MLB Playoffs Preview

This year’s playoffs should be exciting as ever with all the new faces, teams, and prospects of winning a World Series title. For each team in the playoffs I will give 3 reasons why I believe they have what it takes to win it all, and then break down my predictions afterwards.

Tampa Bay Rays
1. David Price. This young pitcher has already showed his promise in October before, but that was as a reliever and as a rookie. Price has only lost one decision since July, and is the dominant pitcher that is going to strike fear into the opposing lineups. Although James Shields and Matt Garza aren’t as consistent as Price, all three of those pitchers can be deadly at times (Garza no-hitter), and give the Rays a chance to win each game.
2. The bullpen. Rafael Soriano and Joaquin Benoit are two of the best arms to close out any high-pressure games. Soriano close out two one-run games against the Yankees to beat them in September, enabling them to win the AL East division title. Soriano is tough as nails against right-handed hitters, as they are hitting .132 against him this season, with 35 strikeouts and only 15 hits against him. Joaquin Benoit is the specialist that is going to keep the Rays in the lead near the end of the game before handing the torch off to Soriano. Benoit slams the door on all hitters, as they hit .147 against him this season including 75 strikeouts in 204 at-bats. Another amazing statistic from Benoit is his ability to come in during bad situations. Opposing hitters are hitting .107 against him with runners in scoring position.
3. Manager Joe Maddon. Maddon is a small-ball type manager, but that’s all you need with the Rays shut down bullpen and strong starters. Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria are going to produce runs, but Maddon maximizes the average hitters’ potential to score enough runs just to beat the other team. Maddon is smart and he handled this team nicely, especially beginning the season where a fire sale could have been started had the Rays jumped off to a rocky start.

Texas Rangers
1. Cliff Lee. Lee was the most prized person during the trading deadline for this reason alone, to become an ace for the postseason. The Rangers helped their case by winning the division, and now they advance to the place where Lee dominated last year. During the postseason last year, Lee had a 1.56 ERA while going 4-0 in five starts. Even against the Yankees last season, Lee threw for 15 innings in two starts, winning both, while giving up zero earned runs in the first matchup with ten strikeouts. Also C.J. Wilson is a reliable number two starter with his ability to strike anyone out, but it will be interesting how he reacts to pitching in the postseason.
2. Josh Hamilton and their powerful lineup. Hamilton is likely to become this year’s AL MVP, but he isn’t the only dominant force in the lineup. Hamilton teams up with Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, and Vladimir Guerrero, which forms one of the scariest lineups in the Major Leagues. However, the big question will be if Hamilton can recover from his ribs injury in September to be the same hitter that he was before the injury. It’s a storyline to watch, but if Hamilton is back, watch out for the Rangers to score runs.
3. Neftali Feliz. Feliz is a young closer, which can give manager’s the chills during the playoffs, but Feliz’s power pitching may be better suited for the playoffs. Feliz hasn’t given up a run since August 22nd, going through a perfect 16.2 innings since then. Feliz absolutely devastates left-handed hitters, holding them to a .127 batting average against him as well as 40 strikeouts compared to 15 hits. However, if Feliz gets into trouble, he is hittable, as hitters hit .245 with runners in scoring position, and .364 with the bases loaded.

Prediction: Rangers in 4.
I just can’t see the Rangers losing with Cliff Lee on the mound, and they are going to be able to provide their other starters with their potent lineup. Rays can play small-ball and have a great bullpen, but the Rangers are always one swing away from taking a big lead or jumping back into a game.

