Preview/Prediction

History in sports usually has to do with some sort stat, which can be a predictor for the future regarding similar circumstances.

So, with the Yankees down 2-3 in the ALCS series to the Texas Rangers, it got me thinking of how the bats could stay hot for more than just one game.

The 2010 NLCS has but a short time left before evolving into The World Series, here are ten ways Tim Lincecum and company can expedite the process.

Game Five of the script-busting NLCS begins this afternoon, promptly at 4:57pm.

The skies above AT&T Park will be mostly cloudy and cool, moving into chilly and cold as expected on a Thursday night in San Francisco, October baseball.

The Giants faithful will not blink or suffer a shiver to deter them from witnessing what is about to happen.

The Minnesota Twins once again will be watching the fall classic at home. The good news is that they bought new 3D TV's.

So they have that going for them.

The San Francisco Giants are up 3-1 against the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series and are one win away from a trip to the World Series.

If I would have told you in March that this would be reality, you would have looked at me and laughed. You might have thought the Giants picked up a big time hitter while trading away Madison Bumgarner or Jonathan Sanchez.

Well, there is no big hitter, but the pitching got even better.

As the saying goes, if you can’t hit the baseball get the hell off the field was the theme coming into Game 5 tonight in the Bronx.

Instead, it was the New York Yankees who got the job done beating the Texas Rangers 7-2, in a must-win to stay-in the series game.

The AL and NLCS are halfway through, and the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants are both leading their series 3-1 and 2-1 respectfully.

The Texas Rangers have dominated the New York Yankees in this series. They have outscored them 30-11, outhit .307 to .198, and the Yankees are only hitting .154 with runners in scoring position. Aside from the top half of the eighth inning in Game 1, the Rangers have dominated the Yankees in every way. C.J. Wilson dominated Yankee ace CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee dominated Andy Pettitte and Colby Lewis dominated Phil Hughes.

The New York Yankees are now trailing 3-1 in the 2010 ALCS against the Texas Rangers. 

C.C. Sabathia will start against C.J. Wilson in Game 5 at 4:07 p.m. in New York. 

Anytime time that Sabathia is on the mound, especially at home, the Yankees have a great shot to win the game. 

However, it's just one game. The New York Yankees have to win Game 5 at home, then win both Games 6 and 7 in Texas.  

Do they have a shot to win the series? Absolutely. It is the New York Yankees that we are talking about. 

Should Charlie Manuel and the Philadelphia Phillies start Joe Blanton or Roy Halladay in Game 4 of the NLCS? 

After the San Francisco Giants won Game 4, the Phillies are in danger of losing the series in San Francisco.   

The Giants will most likely stick to their scheduled starter, Madison Bumgarner.  

San Francisco could now possibly have Tim Lincecum pitching at home in Game 5 with the chance to advance to the 2010 World Series. 

"You forget about it whether it was 15-2 or 3-2. It's still a loss. It doesn't matter what the score was if we win tomorrow." - Derek Jeter

The Yankees, down two games to one in the ALCS to the AL West champion Texas Rangers, are in unfamiliar territory.

Cruising through the playoffs for the most part in 2009, Yankees face a must win situation after dropping two games in a row to fall behind in the series.

The good news?