MLB Playoffs Preview

To me, this year's baseball playoffs will have the most original story lines we have seen in quite some time. The perennial postseason presence of the Yankees is replaced by the Tampa Bay Rays. Need I say more? Chicago sports fans are hoping for the Windy City crosstown series, while Brewers fans' are celebrating their team's first postseason berth in 26 years. The Dodgers have Manny and Torre this time around, the Red Sox are back to defend their title, and the Phillies can flat-out bomb the ball. Did I mention TAMPA BAY IS IN THE PLAYOFFS?! Wow. On to the picks...


Phillies 3, Brewers 1
The Phillies have one of the best lineups in baseball and are out to avenge a loss in the Divisional round last year. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins was the NL MVP in 2007, and first baseman Ryan Howard made a strong case for 2008 honors. Howard hit eight more home runs (48) and had 16 more RBI’s (146) than anyone in baseball. Second baseman Chase Utley got off to a great start to the season, and outfielder Jayson Werth finished on a tear. And once the Phillies take a lead, their bullpen, unlike some NL East teams, holds onto it. Closer Brad Lidge didn’t blow a save all season, and the Phillies won each game they led after eight innings. C.C. Sabathia was great for the Brewers this season after a mid-season trade brought him over from Cleveland and they can slug with bats like Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, but the bullpen is a major weakness. Looks like it will be one and done for the Brewers in their first playoff appearance since 1982.


Cubs 3, Dodgers 0
To me, the Cubs’ strength this postseason will be their starting pitching. Their 1-2-3 starters---Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, and Rich Harden---are better than anyone in baseball. Beyond that, Kerry Wood provides some solid pitching at the end of games, though the rest of the bullpen has struggled lately. Like the Phillies, the Cubs are set on making it further this time around in the postseason after an early exit last year, and their improved offense (with role players like Edmonds, Soto, and Derosa) will help that. Plus none of the Dodgers starting pitchers are too intimidating. I know the Dodgers added manager Joe Torre---who’s hard to bet against in October---and Manny Ramirez to bolster their lineup and it worked towards season’s end; I just don’t see where Ramirez’s help will come from in this lineup.


Angels 3, Red Sox 2
As David Ortiz reminded a national audience after the Red Sox clinched a posteseason berth last week, Boston is a dangerous team come playoff time. That said, they also come in a banged-up team. The big question is the health of ace Josh Beckett, who had his start pushed back to the third game of the series. Losing Ramirez to the Dodgers this year won’t help any for a team relying on unproven postseason names in the lineup like the oft-injured J.D. Drew and slumping Jason Bay. And third baseman Mike Lowell has health issues entering the postseason as well. Both teams have solid bullpens, with the slight edge to the Angels, led by Francisco Rodriguez and his ML record 62 saves in 2008. I also give the managerial edge to the Angels, as skipper Mike Scioscia simply knows how and when to play “small ball” to put up key runs in the playoffs. Look for a great series here.


Rays 3, White Sox 2
There’s certainly something to be said for entering the playoffs on a roll, as we have seen in recent years. And the White Sox do just that, having already won elimination-type games Monday and Tuesday just to make the playoffs with the AL Central crown. They face perhaps the greatest Cinderella story of all time, as the Tampa Bay Rays held off perennial powers Boston and New York to win the AL East. (I never thought I’d see the day I was writing a Tampa Bay baseball playoff preview.) For almost the entire regular season, I didn’t believe the Rays were for real, despite a great start and multiple heart-pounding late wins. I can’t pinpoint why I think this, but I see the series going the distance with Tampa Bay pulling off another crazy late rally to win in five games.