Minnesota Twins
1. Joe Mauer. The face of the Minnesota Twins is the player that can always keep the Twins rolling. Although his power from last season didn’t transfer over to this one, which frustrated fans for a long time, Mauer made up for it after the All-Star game. After the break, Mauer has hit .373 with a .447 on-base percentage. The Twins hit a home run by acquiring Jim Thome in the offseason, who has surprised everyone with 25 home runs in limited work.
2. Defense. The Twins defense has always been one of their strong points, as they don’t have many power pitchers that are going to generate a ton of strikeouts each outing. In the infield, JJ Hardy, Danny Valencia, and Orlando Hudson will always make the routine plays, and although they don’t have great range, they will make the plays that they need to make. Mauer is one of the best all-around catchers in baseball, and Denard Span is an exceptional athlete in center field. Although the corner outfielders don’t have good speed, they have decent arms and good work ethics to make the plays happen.
3. Ron Gardenhire. Gardenhire has traditionally been one of the best managers in baseball as the Twins always overachieve from a talent on paper standpoint. The Twins are the weakest team in the American League on paper, but with Gardenhire and the intangibles that he brings with his managing style will keep the Twins in most games but he will definitely face an uphill battle in the playoffs.

New York Yankees
1. C.C. Sabathia. In my opinion, should be the AL Cy Young winner, after he excelled through the season with a 21-7 record and 3.18 ERA. Although Sabathia has been hit hard and still won the decision, it’s the factor of his consistency to strike hitters out and his ability to pitch late into games. The Yankees bullpen isn’t their strongest point and with Sabathia, he can keep the bullpen fresh and almost guarantee that the Yankees will have a chance of winning that game if Sabathia starts.
2. Their offense. The lineup has hit its groove after the All-Star break with Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixiera, and Robinson Cano. The Yankees led the American League in runs scored as well as being third on the list in home runs. Against the Twins, their hitting isn’t going to face too many challenges if Carl Pavano or Francisco Liriano aren’t on their ‘A’ games.
3. Intimidation. The Yankees won both three game series against the Twins this season, and have always been the dominant factor over the Twins. Since 2002, the Yankees have dominated the Twins by going 54-18 against each other and 9-2 in the postseason. Overall, the Yankees scare a lot of teams and I don’t think that’s going to change in this postseason.

Prediction: Yankees in 4.
The Yankees are the superior team and have dominated the Twins for the last decade. Although the Twins do the little things that help them win games, they don’t have the pitching to shut down the Yankee offense, or the offense to hit Sabathia.

Philadelphia Phillies
1. Rotation. This may be the most dominant pitching staff in postseason history if they live up to their billing. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels are the three starters and all of them have been number one starters within the last year. Halladay’s numbers have been ridiculous this year, 21-10, 2.44 ERA, 219 strikeouts, and only 30 walks in 250 innings. Halladay is one of the few pitchers that stayed sharp in September, as he went 5-0, going at least six innings in all of his starts. Roy Oswalt rejuvenated people’s opinions of him after going 7-1 after being traded to the Phillies, and dropping his ERA from 3.53 at the time of the trade to 2.76. Hamels mixes it up being the only left-handed pitcher, but is use to being pitching well in the postseason, and he shouldn’t have a problem doing it as the third starter. I wouldn’t want to face this rotation, and I will be surprised if a team can steal four games from them.
2. Lineup. This lineup is loaded with strong hitters such as: Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Raul Ibanez. Jimmy Rollins had a down year but will lead off to start Game One due to the absence of Placido Polanco, but Rollins is a great player when healthy. Polanco is a great contact hitter and exactly what the Phillies need with all of the power that they hold, but with injuries he may be limited in October. Ryan Howard is still the powerful hitter that Phillie fans have come to love although he strikes out a ton. However, a great sign is that Howard is finally learning how to hit southpaws, and that should be used to his advantage in the posteason. Overall, this lineup has a good balance of contact and power hitters and that will force mistakes by other team’s rotations.
3. Experience. The Phillies have reached the World Series the last two seasons, and they will still be motivated to win with newcomers Halladay and Oswalt coming to Philadelphia to get a ring. The Phillies know how to win, and anything less of a World Series title will be considered a failure due to the strength of pitching and lineup and the expectations that everyone has set upon them.

