Wednesday, October 7th,2009

Well as the playoffs start I figured I would do a quick rundown of all 4 of the Division Series and give you my predictions. And with the regular season finished after that epic tiebreaker to decide the AL Central lastnight, I will run through my thoughts on who should win each of the major Awards.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

St. Louis Cardinals vs Los Angeles Dodgers
As you can imagine as I am a Cardinals fan, I will start with the Birds-Dodgers Series. As both teams stumbled into the playoffs many fans in both cities have to be worried about their team in one aspect or another. With the Redbirds, I think whats on everyone's mind is whether or not we will break out of our nearly 2 week funk in the batter's box? Many people are pointing to how the Birds finished in 2006 and yet they got hot at the right time and went on the go 11-5 on their way to their 10 World Series Championship. As much as I hope that is the case I feel that a change may be in order to jump start the offense. I respect Tony LaRussa as an excelent tactition and chances are he will do what he needs to to get this team ready for the playoffs. I feel like this team knows what it takes to seperate the regular season and the postseason and get the job done, with Ace Chris Carpenter there to set the tone. My next statement may seem like blastphomy at first, but I think it could be the key to the offense breaking out. I think LaRussa should flip-flop Pujols and Holliday for the series. Tony has always liked to bat Pujols 3rd to get him more at-bats over a 162 game season and that is a valid point, but with a 5 game season left why not see what happens? Matt Holliday is not Albert Pujols but he is no slouch either. Holliday has a very good on-base percentage and with him getting on base in front of Pujols you would ensure that the Dodgers would have to pitch to Pujols even more so than with Holliday batting behind him. This is not a permanent switch by any means but I feel it would be a fresh change that might be just what this team needs to explode and go on a run back to the World Series. Many people around town have been comparing this year's Cards to the 2004 powerhouse NL Champs. They are some similarities, but the differences are what is going to be the difference in this series. The 2004 club was no doubt better offensively, but this 2009 version takes the cake when it comes to pitching. With Carpenter and Wainwright up top; Hawksworth, McClellan, and Miller in the middle, and Franklin to finish the game, the Cardinals definitely have the advantage in this series. The Dodgers have a very good pitching staff, and its not going to be easy for either team to get going offensively, I just feel that from top to bottom the Cardinals have the better pitching staff. The X-factor in this series will be Albert Pujols, no matter where he bats. The Redbirds slugger ended the season with a bit of a power outage yet was still seeing the ball very well. I look for Albert to break out with a few key homeruns in the series that will ultimately be the difference.
PREDICTION: Cardinals win series 3-1
Game 1: CARDS 3 DODGERS 1
Game 2: CARDS 6 DODGERS 3
Game 3: DODGERS 4 CARDS 2
Game 4: DODGERS 1 CARDS 7

As I am typing this blog this next series is in the 4th inning:

Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies
The Rockies head into the playoffs as the only NL team that isn't struggling, but thats not to say they will have a repeat of the 2007 NLDS. This series is going to be one of the most competitive out of the 4 first round match-ups. The Rocks look to be the better team defensively, and even though the Phillies have the bigger names in their pitching staff, I look at the pitching match-ups to be about equal. In the end, I think this series will come down to the respective offenses, and if that is the case I have to give the edge to the Rockies. When you can trot out guys like Helton, Tulowitzki, Hawpe, Atkins, Barmes, and Giambi you can match-up with any team any game anytime. The Phillies have some great hitters in their own right with Rollins, Utley, Howard, Ibanez, and Werth, I just think in the end the Rockies have a the better overall line-up. I think that the Phillies strike out too much with Howard leading the way. The Rockies are a better team when it comes to putting the ball in play and putting pressure on the defense. In the playoffs, when the pitching is at it's higest level putting the ball in play is key. If the Rockies can keep the Phillies sluggers in the ballpark they will win this series. The X-factor in this series will be the Rockies bullpen. I look for their relief corps to rise to the occasion when called upon by Manager of the Year Canidate Jim Tracy. If the Rockies bullpen does it's job finishing games they will move on to the NLCS.
PREDICTION: Rockies win series 3-2
Game 1: ROCKIES 3 PHILLIES 6
Game 2: ROCKIES 4 PHILLIES 1
Game 3: PHILLIES 2 ROCKIES 6
Game 4: PHILLIES 7 ROCKIES 1
Game 5: ROCKIES 5 PHILLIES 4

