The Los Angeles Dodgers haven't gotten this far since they won it all under Tom Lasorda in 1988. The last time the Houston Astros reached the World Series, they were still in the National League themselves, and lost to the Chicago White Sox in 2005. Something has to give, as these two former NL West rivals meet in the Fall Classic for the first time. Yes, you read that right, kids. Houston was in the NL West until 1995, when they reconfigured each league into 3 divisions, and represented the NL Central in '05.
Tri-City Valleycats fans will be rooting for the Astros, although one ex-Valleycat, Enrique "Kike" Hernandez, is on the Dodgers' roster. If Houston can finally bring a championship home, it will be a sort of catharsis, after the city was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey a couple of months back. Given the number of ex-'Cats on the Houston roster (i.e. Jose Altuve, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel), I'd not be surprised if the championship trophy makes another victory lap in Troy, seven years after the San Francisco Giants, whose roots are also in the hometown, brought the trophy to Bruno Stadium.
Keuchel will get the ball for Houston tonight, with Justin Verlander, the ALCS MVP, going tomorrow in game 2. Clayton Kershaw goes for Los Angeles. I personally think it's going to come down to who really wants it more. Houston ran away and hid in the AL West, as they led virtually from start to finish. Los Angeles had to wait for Colorado & Arizona to run out of fuel from their early runs to take the division lead and put them away.
The pick: Houston in 7. Of course, I could be wrong.
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