Ah, October, where with the changing of the leaves also comes a changing of the guard in Major League Baseball (at least there will be in the National League, and hopefully in the form of a new World Series champ as well). Oh yeah, October is also a great time for an amateur’s division series preview (you’re welcome). I’ll start with the Senior Circuit before moving on to the American League.
New York Mets Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers
First things first; big ups to the entire Milwaukee Brewers organization for fighting back through some late-season adversity, albeit with a huge assist from yet another enormous choke job from the Mets, to win the wild card on the last day of the regular season. Yankees fans everywhere have surely been averting their eyes as their future ace, CC Sabathia, continues push or pass triple digits seemingly every time he takes the bump, but you have to admire the effort that he’s been giving – possibly jeopardizing tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars this offseason by pitching on short rest for a team that he’ll most likely never suit up again for in just a few short weeks just to earn them their first playoff berth since before I was born. But before you go overboard with the, “Milwaukee has the Colorado/Florida type momentum on their side and will roll over an overconfident opponent” angle, consider the following:
- After CC, who in Milwaukee’s rotation OR bullpen do you have any confidence in whatsoever going into the playoffs? Yovani *freaking* Gallardo is starting for them in the opening game of this series tomorrow – a guy who’s thrown exactly four more M.L. innings than I have since May 1st. You can’t count on much of anything from Ben Sheets these days (questionable for the NLDS, at best), not to mention Gagne and Torres, always the other team’s MVPs. Unless he’s facing Pujols, I’ll take Brad Lidge in a pressure situation over that mess any day.
- After Ryan Braun, who can you consistently count on to come up with a big hit in the clutch for the Brew Crew? Today’s news that Pat Burrell hurt his back in B.P. is a bit concerning, but even if he is hindered in this series, make mine Howard/Utley/Rollins, not Braun/Prince/Hart, thank you very much.
- The Brewers were 1-5 against Philly in the regular season, including a four game sweep in The City of Brotherly Love a couple of weeks ago. Good luck playing that one down in the media (and the clubhouse for that matter), Dale Sveum.
So once again let me congratulate the Brewers on a tremendous effort down the stretch, they earned this playoff spot – just don’t expect it to be a long stay. The Phillies had better finish this off quickly too, lest they see Sabathia twice in the same series. Luckily for them, I’m confident that they will.
Prediction: Phillies in Phour Four
Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
“It’s gonna happen!” “This is the Cubs’ year!” “1908 to 2008, it’s perfect symmetry!”
To borrow a phrase from another great Lee, “not so fast, my friend”. You want to talk about a National League team who has gained momentum seemingly on a daily basis since making a blockbuster July trade? How about the Dodgers, who have simply taken off (by N.L. West standards, anyway) since bringing in Manny Ramirez into the fold. The difference between those two deals? CC doesn’t play every day (although sometimes it seems like he does, doesn’t it?), while Manny does. Manny has changed the culture of an entire clubhouse, and has had an enormous positive influence on young sluggers like Matt Kemp and Andre Either both directly as a de facto hitting instructor, and indirectly by simply inserting himself into the heart of that batting order.
As far as starting pitching goes, I like their mix of playoff veterans (see: Lowe, Derek) and young power arms (see: Billingsley, Chad) to go along with a solid bullpen. Furthermore, I agree with a point that Colin Cowherd made on his ESPN Radio show this morning: the Cubs have too much working against them to make this happen. Too many hexes, too many combustible personalities (Piniella and Zambrano, to name two), and I might add, this team is not nearly as talented from top to bottom as the ’03 squad was before they were blitzed by Bartman. Oh, and Joe Torre knows a thing or two about managing in the playoffs, don’t you think? They probably won’t win the whole thing, but watch out for the boys in blue to pull an upset in the first round over what is, on paper at least, a superior Cubs team.
Prediction: Dodgers in Five
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim along the Pacific Coast
These teams played each other nine times (insert “Ferris Bueller” quote here) this season, with the Halos winning eight of those contests, including five of six at Fenway “Pahk”. I realize that Boston swept Los Angeles in last year’s ALDS, but the Angels were beat up physically, and didn’t have a whole lot of offensive firepower to make up for it. This year the tables have turned, with Boston being the team spending more time in the trainer’s room than the batting cage. Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew are both huge question marks in the field and at the plate for this series, and their best playoff pitcher by far, Josh Beckett, has been pushed back until Game Three, and who knows how he’ll be holding up even with the extra rest against an Angels team with a lot of added offensive weaponry since their last postseason meeting, with Teixiera and Torii Hunter now in the middle of the everyday lineup. Add all that to a formidable starting staff and a nearly unparalleled bullpen, and you’ve got the makings of a series World Series contender.
Winner: Angels in Three
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox
How ‘bout them Rays?
So much has been said about the St. Pete Nine over the past few months, but in my opinion, it hasn’t been enough. If Andrew Friedman, Joe Maddon and Evan Longoria don’t win the Executive of the Year, A.L. Manager of the Year and A.L. Rookie of the Year awards respectively, there really ought to be some sort of an investigation (especially so for Maddon). Sure there were whispers of respectability surrounding this team in the spring – 70 wins? Actually not finishing in dead last for once? – but no one saw this coming, and most Rays players, coaches and management types have admitted as much. To go from worst (for about nine whole seasons) to first, seemingly overnight, is not an accomplishment to take lightly. If this team played in something even close to a major market, you can bet they’d be getting even more recognition than they already have. Veterans like Eric Hinske, Cliff Floyd, and Troy Percival have worked tremendously alongside a solid core of young talent since day one, and it’s resulted in a stunning, yet well deserved, division title.
Now, Chicago has come much too far to simply roll over and play dead, even if the schedule has less than favorable to them lately. As I’ve said in this space before, I love what the White Sox bring to the table. Managing, hitting, pitching, intangibles – you name it, and Chicago does it very well, so well in fact that they’re once again division champs.
I really think that the Rays were watching tonight’s game and pulling for the White Sox to beat the Twins, and if so, they got their wish. I literally give the Rays the nod in all four of those categories that I listed above, as well as a huge nod in the previously unmentioned defense category. The Rays are not going to beat themselves in this series, whereas the Palehosers seem much more susceptible to the huge mental errors and power failures that can doom a team in October. It sure seems like this is a team of destiny…until they run into the Angels freight train in the ALCS. Until then, let the good times roll for the roughly 9,000 fans who will attend each game of this series at the Trop!
Prediction: Rays in Four
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