's really a gimme)
Bench
Anaheim: Chone Figgins, the other half of Fullmer/Wooten, Jose Molina, Gil, Alex Ochoa, Orlando Palmeiro.
San Francisco: Shawon Dunston, Yorvit Torrealba, Pedro Feliz, Ramon Martinez, Tom Goodwin, Tsuyoshi Shinjo.
Figgins is just a pinch runner, Molina merely a replacement catcher. I do like Ochoa and the other half of Fullmer/Wooten, though. S.F. has Dunston, who is solid fundamentally and gets the job done, and the less-than-thrilling Feliz, Martinez, and Goodwin. Shinjo is anemic with the bat, but plays a good outfield.
Edge: Anaheim
Starting Pitching
Anaheim: Jarrod Washburn, Kevin Appier, Ramon Ortiz, John Lackey
San Francisco: Kirk Rueter, Jason Schmidt, Russ Ortiz, Livan Hernandez
No real aces here, but on the whole, S.F.'s pitchers have done better than Anaheim's (with the exception of Lackey, bailed out by their offense). Appier hasn't gone the distance, Ramon Ortiz has done diddly so far. Washburn is a tad erratic, and it remains to be seen what Lackey will do against a more solid offensive team. Schmidt and Rueter have turned in good playoff performances (and bad ones). So has Russ Ortiz. Livan Hernandez is a gamer if nothing else.
Edge: S.F.
Relief Pitching
Anaheim: Brendan Donnelly, Francisco Rodriguez, Scott Schoeneweis, Scot Shields, Ben Weber
San Francisco: Scott Eyre, Aaron Fultz, Felix Rodriguez, Jay Witasack, Tim Worrell, Chad Zerbe
I don't trust the two Scots for Anahehim, nor do I think Donnelly and Weber are up to the challenge. That leaves it up to F. Rod, and overwork may be getting to him. San Francisco has a lack of tough names, but Worrell has been DA MAN for the Giants in the playoffs, and Eyre/Rodriguez usually get the job done. Let's see what Witasack will do.
Edge: S.F.
Closer
Anaheim: Troy Percival
San Francisco: Robb Nen
Nen has made games unbearably interesting. Percival has only faced a few tough save situations, however.
Edge: Anaheim (but I wouldn't be surprised if Percival blew a save)
Manager
Anaheim: Mike Sciosia (don't know how to spell it)
San Francisco: Dusty Baker
Sciosia made some annoyingly inane decisions in both playoff games, and I think he relies too much on F. Rod. Baker's shown some guts, and did a wildy squeeze play too.
Edge: San Francisco
Crowd
Anaheim: Rally Monkey/Thunder Stick
San Francisco: McCovey Cove/Thunder Stick
Both crowds are loud and rabid, although Anaheim's are a tad more out of control...but not as much as a factor as say Metrodome or Yankee Stadium were.
Edge: Even
Prediction: San Francisco in 7
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(That and being I'm one outta six in predicting winners this postseason, maybe I should just root for the Giants after all...
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