MLB Playoffs - Who ya got?

Cafe Society
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OK kids, time to talk MLB playoffs. The matchups are set and we can all start the heckling and trash talk.

National League Divisional Series

San Diego Padres @ St. Louis Cardinals
There just doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of reasons to pick the Pads here these days. A funny stat though, the Cards are 15-13 since the start of Sept, and the Padres are 16-14. Granted, the Cards were without Walker and Sanders for a part of that and are mostly healthy now. Still, it might not be quite as lopsided as it looks. Peavy and Carpenter are a wash statistically, and I don’t think anyone would be surprised to see Peavy win on Tuesday. The Padres bullpen out matches the Cardinals, but in the end the Pads don’t have an answer for Pujols. Pujols is hitting .385/.500/.808/1.308 against the Padres, that’s not too shabby. Just for fun, check out the ESPN Player Page for Pujols, look at the pronunciation. Heh, kinda funny to see in type. Yeah, I’m juvenile, big shock.

The guess: Cards take the series 3-1.

Houston Astros @ Atlanta Braves
This is the traditional argument. Will pitching beat hitting in the postseason? Conventional wisdom says it will. The Braves have Andrew Jones, Jeff Francoeur, Marcus Giles and Larry Jones who have to try and overcome the late season pitching surge made by the big arms in Houston. They traditionally don’t have much in the way of a homefield advantage. Clemens will undoubtedly play well, as will Pettitte based on experience. They have Lidge closing where the Braves have Kyle Farnsworth. Heh, the Farns’ under postseason pressure. Berkman will turn some of those BBs around in the Juice.

The guess: Astros win it 3-2

**American League Divisional Series **

**Boston Red Sox @ Chicago White Sox **
The Red Sox can hit and they handled the Yankees at home this weekend, but in the end I think people are overrating the talent on those to teams. More sizzle than steak. The ChiSox apparently got it together against Cleveland, though you’re left wondering if the Indians were paper tigers or not. They certainly looked like a dangerous team, and the Sox handled them. The BoSox pitching is frightening…if you’re a Boston fan anyways. If I were Ozzie I’d be getting excited about the prospect of facing that depleted lineup. Still, the White sox have had stretches where the offense has totally deserted them. Both teams have trouble in the bullpen, but one factor I think will be huge is El Duque. Not needing a 5th starter and having him fill the gap from the pen could be decisive. The guy has good stuff and will bolster the ChiSox pitching and be enough to offset Papi and Manny. Plus, Varitek has only thrown out 24% of runners this season, a big advantage for Chicago.

The guess: Chicago takes it 3-2, ending a playoff series victory drought since 1917.

New York Yankees @ LA Angels of A
The Angels have a big advantage going in here. They are at home and they have the rotation set allowing Colon to get 2 starts. The Yankees’s bats are very scary and certainly could out slug the Angels regardless of who’s on the mound, but do you expect La to get bent out of shape facing Mussina in game one? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Both teams have very strong setup/closer combinations, but besides that the Angels bellpen is better. It’s really difficult to bet against Jeter, A-Rod and big Mo, but damn that starting pitching is shit. I think this is the toughest series to call.

The guess: Angels get it done 3-2, and the media weeps.

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First round: Angels, Padres, Red Sox and Astros

Second round: Red Sox and Astros

Series: Red Sox in 6

You heard it here first! :smiley:

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Astros vs. Braves

As bored as I am of seeing the Braves in the playoffs, I’d almost like to see them win the World Series again just so the doubters will shut up and believe in the greatness of Bobby Cox.

Regrettably, this isn’t the year. The Astros are probably the best team in baseball.

Houston over Atlanta, probably 3-1.

Cardinals vs. Padres

The Padres could win the World Series. Yeah, I know, they were 82-80, but they have solid starters and if a couple of guys get hot… still, the Cardinals had the best record in baseball for a reason.

St. Louis over San Diego, probably 3-1.

Red Sox vs. White Sox

Pitching vs. hitting; the AL’s best, or at worst second-best, offense against its best staff. I don’t think the Red Sox have the pitching to win eleven postseason games.

White Sox over Red Sox, probably 3-0.

Angels vs. Yankees

Nobody notices this, but the Yankees are the Astros of the AL; they started the year 11-19 and have absolutely torn it up the last half of the season. Possibly the hottest team in baseball.

New York over Anaheim/Los Angeles/California/Whatever, probably 3-2.

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I’ve spent more time following baseball this year than in a very long time. Thank you XM!

I can actually make good guesses on this year’s playoffs.

