Here it is! 162 games have been played, the last regular season tickets have been punched. The regular season has ended. Twenty teams have left the dugout for the final time, cleared out their lockers and gone home. Twenty broadcasting teams have said their final goodbyes, thanked their respective crews, and have gone off the air until April, when the promise of a new season dawns.
Ten teams remain. Ten teams are left to battle it out in October for the chance to be crowned World Series Champions- kings of the Fall Classic. This entry will examine each perspective playoff match-up until I crown my 2015 World Series Champion.
A.L. Wild Card Game-Houston Astros vs. New York Yankees
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| Tanaka gets the ball for the WC game Tuesday night |
This first playoff match-up pits Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka against the likely AL Cy Young winner, Dallas Keuchel. This pitching match-up will tell the story in this game, although an interesting story line is that Astros' shortstop Carlos Correa will be playing in his first career postseason game, while playoff veteran Alex Rodriguez will be playing in his 76th career game in October. Back to the pitching duel, the result hinges on the shoulders of Dallas Keuchel. On one hand, Keuchel has thrown 16 scoreless innings against the Yankees this season, the most by any pitcher since 1965. However, this game is at Yankee Stadium, which means Keuchel will be pitching on the road. Even though he is 15-0 at home this season, Keuchel is 5-8 with an ERA just south of 4.00 on the road. On top of that, he will be pitching on 3-days rest. Because of that, and the fact that this is a one-game scenario, I predict that the Yankees will pull this out at home and move on.
N.L. Wild Card Game-Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
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| Chicago Cubs-first playoff appearance since 2008 |
This game will also come down to the pitching. Two Cy Young candidates will toe the rubber against one another- Jake Arrieta vs. Gerrit Cole. This game will be played in Pittsburgh, so the Pirates will have the advantage of the home crowd and the Jolly Roger. However, as great as Arrieta has been at home this year, he has been even more untouchable on the road. He is 13-1 with a 1.60 ERA in 18 road starts. On top of that, Arrieta is 3-1 in with a 0.75 ERA in 5 starts against the Pirates this year, only allowing the Pirates a batting average of .151. Also, Gerrit Cole has tailed of the last few months, though still solid. Because Arrieta is getting the ball and the fact that the Cubs have way more offensive fire power, the Cubs will win this game.
A.L. Division Series-Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays
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| Toronto-First playoff appearance since 1993 |
As much as we can all appreciate the impressive run that the Texas Rangers went on to surge into these playoffs, this series will go just about as well for Texas as the AL MVP race went for everyone not named Josh Donaldson-not a chance. With the addition of David Price two months ago, and the most dangerous lineup in the league, Toronto will likely make this quick. The series will likely be over in 3...MAYBE 4 games.
A.L Division Series-New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals
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| Royals trying to reach World Series for 2nd straight year |
This Yankees team had one of the quietest winning seasons in the franchise's history. The Kansas City Royals were in the Fall Classic just a year ago, one game from a title. The Yankees don't have an overpowering force on that team and Tanaka wouldn't be available pitch again until late in the series. Also, it was announced today that Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia has left the team to enter alcohol rehabilitation and will not be available for the postseason. With their two best pitchers unavailable to start the series, their pitching depth takes a huge hit, and with almost the same team back from last year, Kansas City will likely take advantage of that. The Royals will take the series in three games.
N.L Division Series- Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals
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| Cubs lead all-time head to head 1196-1146-19 |
This is going to be an exciting series with lots of fireworks. Fans of both sides have been waiting awhile to get a shot at their most hated rival when it matters most, and now they're going to get it. The head to head this season was 11-8 for St. Louis. The Cardinals had the best record in the league, but they didn't play their best baseball in September, going 15-13. Jon Lester, will likely pitch Game 1 for Chicago, meaning that he will likely get the ball twice should the series reach six or seven games. The good news for St. Louis is that Lester was 1-3 against them this year. The most exciting thing about the series is that their are a handful of talented rookies who will be playing in their first postseason. If the Cardinals jump out to an early lead in the series, they have enough experience to finish the Cubs. This will be an extremely close and exciting series, but I think the playoff inexperience will be too much for the Cubs and St. Louis will move on.
