Given these statistics, the odds slightly favor Chicago to win the series, potentially in six games. However, with both teams being evenly matched, a seven-game series is highly plausible.

The Gas Hornets have an edge in pitching with an overall 4.22 era compared to 4.83 for the Goldeyes. And most of that difference can be attributed to the Gas Hornets bullpen – each team has decent but limited starter depth, but the Gas Hornets hold an edge in the bullpen, especially after their late season acquisitions. Manhattan’s bullpen holds a group era of 3.45 with 38 saves and Winnipeg’s pen clocks in at 3.84 but a WHOPPING 50 saves – Jeff Shaw racking up 40 of them.

Offensively Winnipeg features Mark McGwire and his 64 home runs (and .284 avg, 144 rbis) and 1.127 ops! When the Gas Hornets came into the league, Mark was on their roster – but he quickly departed in what was one of the league’s biggest trades. Mark is supported by Kenny Lofton (.338 and 99 runs in 118 games), and Omar Vizquel (.334 and 107 runs in 145 games plus 83 rbis). Lofton and Vizquel form a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the order. Winnipeg features 2 other 30+ plus bombers – Robin Ventura (30, 120 rbis) and Greg Vaughn (31, 93 rbis) – and Carl Everett is right on their heels with 27 ( and 94 rbis in 118 games). Expect explosive action.

Manhattan will counter with their own top of the order explosiveness in Ray Durham (.299, 41 sbs, 133 runs and 100 rbis!) and Derek Jeter (.366/.477/.554, ops 1.031 and 109 rbis and 153 runs scored!) That runs scored total is 5th best all-time in MWWL history. These two are strong supported by Jason Kendall (.338 but he was limited to only half the season) and the surprising Garrett Anderson who hit .325 and 28 homers driving in 119. Tino Martinez (34 hrs, 121 rbis) and Matt Stairs (33 hrs, 104 rbis) provide some series po. Rico Brogna was a nice addition along the way with top defense at 1b and hitting .277, 15 homers, 61 rbis in 96 games for Manhattan. The two teams are set and ready to go. Off to the Big Apple for game 1 as the teams aces, Curt Schilling and Juan Guzman are set to get things going.

PREVIEW – The National League Championship series pits Manhattan (107-55, tops in the NL) vs. Newark (104-58, 3rd best in NL). These two teams split the season series 6-6 and the Bears built their record in a tougher division and bumped off the previous league champs – Winnipeg – in the division series, so they are a team to be reckoned with.

The Bears topped the NL in scoring with 966 runs, the Gas Hornets were 3rd with 939. These two teams were 1 and 2 in batting. The Bears with a whopping .293 average (as a team for the season, .369 OBP and .475 slugging). They hit 206 homers and out doubled the Gas Hornets by 71 (383 to 312). Manhattan was 2nd in hitting and no slouch at .286, .357 obp and .445 slugging. They did best the Bears in triples (27 to 21 and stolen bases with 138 (to 69). They like to run. Pitching goes to the Gas Hornets with a 3.57 era (T1 in NL) to 3.66 (T3 in NL). They are pretty even but the Bears did lead the NL with the most WPs – odd fact, will it play a role in the series. The Gas Hornets also led in fielding at .983 (T3 in NL) to .978 (9th in NL) and Manhattan gave up almost half as many unearned run (57 to 96). So will fielding play a role.

All told – the two teams match out pretty even – as the season series attested – so will it be home field that decides things, or who will get the hot bat. Both teams got through the division series in less than 6 games, although the Bears needed 6 to dispatch the Goldeyes – but the Goldeyes don’t give up anything easy.