Cards over Padres

Braves over Astros

NL Champ: Cards

Red Sox over White Sox. Chicago peeked too soon. I’m looking forward to this one

Yankees over Angels. I’d like to see the Angels win. The Yanks got hot at the right time, however.

AL Champs: Yankees defeat Red Sox. This last series proved it.

World Series. Yankees just have too much talent. I wish it wasn’t so. They got hot at the right time.

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I’m cautiously optimistic about the Braves’ chances vs. the Astros. Everyone focuses on Pettite, Clemens and Oswalt, but Smoltz and Hudson aren’t exactly chopped liver. Basically, I think that the Braves’ large advantage in offense and decent advantage in defense (when Ryan Langerhans is in left, they have one of the best defensive outfields in baseball. Catcher and 3rd base are, IMO, the only places where they don’t have plus defenders) makes up for their smaller-than-most-think disadvantage on the defensive end. Braves in 5.

The Cards will more or less steamroll the Padres. I can see Peavy getting them one game. Cards in 4.

I hope beyond all hope that the Angels beat the Yankees. And I think it’s very possible. Unless Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon can extend their deals with the devil into the postseason, I think the Yankees maybe get one win out of the Unit, and maybe (maybe) one out of Moose. Angels in 4 or 5.

The Sox-Sox matchup should be fairly interesting. I suspect that in the end the Red Sox’ lack of pitching is going to be their downfall, and the White Sox will get just enough out of their starters to win 3 games. White Sox in 5.

After that, I’m (unfortunately) gonna say Cards over Braves, and Angels over White Sox.

Cards win the Series.

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Um, you realize that the Red Sox took two out of three this past weekend, right? Not that I don’t think the Yankees could win that matchup, I just don’t think this last series really has too terribly much to do with it.

I’ve got:
Astros over Braves in 4 (possibly a sweep, but I think Smoltz wins his game)
Cards over Padres in 4 (Cards have looked very beatable the last month or so, but their pitching was very beatable in the playoffs last year and they still made the WS)
Red Sox over White Sox in 4 (STILL don’t think the White Sox are all that good - I think the Red Sox lose game 1 and then take the next three, Clement scares the hell out of me but the other three starters will be fine, esp. against that lineup)
Angels over Yankees in 5 (I think Torre is screwing up his pitching out of loyalty - I love Mussina but using him in game 1 will prove to be a mistake).

Astros over Cards in 7 (reversal of last year’s fortunes)
Red Sox over Angels in 6 (the Sox pitching would be more of a weakness if I thought there was a single starter in the AL playoffs they couldn’t bash around - everywhere, there are “quality starters” that don’t scare me as “aces”)

Astros over Red Sox in… probably not that many. 5 or 6. I DO think that the Houston starters can shut down the Sox offense enough to get the B’s some long-deserved world championship lovin’.

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First of all, it’s not “Andrew” but “Andruw” and it’s not “Larry” but “Chipper.”

Secondly, the real weak spot in ATL’s defense is first base. Adam Laroche is unbelievably bad. Rookie league in May bad. He also can’t run at all and is “Mr. Double Play” for the Braves. He’s so lazy on the field you’d think he already signed with the Mets. Julio Franco is pretty good but he is a little past 30 now.

Let’s see, the Wild Cards are Astros and Red Sox. So I go with Astros. Work backwards from that.

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I think the Red Sox’s lack of pitching depth showed in Saturday’s game. I should have been a bit more specific. The Yanks didn’t care too much during Sunday’s game. They simply wanted to escape unscathed.

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White Sox all the way, baby!!! (They tend to win the Series every 88 years or so.)

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Cards over Padres.
Astros over Braves.

Red Sox over White Sox. I hope I’m wrong.
Yankees over Angels.

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Angels have been 21-9 since September 1 and have lost only 3 times since September 15.

Yankees have been 20-10 since September 1 and have lost 5 times since September 15.

Only Chicago has a better pitching staff than the Angels. No AL team has more strikeouts. Angels also have a deeper bench and better defense than the Yankees. The Angels’ weakness is a mediocre offense, but the Yankees have the type of defense that the Angels will run rampant on if they get on base.

Angels in 4.

Chicago vs Boston - Boston’s got the type of offense that can do well against Chicago’s pitching. Everyone’s got the type of offense that can do well versus Boston’s “pitching.” This is gonna be a slugfest, too bad Thomas isn’t able to play. The bullpens are going to be the difference makers.

Sawx in 5.

St. Louis vs. San Diego - St. Louis seems to be weakening down the stretch. Still, they have the best record in baseball for a reason and San Diego, um, doesn’t. To be charitable. St. Louis has a better offense, a better bullpen and a deeper rotation.

Cards in 4.