N.L. Dvision Series- New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
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| Kershaw/Grienke-35-10, 501 Ks, combined in 2015 |
The 2015 New York Mets are definitely a success story, but the fact of the matter is that there is very little playoff experience on that team. During games 1 and 2, the Mets will have to fave two of the most dominant pitchers in the league in Kershaw and Grienke, not to mention that there's a chance that they see one or both of those guys twice. The majority of the Dodgers lineup, are playoff veterans, and I think that the L.A. pitching will be too much to handle. Dodgers win in 5.
A.L Championship Series-Toronto Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals
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| Kansas City had best record in AL this season (95-67) |
This is a case of power versus poise. Toronto is powerful, dangerous, and intimidating and Kansas City is a very experienced tidal wave of timely hitting and a shutdown bullpen. The good news for Toronto is that David Price will likely be available to start Game 1 of the series, should the Blue Jays make quick work of Texas. This also means that he'll be able to start again later in the series. If the Blue Jays can break through against the Royals bullpen, the will have success. Toronto will jump to an early lead in the series, thanks to Price, but the Royals will take advantage of Toronto's other starters. This series will go to seven games, and Kansas City's playoff experience will propel them to their second straight World Series appearance.
N.L. Championship Series-Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals
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| Cardinals had league's best record (100-62) |
If the Dodgers-Mets series goes long, Kershaw and Grienke will likely be unavailable until the middle of the series. Also, this is when Clayton Kershaw's career postseason record of 1-5 with a 5.12 ERA will test him. Although Kershaw was dominant in his one start against St. Louis this season, only allowing one hit in 8 innings, he can't quite find that formula in October. October baseball is do or die, and it's up to Kershaw to figure out which one he's going to lean toward. In the end, St. Louis will push LA to their limits and will prove too much. Mike Matheny, like his predecessor Tony La Russa is a postseason wizard. St. Louis moves on in six games.
World Series-St. Louis Cardinals vs. Kansas City Royals
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| Cardinals last won World Series in 2011 |
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| Missouri State Flag |
Missouri will go crazy in their version of the 2000 Subway Series (Yankees defeated Mets 4-1). The Corn Field Series? Colors will run, lines will be drawn, TONS of barbecue will be eaten. The state will be divided into two camps: red and blue. All eyes will be on Missouri. Two of the best World Series' in recent memory (2011-Cardinals and 2014-Royals) come together. This will be a great series of two small ball, percentage teams fighting for a title, as well as state pride. Who uses their bullpen the best? Who calls the right pinch hitter at the right time? Who makes the plays that need to be made? The team who can answer these questions will be crowned. This is a series where the smallest mistake, misstep, or miscalculation, can swing the momentum of a series in an instant. This series will go at least six games and both teams have a plethora of weapons to use. It is hard to pick between these two teams, but I think that after seven close, and very exciting games, the St. Louis Cardinals will outlast the opposition and be crowned the 2015 World Series Champions...and kings of the Show Me State.
Whether these predictions hold true or not, this is bound to be one heck of a postseason. Enjoy the best time for America's Game. It's postseason time....live it up!!!
The storylines for Super Bowl 50 between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers speak for themselves. It's the league's best offense versus. the league's best defense (as it should be), it's the young superstar quarterback versus the 39-year old legend who could be playing in his last game. The 13-year age difference between starting quarterbacks in this game (Manning 39, Newton 26) is the largest age game between two Super Bowl starting quarterbacks in NFL history. Peyton Manning logged 9 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in an injury-plagued season, making him, statistically, the worst quarterback ever to play in a Super Bowl. In the interest of statistical firsts heading into the big game, Cam Newton is the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 30 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns in a single season.
