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Oh bittersweet October, you have almost no redeeming qualities. Nature is dying right in front of us, and for delicious candy and scantily clad co-eds, we must wait all the way until the end. Your only saving grace is playoff baseball. Finally, after the marathon season has come to an end, baseball matters more than ever.
Eight teams, none of them really shocking, have locked in their first round matchups. Let’s have a look, shall we?
ALDS
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins
The Twins went to extras to get past Detroit, and their first stop is the well-rested Yankees, who have owned the Twins this season (7-0). Alex Rodriguez served notice to the rest of the teams in the playoff field with seven RBIs in one inning earlier this week. This is the year he breaks free of the post-season shackles that have held him down for his entire career, starting with the shoddy Twins pitching staff, which has the highest ERA of any team in the playoffs. Compare that to the Yankee rotation of C.C. Sabathia (who will finally have post-season success as well), A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte, the bullpen of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera to close and the Yankees are lights out.
Prediction – Yanks in three.
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
As with any playoff series, starting pitching is probably going to win the game. Both teams are wildly successful at scoring runs, so both teams’ starters are going to need to eat up innings. The Halos have struggled mightily against the Sox for the last couple of years. Both teams made excellent mid-season acquisitions that are going to help them, but the biggest game changer has to be Victor Martinez, who has filled so many weak spots for the Sox since they picked him up.
Prediction – Sox in four.
NLCS
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Albert Pujols is always a game changer, but other than his unmatched offensive firepower, the Cards have really struggled to score runs. They are the lowest scoring offense in the playoffs this year by a long shot. That said, their pitching is top shelf with guys like Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, although closer Ryan Franklin is iffy, blowing three saves in his last eight appearances. The Cards should benefit from a veteran like John Smoltz in the bullpen. The Dodgers’ have two big guns in Randy Wolf and Clayton Kershaw, but they won’t be able to hang with Wainwright and Carpenter, especially since their offense is hard pressed to score runs and the back end of their rotation is suspect following the loss of Hiroki Kuroda. Their only hope is to hold onto a lead into the ninth and let Broxton bring it home.
Prediction – Cards in four.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies
I have concerns about the Phillies bullpen since Brad Lidge looks like he could blow a Little League World Series game at this point. The Phillies are the defending champions, and they’re playing a relatively ho-hum Rockies team. Their pitching staff can match up with pretty much anybody, and even though the Rockies seem to get hot at just the right time — a la the 2007 post-season where they rocketed all the way to the World Series — their rotation, minus Jorge de la Rosa who is out for the first round, will get eaten alive by the Phillies’ superior offense.
Prediction – Phillies in four.
ALCS
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
It was bound to happen. It’s been back and forth all season with the teams splitting the season series, but the rivalry will ratchet itself up about 10 notches with this one. The last time these teams faced off in the ALCS it didn’t end well for the Bombers. Ancient history, I say. After biting the dust early in the season against the Sox, the Yankees reeled off nine wins and a loss to tie the season series, crushing Boston’s spirit as they took a huge division lead that they never gave back. They are not scared of Boston at all. They are hungrier than ever this year, and though I think it’s going to get tense for a while, the Yanks will end up pulling this one out and Mark Teixeira will prove he was worth every penny the Yankees gave him that the Sox wouldn’t.
Prediction – Yanks in six.
NLCS
Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Big time offense meets big time pitching. Both teams have solid lineups and great rotations. It’s going to be a rocket buster. The Phillies have the edge, I think, because they do not make mistakes; they have the second-fewest errors in the majors this year. The Cardinals will not get cheap runs. The Phillies, despite having the worst team average in the playoffs, know how to hit when it counts, and they can produce big time. They’ll struggle a little with Carpenter and Wainwright, but they won’t be denied another shot at the World Series.
Prediction – Phils in seven.
World Series
Yankees vs. Phillies
Well, here we have it. The world champion Phillies defending against what is probably the best Yankee team in the last ten years. Both teams are going to be worn out in their respective championship series, but it’s still going to be a slugfest. The Yankees are an offensive juggernaut, leading every offensive category this year (except for average, where they were second). The Phillies may have a slight edge in terms of their pitching, but their bullpen is going to come back to haunt them. They’ve got nothing, and every team in the playoffs knows it. I have them going based mostly on their outstanding offense and excellent fielding. Closing out games is not their strong suit. Meanwhile, a quiet Hall of Famer from Panama will rock the Phillies world when the ninth inning rolls around. Both teams are going to hit bomb after bomb, but when the chips are down and the title is on the line. No one does it better than the New York Yankees.
Prediction – Yankees take their 27th ring in six games.
Bangor Daily News