MLB Projections

It’s Actober. I don’t know what Actober is supposed to mean, but Major League Baseball has been using that as their slogan to promote the postseason, which begins Wednesday. By the way, why does baseball insist on calling it the postseason? Why can’t they just call it what they are: the playoffs? Yes, it is postseason play. But, those who make a living off the Great Game insist on calling it the postseason. Just a little rant.

If the rest of the baseball playoffs are like Monday night’s National League wildcard tiebreaker, we are in for a lot of fun. It’s a pretty familiar cast of characters in the American League, while the National League features some teams treading where they haven’t tread in a long time.

Now, for some fearless predictions of this year’s baseball playoffs. This blog blew it last year, big time, in predicting the Cardinals to go out quickly in the first round. St. Louis went on to win the World Series. So, don’t go out to Nevada and bet money based on these picks.

Because baseball is a talking sport….

American League

Division Series
Boston vs. Los Angeles of Anaheim, Irvine, Santa Ana, and all of Orange County: The Angels cruised to the AL West title, while the Red Sox led most of the season in the East. Boston was hampered by injuries late in the year, but chose to play the series with three built-in off days. This will help the boys from Beantown. Pick: Boston in 5.

New York (AL) vs. Cleveland: The Yankees tore it up in the second half of the season, and are playing as well as anyone. You always have to look out for CLE. But, how can anyone pick against a team with a guy named Joba? Pick: Yankees in 4.

Championship Series
As if anyone else even plays in the American League. Fox will love having a series featuring Boston and the Yankees. The Yankees are playing better. Things return to their natural order. Yankees in 5.

National League

Division Series
Arizona vs. Chicago (NL): The Cubs struggled for part of the year, but they won a weak NL Central, and are here. The Diamondbacks have a good young team, featuring P Brandon Webb. But, guess what? Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs in 4.

Philadelphia vs. Colorado: Who would have predicted this two weeks ago? The Phillies were down by 7 games with 17 to play. The Rockies have won 13 of their last 14 to make it here in an improbable way. There will be very little pitching in this series. The Phillies will hit one more home run than the Rockies. Pick: Phillies in 5.

Championship Series
Will the Cubs exorcise all of their past demons? I don’t think so. Something really strange will happen to them in this series as well. Pick: Philadelphia in 6.

World Series
Yankees vs. Phillies: Just when the Mets weren’t any sicker, they’ll have to watch their division rival Phils play in the World Series against their hated city rival Yankees. Winner wins a lot more than a service area on the New Jersey Turnpike. The Curse of A-Rod is broken. Pick: Yanquis in 6.