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

Minnesota Twins vs New York Yankees
I don't know as much about the AL teams as I do the NL, but I do know that ESPN seems to favoring the Yankees in this one.(HaHa) Don't get me wrong the Yankees have an excellent team top to bottom but I think this series is being overlooked by many as a warm-up for the Yanks on their way to the ALCS to face their nemesis the Red Sox. (Man wouldn't FOX and ESPN just love that!!!! BLAH!!!) I am here to tell you this isn't going to be a cake-walk for the Bronx Bombers. The Twins truly have nothing to lose, and when teams have nothing to lose they can be dangerous, especially a team that isn't expecting a fight. After lastnight's 12 inning marathon game in which the Twins laid it all on the line just to get into the playoffs, it was no doubt that the Yankees chose to play today and give the Twins a short turn around before Game 1 and I think that choice will back fire for them at least for tonight. Teams don't wear down in the playoffs, not with a chance for a ring on the line. The last thing I would do if I was the Yankees would be to put the Twins back on the field so quickly after that emotional win lastnight to TAKE the division from the Detroit Tigers. A team on a roll will continue to roll until something stops them. I personally would have given the Twins another day to come back to earth, but what do I know, CC could do that all by himself tonight. In the end I think that while the Twins will put up a fight, the Yankees are a much better team and will move on to the ALCS no matter how bad I don't want them to. The X-factor for this series will be the Yankees themselves. If they show up and play like they can they will take this series with relative ease.
PREDICTION: Yankees win series 3-1
Game 1: TWINS 4 YANKEES 2
Game 2: TWINS 1 YANKEES 6
Game 3: YANKEES 5 TWINS 2
Game 4: YANKEES 3 TWINS 2

Boston Red Sox vs Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
This series is going to come down to pitching plain and simple. Forget the Hex the Sox have over the Angels in the postseason, forget the offenses, the defence, and the managers. These two teams are so evenly matched in all aspects of the game, I will do you one better; this series is going to come down to Josh Beckett and whether he can throw strikes and be dominant or not?
Yeah I know, one starting pitcher shouldn't have that big of an impact on the entire series, but in this one Beckett just might the key. With Beckett going in game two, if he is as dominant as he has been in year's past it could lead the Sox back to the ALCS for the 2nd time in 3 years. If the Red Sox take Game 1 with Lester pitching and then come back with a dominant Beckett in game 2 it could be just enough to break the Angels spirits again and send the Sox on to face the Yanks in the ALCS. If the Angels win Game 1 behind John Lackey and then Beckett comes out and can't even the series for the Sox the opposite could be true and the Angels would head to the ALCS for the first time since 2002. If Beckett does even the series and the Red Sox steal home-field from the Angels and go back to Fenway tied 1-1, the Boston fans should will them to the next round. No matter the Game 1 outcome, the key to the entire series is whether or not Josh Beckett will be Josh Beckett or Brett Tomko? The X-factor in this series is obviously Beckett, and I look for him to struggle to throw strikes and give up about 5 runs in 4 plus innings and the Angels will take advantage of thiss and will go on to win the series.
PREDICTION: Angels win series 3-1
Game 1: RED SOX 2 ANGELS 4
Game 2: RED SOX 4 ANGELS 7
Game 3: ANGELS 3 RED SOX 8
Game 4: ANGELS 5 RED SOX 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE AWARDS

NL Cy Young Award
My vote is Adam Wainwright. It is like splitting hairs trying to decide between Carpenter and Wainwright but I'm going with Adam and his 19 wins. He could easily have 22 wins and he is the top 3 in all the main catagories.
Apologies to Carpenter, Lincecum, Haren, and Jimenez

NL MVP Award
Albert Pujols. Enough said.
Maybe next time Fielder and Howard

NL Manager of the Year Award
Jim Tracy. Theres something to be said about what Tracy did for a team that was left for dead when he took over. Without the big additions that helped the Cards, Phillies, and Dodgers; Tracy has lead the Rockies to the playoffs with a real shot at a 2nd World Series appearence in 3 years.
Thanks for the efforts to LaRussa, Manuel, and Cox
AMERICAN LEAGUE AWARDS

AL Cy Young Award
Felix Hernandez. King Felix has been the best overall pitcher for the last 2/3 of the season.
Sorry to Sabathia, Greinke, and Mariano Rivera

AL MVP Award
Joe Mauer. He is the best player in a position that does't lend well to great players.
Try Again Jeter and Texiera

AL Manager of the Year Award
Mike Scioscia. The Angels are the class of the AL West every year and this year is no different. Scioscia is one of the main reasons the Angels are in position to win the AL and get back to the World Series.
Thanks but no Thanks to Gardenhire, Girardi, and Francona