MLB Playoffs, who ya got

I'm hoping for a Beltway series with the O's taking it all.

I'll start with the A's over the Royals due to Lester. Then Giants over Pirates. I have a hard time seeing any team beating the Dodgers with the post season being four man rotations. It's just more Kershaw and Greinke than normal circumstances. Dodgers over Angels.

 

ALCS - Angels & Orioles

NLCS - Dodgers & Nationals

I do like the idea of a Beltway Series and think it's a real possibility.  I also like the idea of a freeway series, and think that's also a possibility.  But IMHO the best matchup would be the 1966 Word Series rematch:   Dodgers vs. Orioles.  

 

O's win.  Even without Wild Bill there to cheer them on.

I'll second JCG. I always enjoy eastcoast westcoast series the best.

Orioles vs Nats

or

Cardinals vs Royals

or 

Dodgers vs Angels

would be interesting matchups for WS but I would like to see the Angels vs Nationals. 

Pretty interesting year, much depends if the starters can last pretty long, if not I think the O's have the best bullpen options. IMO its anyones game at this point.  

 

 

Here me now und belief me latah:

 

Pirates over Giants

Dodgers over Cards (Dodgers offense much more dangerous this year compared to last)

Nationals over Pirates

Dodgers over Nationals

 

KC over Oakland

Angels over KC

Orioles over Detroit

Angels over Orioles

 

Angels over Dodgers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From a fan only standpoint, I have to pick the Cardinals.  Can't change stripes after 50+ years.  Cards/Royals would be sweet to avenge the Denkinger fiasco.  Pujols and Freese back in STL for a World Series would certainly draw some interest as well.

 

Objectively, Angels and Nats look to be most likely to me, followed by Dodgers and Orioles.  Always liked the Orioles back in the day, after all they are the old St. Louis Browns.  A little personal connection there too, one of my son's college exes is married to one of their catchers, who is brother in law to one of son's college teammates as well.  

 

The only one I would have a hard time watching though would be Angels/Dodgers.  Just not sure I could take that one.

Pirates over Giants

Dodgers over Cards

Nationals over Pirates

Nationals over Dodgers

 

KC over Oakland

KC over Angels (this is my big upset)

Detroit over Orioles

Detroit over KC

 

Nationals defeat Detroit in 6

Giants beat Pirates

A's beat Royals

 

Dodgers beat Cards

Nats beat Giants

Angels beat A's

Orioles beat Tigers

 

Dodgers beat Nats

Orioles bats Angels

 

DODGERS WIN. 

will be rooting for pirates vs royals WS - but not betting on it!

Go Cards!!!!!

I should root for them as many are former teammates of son, but I think they only got their because of a weak central league.   They got lucky!  The Tigers got lucky too, but sometimes the baseball gods have something else in mind.

Wouldn't a Cards/Tigers WS match up be a hoot!

Unfortunately, no one comes close to the rotation of the Tigers in the AL and they have offensive weapons to boot. 

On paper, the Dodgers have the advantage with the Nats right behind but I'm picking the Cards as a darkhorse to come out of the NL.

I always pull for the underdogs but I don't think it's gonna happen this year.  Tigers. 

 

OK, that's weird.  I was typing the same time as TPM with same two teams mentioned.  I have no dog... would prefer an upstart small market like the Royals or Pirates.

This Cards fan just cannot see El Birdos advancing with their offense and the 1-2 Kershaw-Greinke Dodgers punch.

Hard to root against the Pirates or the Royals.

Would rather see a Nats-Orioles WS than Dodgers-Angels, but either local series would be neat.

I've been a Cubs fan for well over 20 years and I love what they are doing in rebuilding through the minor league system.  So that being said I do believe this time next year I will be able to see them in the playoffs.  Well after all this buildup I want to pick the team who has recently rebuilt their system this way to be a playoff team.

 

Ladies and gentlemen we are going on a trip through time to when we were all family according to some sisters.

 

Having lived in Southern California my entire life, of course I'm hoping for a Dodgers/Angels World Series.  But a Nationals/Orioles or a Royals/Cardinals match up would be fun too......Who am I kidding, Let's Go Dodgers!!!

P.S. The Royals/A's game was fantastic.  I watched Finnegan pitch in Omaha this past June, and the 21 year old did a great job for KC Tuesday night.  On another note, sad to hear that Adam Dunn retired afterwards, and unfortunately never received a post-season at bat.

