just to be devil's advocate:
from a HANDICAPPER's point of view:
Start with the recent past. With Sunday's game, Japanese teams will have played in four of the past five Series finals. They've won twice already, taking titles home to Osaka in 1999 and Tokyo in 2001.
i'd like to see a nice 2 - 1 or 2 - 0 score...
if you can get a total for that game, i'd LEAN towards the under....this has the look of a SERIOUS pitcher's duel.
pitcher: for louisville
Aaron Alvey threw nine hitless innings and two relievers finished a two-hit, 23-strikeout, 2-1 victory over Fort Worth.
Alvey will come back to pitch on three days' rest today.
(will that have an effect of him...??)
pitcher : for JAPAN
Yoosuke Katoh, a left-hander who also shut out Curacao on three hits in the Series' preliminary rounds, will get the call Sunday. At 5-6, he's one of his diminutive team's biggest players. Just turned 13, he's the oldest.
looks like a classic , to me. two great pitchers, two great defensive teams.
good luck to all.