There is only one game left and it is a one game playoff in Chicago for White Sox and Twins to go play Tampa. I think this is the time to make our predictions. Go into as much or as little detail as you like. Feel free to list both the team you are rooting for and who you think will win.
I’ll start: **The one game playoff and Divisional round: **
It think the White Sox will beat the Twins and then lose to Tampa.
Both teams are great home teams and the Twins pitching is not great. So advantage White Sox. I think Tampa is much better than either team and will beat the White Sox in 3 or the Twins in 4.
Angels over Red Sox in 5 games. I think the Red Sox have enough injuries to let the Angels do it this year.
Cubs over the Dodgers and I think it won’t go more than 4. The Cubs have a better staff and bullpen and a solid offense. Both managers are good and experienced. The Cubs will pitch around Manny and win. I am rooting for the Cubs to go all the way and I think they have a good chance.
Phillies over Brewers, but this is the closest one to me. If the Brewers pitch CC twice, I feel like they only need to steal one. I think overall the Phillies have the better team and much better offense and bullpen.
**Championship Round: **
I think the ** Angels** will beat Tampa. The Angels play small ball very well, they have experience and a top notch proven manager. I will be rooting for Tampa however. It should be a close, low scoring and exciting series.
Cubs will easily defeat Phillies, possibly a sweep.
**World Series: **
**Cubs **will beat the Angels to finally break the curse. It will be a long grueling series that goes at least 6 and the Cubs will flirt with disaster but come back from the brink and finally win one.
Jim (BTW: I chose to do this cold without looking up anything, hopefully I did not make any glaring mistakes)
I too think the White Sox will beat the Twinkies and then promptly lose to the Tampa Bay Rays (… why did they take the “Devil” out? Everytime I read it I think of the Dead Kennedies.)
California Angels should kick the snot out of the Red Sox. But they won’t. They never do. Boston in 4.
Phillies v Brewers. Who cares?
Dodger’s v Cubs – i’m torn. I’d like to see the Dodgers in the series. For one reason, I’d love to see Manny back in Fenway if it could possibly come down to that. And I’ve alway sort of had a soft spot in my heart for Dodger Blue. But I think the Cubbies will eke it out in 5 games.
ALCS - Boston over Tampa in 6. Tampa has looked really good, and Boston has looked good, but not spectacular, and they have their share of injuries. But I think Tampa will pull a Peter Principle and choke out in the ALCS.
NLCS - Cubbies v who cares. Cubbies in 6.
World Series - Red Sox v Cubs. A classic. The match up I was hoping for in 2004 so the whole thing could go 7 games, to the 9th inning, tied up, at which time the earth would have spun off its access and the universe would have ceased to be.
But this time around there’s only one jinx to worry about. And, hey, why not keep the Goat thing going a few more decades, huh? Sox in 4 (they can’t win a series in this century unless they sweep).
Or Brewers over the Twins in a series beaten in the ratings by America’s Best Fry Cook.
Jim, serious question: do the Cubs actually have a better bullpen than the Dodgers? Does anyone, for that matter?
And does having Maddux in the bullpen instead of the starting rotation help or hinder the Dodgers?
In my ideal world, each of the Dodgers’ starters goes at least six strong, with Maddux/Kershaw in the 7th, if necessary, then Broxton in the 8th, and Saito closing.
The one prediction that is 100% guaranteed to come true is that TV coverage of the playoffs and Series will features 5,798 closeups of women fans in attitudes of anxious prayer during tense moments.
Assuming he’s in line to do “color” on said broadcasts, I’m rooting for Tim McCarver to get a horrific case of laryngitis.
Strictly opinion: I think Maddux does not help the Dodgers in the Bullpen. I have never been impressed with Maddux as a post-season pitcher or when he needs to work out of the bullpen. “Creature of Habit” seems to really describe this guy that asked out of post-season starts for such things as a sore butt.
I think Wood is better than Saito. I am not impressed with Broxton. Overall the setup men seem fairly close to me. Neither manager has made their names in handling bullpen personnel, so that should be interesting.
Now on the other hand, I am an AL fan and I don’t know the two teams in question all that well, so I could be wrong. But I think Wood gives the Cubs an edge. I have also heard to many “experts” pick the Cubs as the better NL bullpen.
I made almost the same prediction in the September thread where I mentioned it would be the first World Series to do worst than Hockey.
I like the White Sox, but something tells me that they just ran out of gas. With so many key injuries (Quentin, Contreras, and Crede), they’re very lucky to be where they are now. Then again, they’re at home today, so here’s hoping for hope. But, the realist in me tells me that the Twins will win today.
Red Sox over Angels.
Rays beat the Twins.
Rays beat the Red Sox.
Through some miracle (almost goat-curse reversing), Cubs beat Dodgers.
Brewers beat the Phils.
Cubs beat the Brew Crew.
Goat Curse comes back and Dodgers beat the Cubs. Dodgers after all have the ex-Cub factor working (I think…) Besides, the Cubs have too many new people on that roster. They need to know what disappointment really is.
AL:
Red Sox over Angels (in 4)
Rays over Twins (in 3)
Red Sox over Rays (in 6)
NL:
Cubs over Dodgers (in 4)
Phillies over Brewers (in 5)
Cubs over Phillies (in 5)
World Series:
Cubs over Red Sox in 6
And, I will be pretty much unable to sleep through October and unable to eat in November since all of my money will go to World Series victory merchandise.
AL:
Red Sox over Angels (in 3; felt a lot better about this before they pushed Beckett back though)
Rays over AL Central Winner (in 4)
Red Sox over Rays (in 6; this is really up in the air though, the Rays really ARE this good)
NL:
Cubs over Dodgers (in 4; I’d call it a sweep but I think Manny steals one)
Brewers over Phillies (in 5; gut feeling here really, Brewers SHOULD NOT win this series)
Brewers over Cubs (in 7; heartbreak city again)
Red Sox over Brewers (in 4, as C.C. hits the 300 IP mark for the season and what’s left of that rotation falls apart)
Angels over Red Sox (my head, not my heart) - too much talent difference on the field, with Boston’s injury bug.
White Sox over Rays - don’t discount the value of momentum and experience
Cubs over Dodgers - they’ve been through it before, This is Chi’s first time in consecutive postseasons in a century, so the novelty is gone. Plus, Manny will be Manny.
Phils over Brewers - can’t pitch Sabathia every game, and those are some damned big bats in that lineup.
Angels win AL pennant - too much talent there.
Cubs get hot and win NL pennant, amid an intolerable amount of curse talk.
The Series: Every 100 years, just like clockwork. And they and their fans deserve it, too. We Boston types can afford to be magnanimous about it now.
Well I picked the White Sox to lose to Tampa, I hope you don’t mind too much, I am just trying to be realistic. Of course you must hate my Cubs pick to win it all.
I made almost the same prediction in the September thread where I mentioned it would be the first World Series to do worst than Hockey.
