MLB Playoff Predictions: feel free to add your own!

In My Humble Opinion
1

Sorry, couldn’t think of a catchier title at 3:40 AM.

ALDS:

Yankees-Twins
Red Sox-Athletics

NLDS:

Braves-Cubs
Giants-Marlins

  1. I don’t expect the Twins to win the DS, but I think they can win a game, maybe two. The Yankees just have too much going for them, though I’ll certainly be rooting for the Twins. Yanks 3-1.

  2. I think this one goes 4, maybe 5. The Sox have a good starting rotation and an okay pen, but they scored more runs than anyone else in MLB. I don’t think that was a fluke. Oakland counters with a very good starting rotation … their bullpen I don’t know a lot about because I don’t follow them, but I haven’t heard many complaints so I guess they’re solid. Neither team is looking really tired or really rested right now, and it’s hard to get a beat on if either team has a decided advantage. I’ll go Red Sox in 5 because I think in the end good hitting beats good pitching.

  3. No disrespect meant to Cubs fans, but I really do not see this one going more than 4, if that (Maddux has a tendency to choke in the postseason). The Cubs have a rather young, somewhat-overworked starting rotation that relies on power pitching and (to an extent) location. When your arm is tired after a full year of pitching, those two things (along with breaking pitches staying up and getting shellacked) start to go. The Cubs offense, while not exactly LA Dodger-quality, scored only 725 runs, close to the bottom of the NL. The Braves scored more than anyone else in the NL but didn’t pitch as well as in previous years. I’m going to fo with the Braves winning this one in 4 for the same reason I think the Sox will beat the Athletics.

  4. Florida’s pitching got them the wild card. They also scored 40 runs fewer than the Phillies, yet won 5 more games. To some that means “they know how to win”, and others attribute the difference to Jack McKeon. I wish I knew how they did it. The Giants, meanwhile, were second in the NL in runs allowed (behind the Dodgers) and third overall (the Mariners allowed one run fewer than the Giants). Both clubs are good at shutting down opposing bats and decent at scoring (Florida scored 4 fewer than SF). I have even less confidence about this one than the Sox/As battle, but I’m going to give it to the Giants because the Marlins won the WC as much because they played well as because Philly finished the season 3-7.

Therefore:

ALCS:

Red Sox-Yankees

NLCS:

Braves-Giants

  1. This is another damn tough one. On the one hand I wish I could give it to the Red Sox in 4, but better judgment prevails. Both clubs have solid starting pitching, but I give the edge to the Yankees because their starting set is just a bit better. The Yanks’ pen is also superior (really, any pen that includes BH Kim is suspect). But Boston scored 90 runs more than the Yankees, which works itself out to about half a run per game more (which difference is effectively negated with the 93 more runs Boston gave up than NY). I see this one going at least 6 and possibly 7 depending on how tiring the ALDS is for each team. I’m giving it to the Red Sox, though, because I really think the past few years have been a harbinger of things to come for the Yanks.

  2. Braves-Giants. A rematch of last year’s NLDS which the Giants took in 5. Atlanta scored 150 more runs but allowed 100 more as well. I give Atlanta the edge in starting pitching (in no small part due to ex-Giant Russ Ortiz). SF seems to me to be an older team than the Braves, which might come into play with fatigue after a 162-game season and cross-country playoff travel (the Braves will have a shorter trip to Chicago). I see each team stealing at least one game from the snatches of defeat. I’m going to give it to the Braves in 7 (hard for me to be objective about my team;)).

Therefore:

WS:

Braves-Red Sox

These teams are really rather similar. Both have competent aces, both have boppers, good contact hitters, speed and an overall ability to score runs (these two teams are 1-2 in runs scored this past season). Both play solid defense (though with Andruw Jones in CF I have to give the outfield edge to the Braves).

The Curse may well be lifted here. I don’t have a strong feeling either way … I’d love to see the Sox win, but I’s also love to see the Braves win. This will probably come down to a game 7, and who Cox and Williams start will probably go down to who’s been producing in the postseason.

One thing most of y’all who don’t watch the Braves might not know is that most of Gary Sheffield’s homers are really just well-hit line drives. In the confines of Fenway park, those will be doubles, maybe singles (doubtful triples), because they’ll be bouncing off the Green Monster. That may well make the difference. But then he may end up having a week where instead of hitting line drives he hits high fly balls that, in many other stadiums, would be caught on the fly at the warning track, but because of the short porch will end up in the seats atop the Green Monster.

For no particular reason, I give this one to the Braves in 7, with Javy Lopez the WS MVP.

2

I predict the Giants will be beaten like the evil dogs that they are.

At least, I hope so.
Go SOX!!!

