Making their pitch
	Throughout the World Series, ESPN.com will have two of its writers go head-to-head on a variety of topics. Today's question: Now reduced to a three-game series, who will win? Rob Neyer goes with the Giants in six, while Dave Schoenfield still thinks it'll be the Angels.

Before the World Series, David Schoenfield picked the Angels to win in six games, and he's sticking with that prediction. Well, I picked the Giants in seven, but now I'm going to change my mind and pick the Giants in six.

Why? Simple math, as the Giants are going to win Game 5 tonight and Game 6 on Saturday. And here are the five reasons ...

1. The Giants have the edge in Game 5 starters. It's not that Jarrod Washburn is pitching poorly, not at all. In the postseason, he's 1-1 with a 3.65. But the Giants, with a lineup stacked with right-handed hitters, absolutely rake left-handed pitching.

Jason Schmidt's 3.86 postseason ERA is comparable to Washburn's, and Schmidt didn't look great in Game 1 against the Angels. But he's showed electric stuff throughout October, and he was very tough on right-handed hitters in 2002, allowing only four home runs all season. If anybody can neutralize Troy Glaus and Tim Salmon, it's Schmidt.

2. Dusty Baker, supposedly so brilliant, hopefully will wise up and start Tsuyoshi Shinjo tonight in Game 5. There's simply no reason to start Kenny Lofton against the left-handed Washburn, especially considering how bad Lofton's looked in center field. The key to beating the Angels is limiting their big, blooper-aided innings. And the fact is that a number of hits have parachuted to the turf on Lofton's watch, hits that would have been outs if Shinjo had been out there. More important, Shinjo batted .291 with a .491 slugging percentage against lefties this season.

3. The Giants have the edge in Game 6 starters. Kevin Appier hasn't looked at all sharp during the postseason; so far, he's winless in six starts, with a 6.23 ERA. What's more, Appier, aside from being right-handed, is particularly ill-equipped to face the Giants. Appier's a nibbler and the Giants are patient, which leads to a lot of pitches for Appier and a lot of baserunners for the Giants.

Then again, Russ Ortiz hasn't exactly been gangbusters, either. He pitched well in the Division Series, winning both of his starts, but got knocked out in the fifth inning of his LCS start and didn't survive the second inning of Game 2 against the Angels. Like Appier, Ortiz doesn't like to throw a lot of balls into the strike zone, so Game 6 may hinge on which pitcher has better control and which team is more patient. It's hard to know whether Appier or Ortiz will have better control, but 162 regular-season games suggest that the Giants will be more patient.

4. K-Rod is spent. Mike Scioscia's secret weapon may not even be available tonight, and if he can pitch, he'll likely be at least a bit fatigued.

5. Can't find a No. 5, don't a No. 5. But the truth is that this Series is completely up for grabs. And if Schoenfield and I are both wrong, and the Series does go the distance, the advantage swings to the Angels, who will be playing at home and facing Livan Hernandez with a real DH in their lineup.

Are the Giants really going to win in six? You got me. All I know is that the Angels won't.

Rob Neyer is a senior writer at ESPN.com.