Five questions for ALCS

By
TIM KURKJIAN via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
October 8, 2014, 11:34 AM ET
1 min read

— -- This American League Championship Series has a late '70s, early '80s feel to it, which is great. The American League used to routinely go through Kansas City and Baltimore, two cities with great traditions of winning, now restored after many dormant seasons.

It won't have the same cache as Jim Palmer facing George Brett, but the team aspects are just as compelling. The Royals got here by becoming the first team in LDS history to sweep a team (the Angels) that had the best record in the league. And the Orioles swept a Tigers team that started the last three AL Cy Young winners ( Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and David Price).

Here are five questions.

What are we to make of Nelson Cruz?

What can you do with the Royals' speed?

How good is the Orioles' bullpen?

Is something special going on with the Royals?

Is something special going on with the Orioles?

The pick: Orioles in seven.