Cincinnati Reds
1. Joey Votto. The future National League MVP was the motor that drove this team. All around his performance lifted the Reds to the postseason. Votto almost had a triple-crown campaign hitting .324 with 37 home runs and 113 RBIs. Votto is extremely dominant with runners on base hitting .379 with 17 home runs and 93 RBIs. Votto should be a force for the future, and all baseball fans will get used to seeing his name at the top of most statistical categories.
2. Jay Bruce. Bruce is a young player that exploded onto the scene last year after coming out of the minors and wrecking havoc in the Majors. Bruce had a great second half this year hitting .309 with 15 home runs and 34 RBIs. Also, Bruce has improved tremendously against left-handed pitchers as he improved his average to .277 and hit 12 home runs, against his numbers last year with a .210 average and 2 home runs.
3. Aroldis Chapman. Chapman has the fastest fastball in the Majors with a 104 MPH heater. Chapman has been in a different world when pitching at home with a .080 batting average against him in 8.1 innings with 14 strikeouts. Chapman is an explosive reliever and rocks the energy inside of Cincinnati, which could get the fans revved up and give them the home field advantage

Prediction: Phillies in 3.
The Phillies just overmatch the Reds in every way and it doesn’t help that the Reds were able to coast to the playoffs since early September. Dusty Baker has done a great job hoisting this team’s potential to the playoffs, but there is no way I can see Oswalt or Halladay losing to them.

San Francisco Giants
1. Tim Lincecum. Lincecum has had a down year, and that is limited to a 16-10 record with a 3.43 ERA and 231 strikeouts. Lincecum had a miserable 0-5 August with a 7.82 ERA, but he returned with a pretty strong September and should be ready for the playoffs.
2. Rest of pitching staff and bullpen. Jonathan Sanchez has always been an inconsistent pitcher but he found more consistency this season and he will need to continue to be strong in the playoffs. Matt Cain has some devastating pitches and usually would be a #1 pitcher on most teams. However, Cain is a great number two with a 13-11 record this season, 3.14 ERA and 177 strikeouts. Cain struggled against the Padres’ in the last week, but other than that he hadn’t lost a decision since August 18th. The Giants’ bullpen has been fantastic with Brian Wilson closing out the games in a dominating fashion. Wilson had 48 saves with a 1.18 WHIP. If the Giants’ starters can bring the game to the bullpen in the late innings, consider the game a done deal.
3. Defense. Suprisingly, the older Giants’ fielders have been tremendous in the field this year. Pat Burrell, Aubrey Huff, and Edgar Renteria all have been excellent in the field according to defensive efficiency statistics. Although they have strong power pitchers, it is always a huge benefit when you have good fielders’ behind you.

Atlanta Braves
1. Jason Heyward. Heyward brings the electricity. At the beginning of the season he was the most hyped prospect, even comparable to the attention Stephen Strasburg received in the middle of the season. Heyward shows more maturity than years through his plate discipline and the fact that he doesn’t look like Vladimir Guerrero on breaking balls. Heyward still hit .277 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs, but the thing that sticks out to me the most is the fact that he didn’t fall off after the All-Star break. It’s a long season and it can be tough for rookies to adjust right away as most fade by the end of the season, but Heyward is special, and he can begin his own legend with a strong postseason.
2. Tim Hudson. After last season, I figured that Hudson was washed up and that he would slowly realize it before retiring. However, he proved me wrong by going 17-9 with a 2.83 ERA for one of his best season in over five years. Hudson is a much better pitcher at home, and I figure that’s where he will spend most of his time unless the Braves are in an elimination game on the road. It will be interesting to see how the veteran reacts in the postseason.
3. Bobby Cox. The legendary Braves’ manager announced at the beginning of the season that this would be his last, and the Braves have responded better than anyone believed they would by reaching the playoffs and almost stealing the division from the Phillies. Cox is going to go down in history as one of the best managers in history, and how much better would it be than if he closed it out with a World Series ring?

Prediction: Giants in 5.




ALCS Prediction: Rangers over Yankees in 7.
NLCS Prediction: Giants over Phillies in 6.
World Series Prediction: Giants over Rangers in 6.