Officially my last blog entry of the month and I will show how I think the MLB postseason will play out.
On the American League side I think the magically season of the Royals will have them get past their wild card opponent Oakland A's for a date with the Angels where I believe the Angels will hold serve and beat them in no more than 6 games. On the other side of the bracket I believe the Orioles will prevail versus the gauntlet of the very good pitchers of the Detroit Tigers. If the Tigers had home field advantage I would have taken them but I think the Orioles will claw and scrape their way to the ALCS versus the Angels.
The Angel pitching staff is not the best but in a 7 game series their offense led by Mike Trout will be able to hold off the Orioles in what I think will be a 5-6 game series. The Angels will have earned a return trip to the Fall Classic for the first time in 12 years where they will face the representative from the National League.
Sad to say as I don't want it to happen but I believe the Giants will go into Pittsburgh and beat them on Wednesday to face the Nationals in the LDS. Thankfully though I think that all the injuries will catch up with Frisco and the massive advantage of the pitching staff of Washington will put the Giants out to pasture in no more than 5 games. For what it's worth if the Pirates win the wild card and advance to face the Nationals I feel they will receive the same fate and lose to them but in a more competitive series that I think would go at least 6 games. The Nationals are destined to reach the LCS this year.
The other series is going to be a heated and very highly contested one. Not because I am a Dodger fan but I believe they will win in 4 or 5 games. The only reason I am saying that is because if it comes down to a game five it will be at home with Kershaw on the mound. He will not lose two years in a row with the season on the line. If the Dodgers did not have home field advantage I would slightly lean to the Cardinals in a short series. Neither team is going to get swept here.
Last time the Dodgers and Nationals (Expos) met in the playoffs the Dodgers prevailed in a very competitive series with the Blue Crew coming out on top and advancing to the World Series. I see that happening here again as they will eventually get past the outstanding pitching of Washington and will not be fazed by playing game six and possibly seven on the road as they had the best road record in baseball. It will take the Dodgers 6-7 to beat the Nats as they will not go down easily but in the end I believe the drought will come to an end and the Dodgers will be back in the World Series for the first time since 1988 to face their I-5 rivals the Angels.
This will come down to the superior pitching of the Dodgers against the clutch if not better hitting of the Angels. The Dodgers with Kershaw, Greinke and Ryu pitching in 6 of a possible 7 games that gives them the advantage by a very good margin. Their bullpen is what will probably determine if they win or not. The Angels bullpen has gotten better as the season has progressed. The Dodgers still might score on them but the Dodgers bullpen is more inclined to implode than the Angel's. The Dodgers will not stop Trout and probably not Pujols as well. What they will have to do is stop everyone else from adding to what the top duo do during the game. The Angels have had very timely hitting as the Dodgers have been hit and miss at times.
I think in the end facing the Angels is the best option for the Dodgers. I believe the Tigers would beat the boys in blue but I think that the Dodgers pull it out in a thrilling 6-7 game series against the Angels. I don't see either team losing in less than that but I believe that Kershaw winning two games and Greinke one will have the Dodgers only needing to scratch one out from some other pitcher which I think they can accomplish and finally become World Series Champions for the first time since 1988.
Those are picks and thoughts. Yours may vary but it will be fun to watch it unfold.
Go Blue !!!
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