3

Yankees in 3, Red Sox in 4
Cubs in 5, Giants in 4

Yankees in 5
Cubs in 4

Cubs in 7.

I’m not a Cubs fan, but if they’re going to do it at all, it’s going to be this year.

4

Yanks over Twins in 3 games. I don’t see the Yankees breaking a sweat in this one, though I thought the same about Yankees-Angels last year.

Red Sox over A’s in 4. This one could go either way, but I think Boston’s offense is too much even for Oakland’s fine pitching staff.

Cubs over Braves in 4. Momentum is with the Cubs, and they can use their 1-2 starting punch 3 times in this short series.

Giants over Marlins in 4. Usually there’s one team in the postseason that Fox prays goes down quickly, Florida is that team this year. Luckily, the Giants will oblige.

Yankees over Red Sox in 6 games. Simple destiny, the curse of the Bambino will not be denied. The Red Sox will load the bases with nobody out in the ninth inning of game 6 down by one run, but will hit into a triple play.

Cubs over Giants in 7. This will be the best of the postseason. Picking the Cubs cause I like them better.

Yankees over Cubs in 5 games. Just making it to the World Series will make the Cubs’ season, they’ll be overwhelmed by playing in the Bronx.

I’d almost like to see Red Sox - Cubs just to see the two longest droughts come head to head. On the other hand, if it’s Marlins - Twins, it will be time to buy some No-Doz and sell your stock in Fox.

5

Oops. I forgot the League Championships were best of 7. Better make that “Cubs in 5, Yankees in 6.” That is all.

6

If the Cubs do indeed win it all this year, I can name about 30 guys that will never have to pay for a meal in the city of Chicago again.

7

Division Series:

Florida (91-71) vs San Francisco (100-61)

The Giants aren’t as good a team as the record suggests: they were lucky by at least 5-6 games. The Marlins are hot, and have a strong rotation; look for an upset here. Marlins in five.

Cubs (88-74) vs Atlanta (101-61)

The Cubs can’t hit worth a damn, so they’re relying on the young arms to win, and they definitely have better pitching than Atlanta. Mark Prior might be the best pitcher in baseball. But Atlanta has the major leagues’ best offense, and the Cubs’ phenom arms got beaten like redheaded stepchildren when they faced the Braves. Cubs lose! Cubs lose! Braves in three.

Boston (95-67) vs Oakland (96-66)

A similar matchup, featuring a pitching team (A’s) versus an awesome hitting team (Bosox.) Now, we know the Red Sox will lose, sooner or later; the only question is what round of playoffs they will choke in. It’ll be this round. Boston just isn’t quite as good a team; the W-L record flatters them, as their interdivisional opponents are easier than Oakland’s. Pedro can’t start every game. Athletics in four.

Minnesota (90-72) vs Yankees (101-61)

If they played in the East, Minnesota would have finished behind Toronto. By five games. They aren’t a bad team, but they’re badly overmatched here. I hope they win, but I call 'em as I see 'em: Yankees in four.

NLCS: Braves vs. Marlins

It’s been fun, but the Braves are the class of the National League. I know, I’m sick of them, too. Braves in six.

ALCS: Yankees vs. Athletics

I really, really want the A’s to win, and they are, again, a better team than the W-L record suggests. So, what the hell. Athletics in seven.

World Series: Braves and A’s

The Braves overmatch Oakland with the bats more than Oakland beats them with the arms, and you may recall the Braves do have a few guys who know how to throw the ball. The Braves are from a tough division, too. I have to go with Atlanta to win all the marbles. Atlanta in six.

As an aside, does anyone remember how people in April qere bitching that “two thirds of the teams are small market and have no hope” and stuff like that? Boy, that sure looks dumb now, don’t it? We had some great, close races, and some unexpected entries. A few other teams that didn’t make it to the last few weeks were really improved, like the Royals and Blue Jays. The Expos played well despite everything arrayed against them; if they had a real owner they may well have beaten Florida. Except for the Tigers it was a really competitive year.

8

I’m not enough of a baseball fan these days to handicap the playoffs, and besides, they’re basically a crapshoot anyway. But I’ll tell you who I’m rooting for.

First round: it’s too bad the pairings aren’t different. I’d root for the Cubs and A’s if they weren’t playing the Braves and Red Sox, and I’m not rooting for anyone in the other two Division Series, although I’m rooting against the Yankees. (Always.) So I’m rooting for the Braves, Marlins (coin toss), Sox, and Twins.

LCS: I’m rooting for the winners of the Braves-Cubs and Sox-A’s series.

WS: Order of priority: Braves, Sox, A’s, Cubs, Marlins, Giants, Twins, Yankees. I’ll root for the team earlier in that list against a team later in the list. Although if it’s the Twins against either the Marlins or the Giants, it’ll be hard to care.