LA ball should root for LA

 

Dodgers over Angels !

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO's!!!!!!!!

 

Beltway series would be great, except the ticket prices for two teams that close will go well through the roof. We bought 4 tickets for the Friday Orioles ALDS game at $260.00 each. The cheapest World Series ticket available is already north of $500.00.  So...if they get there, do I bite the bullet and go head and  buy tickets, and if so, do I go ahead and pay a retainer to a domestic relations lawyer?   

 

I remember hearing how lucky the Cardinals were in 2006 and 2011.  I hope the "luck continues.

 

Speaking of luck.  I wish the Cardinals had two teams in their division 30 games under .500, like the Dodgers.  I'd like to think they would be opening up at home this Friday with home field advantage

Cardinal offense needs a shot in the arm and Matheny has to use his bullpen.
The dodgers have the advantage. If the cards play with a chip on their shoulders they might pull it off.

I'm rooting for a Beltway series with the Nats winning it all. Don't think it will happen though. Hopefully the Nats or Orioles go to WS and they win. Cardinals always scare me, they epitomize clutch (and being a lifelong Cubs fan, dislike them pretty intensely).

Lets Go Bucs!  Gotta love my Pirates.  Go Bucs!

 

Good luck, Ohio Dad; the Pirates are a great team.

 

That said, LET'S GO GIANTS!

Pirates and Royals for trophy... i hope

You may only get one chance to attend the World Series. You have future opportunities to make and save money. Unless spending the money takes you below your security threshold go for the experience. 

 

Have you ever been at a party and some enthusiastically said they saved $2,000 last month? What about a significant event like a World Series game? Live life!

You're complaining about something out of the control of the Cardinals. The reality is regardless, the Dodgers get home field advantage. It's a situation where the focus can be on complaining about it or overcoming it. Learn from this board.

The teams that have made the playoffs have done so because of the talent that the owners have spent money on (either by draft or free agency or a trade), to bring to their teams.  Some of these players are the best in the game.

 

However IMO, sometimes you can stack the deck as high as you can, but it means nothing if the chemistry isn't there.

 

Royals have some serious mojo going on, will be interesting to see where they end up.

The Royals and Pirates remind me of the Rays a few years ago. When a team is bad enough long enough they're always picking at the top of the first round. Over time they have to be accumulating some talent. They can't screw up every top first round pick.

But isn't that more true of football and especially basketball?  In baseball, drafting players is a much more inexact science, and even if you draft very well, a good number of your picks are HS kids who elect to go to college instead.

I'll be rootin' for the Nats.

Not in that first round. Those guys either help you fairly quickly or end up as great trade bait. Look what the Royals got for Meyers.

I'd also add that, in football, those guys can turn you around immediately (think where the Colts would be without Luck), whereas the effect takes a few years with baseball. the Royals have had top first round picks for decades.

Yeah, and the fact that a #1 pick is a late season addition to the pen for the Royals is an oddity and a big story.  #1 picks are expected to be starters in both the NFL and NBA, even at the QB position these days.

The Os are missing 3 key players yet they are on a roll. Its called steppin up and thats what happens when a team works together.
I dont think the Royals are exceptionally talented.

I would agree that the Royals are not exceptionally talented "hitters," but would argue that every other aspect of the Royals (pitching, defense, baserunning, etc.) is above average to elite, talent-wise.

Game One of the Dodgers/Cardinals was rough, and led me to some Friday night adult beverages.   Seriously, Clayton Kershaw is arguably the best pitcher of the 21st century.  I was born the final season that Sandy Koufax pitched, so besides watching highlights, I never saw him pitch live.  Both Dodgers pitchers are/were amazing in the regular season.  The difference?  Koufax was nails in the post season, and Kershaw is trying to find himself in the playoffs, especially against the Redbirds!

Matt Carpenter owns him!
As expected the baseball gods are smiling down on the redbirds.

I know it's only one game, but it kinda destroys the theory that good pitching beats good hitting. These were two of the best, if not the best, pitchers in baseball, and both got rocked. Hard to explain. Used it as an example for my son the even the very best have bad games. Wainwright seemed to struggle a little more as Kershaw was unbelievable through 6. I have no idea what happened. I think great hitters just made an adjustment. The game got out of hand in a hurry. It was unbelievable to watch.