MLB Playoffs

The playoffs for baseball start tomorrow so I might as well give my predictions as to how I think they will transpire. I don't really know much about any of the teams other than the Braves. I know who their star players are but I don't know who the 2nd and 3rd guy is in their rotation, do they hit well with runners in scoring position, are they a good road or home team, etc. I don't know those things but in listening to the pundits talk about it Sunday and Monday I've come up with how I think people view the teams one through eight:

1. Phillies
2. Yankees
3. Rays
4. Twins
5. Giants
6. Rangers
7. Reds
8. Braves

One of the reasons I don't think it's such a big deal that Bobby Cox and the Braves only won one championship in their string of 14 division titles is because the baseball playoffs are flawed and the best team only wins half the time...as you can read about in September 29th's blog post. So I don't think it matters whether or not you are the #1, 3, 6 or whatever best team....it's all about how you hit and pitch on a given night which in baseball unlike any other sport is a huge variable.

National League

The Phillies are dominate and if they don't sweep the Reds I will be surprised. The Reds might sneak in Game 3 at home against Cole Hamels but I'll take the Phils in 3.

I heard Buster Olney on the radio Monday morning comparing the Giants to the Braves by saying it's like a heavy weight fighter taking on a featherwieght. I don't think there's that much of a difference and the Braves have almost as good of starting pitchers as San Fran does. Obviously I going with the Braves, in 5 games.

Braves vs. Phillies in the NLCS, I'm talking the Braves in 7...got to. There is no reason for me to make this pick other than with my heart but there is a small part of my brain that thinks it's possible too. If someone the Bravos can steal one in Philadelphia and then take 2 of 3 in Atlanta they can win Game 7, probably against Hamels.

American League

I'll take the Yankees over the Twins because New York usually wins in the postseason...that's about it...in 4 games.

The Rays made it to the World Series in 2008 so they've had their turn and I was born in Dallas, Rangers in 5.

I know these picks sound like a woman picking college basketball teams in a March Madness tournment because she likes their colors or mascot but like I said it's a crapshoot.

Rangers vs. Yankees in the ALCS, I think the Rangers will battle them tooth and nail but the Yanks have too much fire power, they win in 6 games.

WORLD SERIES

Yankees vs. Braves...you could say I'm picking this because I would like the Braves to exact some revenge for 1996 and 1999 and you'd be right. The Braves win in 7 games....making the Braves 11-8 in the playoffs and playing the maximum amount of games which sounds about right for this year.

I hope I'm right, don't you?

JB