Houston vs. Atlanta - never thought I’d see the day, but I’m rooting for Atlanta in this one. Houston has a beast of a pitching staff, though. Regardless of what he did against a joke of a Cubs team, Clemens seems to be slowing down a bit lately. I think it’s wishful thinking, but…

Braves in 5.

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Houston and Atlanta will be one of the better series, although eclipsed in interest by the AL games.
Houston 3, Atlanta 2

St Louis and San Diego will be the blowout we all expect.
St Louis 3, San Diego 0

Chicago and Boston will be a very entertaining roller coaster series. Picking with my heart, I have Chicago 3, Boston 2

New York and LA is another interesting matchup. The Yanks may be in for a bit of a letdown after working so hard to catch Boston.
New York Yankees of the Bronx 3, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2

Except for the Cards, the winners of these series will have fought tough battles to move to the LCS.

LCS:
New York 4, Chicago 2
Rivera makes the difference

St Louis 4, Houston 1
WS:
New York 4, St. Louis 3 in a Series for the ages.

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Whoah whoah whoah, what’re you talking about? Adam Laroche is actually quite good on defense. Yes, he’s slow, but that only really manifests itself while running the bases. The rest of the infield looks a lot better for the throws that Laroche is able to dig out.

And on offense, yes he was Mr. Double Play for most of the season, but I think you’re mainly remembering his horrendous slump in August. He had an OPS of .959 in September, and 1.178 in the last week. He’s on quite a hot streak.

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I think you might be under estimating the quality of the Yankee defense. Posada isn’t the greatest catcher in the league when it comes to stopping runners, but throwing out 30% of the guys isn’t embarassing. The rest of the infield is actually superb. I find it hard to find fault in the skills of A-Rod and Jeter, and Sheffield still has a pretty good arm. I agree with the final assessment, but I’m not sure that it’s bad Yankee D that’ll be the difference.

I’m confused here. You say that the Bullpens are going to be the difference; The White Sox are 4th best in all of Baseball and the the Red Sox are 2nd to last. Yet you then pick the Red Sox to win it all. :dubious:

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I’m still adjusting to the fact that the Indians aren’t playing any more. :frowning:

I’m rooting for a ChiSox v. Cardinals World Series just because no matter who wins it would tick off those annoying Cub fans.

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The White Sox definitely have the advantage in terms of depth of the bullpen, but in my opinion Papelbon and Timlin will have the advantage in holding late leads. I think that Jenks and Cotts are vulnerable to a team like the Red Sox that can crush fastballs for strikes and won’t swing at their breaking stuff if it’s outside the zone. In a short series, with this particular matchup, I think Boston’s bullpen will hold up better.

If it was a seven game series, then I’d probably swing the other way because of Chicago’s better depth.

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I am a completely irrational sports fan, like my father, and I tend to make my arguments based on nothing, but here goes:

NL - The Padres. I hate everybody else, especially the farkin’ Braves, and that traitor Rawjah Clemens (yes, I am a Phillies fan - shut up!), and the Padres have done nothing to annoy me, so I’m cheering for them. They’re going to lose, though, and then I will switch over to cheering for my AL team, which will be …

AL - Anybody but the goddamn Yankees. I hate the Yankees more than I hate the Braves and Rawjah combined, so I don’t really care who wins the AL, as long as it isn’t them. I’m a Red Sox fan, so obviously I’d like them to repeat, but I wouldn’t mind the White Sox winning either, so my brother-in-law can stop whining.

See? Irrational and based on nothing. But still. I’ll watching every stinkin’ game anyway, as long as I at least have somebody to cheer against.

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Posada also had everyone and his mother running on him. I think only Kendall had more people try to steal on him. In 10 games against the Yankees, the Angels stole 21 bags in 27 attempts. And the Angels will take the extra base on any balls hit to center if Bernie is out there (although, I think they are starting him at DH). Matsui’s arm isn’t great, either, and I think the Angels will test it. Not sure about Sheffield’s shoulder though. If it’s still weak, then the Angels will run on him, if it’s back to normal, I don’t think they’ll risk it too much.

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Cards over Padres. 3-0
Astros over Braves. 3-1

Red Sox over White Sox. 3-0
Angels over Yankees. 3-1

Cards over My Beloved Astros 4-3
Red Sox over Angels 4-2

Cards over Red Sox 4-0 (revenge sweeping makes for an interesting predicition!)

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Well, one game down and it was ugly. Sure, it’s not technically over but it’s 8-0 Cards in the seventh. Quite the rout with San Diego’s best chance on the mound. Too early to call this series over? Probably, but I’ll do it anyway. It’s ovah! :slight_smile: