Baseball Playoff Predictions..

[sq764]

Well, now that everything is in place, here's my analysis of the MLB playoffs (CJ/Pace, get your red pens out)

Braves vs Houston:

I think Atlanta is screaming to get upset and Houston is very hot right now. They have solid pitching and a very good offense. I think Houston is possibly the most dangerous underdog in the playoffs.

Prediction: Houston in 5

Dodgers vs Cardinals:

I think St Louis is very strong and they have everything you need to win it all. Pitching might be a concern. The Dodgers are good, but I don't think they have the firepower the Cards have..

Prediction: St Louis in 4

Red Sox vs Angels:

Red Sox are solid and just need to find 3 good starts other than Schilling. Pedro could be sharp again but who knows where his head is. Need Arroyo or Wakefield to step up. Angels are very very hot right now and very dangerous. Guererro is unreal and Sox can't let him beat them.

Prediction: Sox in 4

Yankees vs Twins:

If the Yankees can beat Santana at least one game, they shouldn't have a problem. Minnesota rests a lot of their hopes on him and he must deliver. Yanks pitching is very suspect, but they should have enough offense to get by a semi-overrated Twins team.

Prediction: Yankees in 5

So, that would leave us with Cardinals/Astros and Sox/Yankees..

Let's stop the predictions here and see how we do..

[Equineer]

If justice is done, the gods of baseball will reward Arturo Moreno for lowering the cost of a hot dog and a beer.

Look for healthy Angel offense and superior relief staff to squeak by Red Sox, then Angels will punish Yankee starters while bullpen squelches Evil Empire comebacks.

If the Angels win it all, Moreno will snub DisneyWorld... where will he fly the players and families? :)

[cj]

Is Atlanta losing in the first round of the playoffs really an upset?

[betchatoo]

The Astros have peaked at the right time, much like the Marlins did last year. I look to them to win the whole thing.

[sq764]

Equineer, I think the Angels pitching is the weakest part of their game. If they shut down the Sox, they deserve to win.


CJ, I guess historically speaking, the braves losing in the first round would be a given, let alone a non-upset.. I was thinknig more on the lines of division winner vs wild card..

Although, I don't think the Sox beating the Angels would be considered an upset either, even though it's also a WC vs a Division Winner..

[sq764]

Betcha, I think the Astros are very good at home, but they have to play in real ballparks away from home, which might be a detriment to them.

[Valuist]

Houston is so hot right now I think they will beat Atlanta and I think they will also win round two. St. Louis' pitching doesn't scare anybody and they be one of those classic offensive minded teams who win a ton of regular season games but fall by the wayside in the postseason.

[sq764]

This notion (St Louis's pitching vulnerability) kind of surprises me.. They have the 2nd best ERA in the entire Major Leagues.. I am not sure what's not to fear about that :-)

[Valuist]

Its not that its "bad", its that there's no real ace. Guys like Clemens and Schilling are aces. You don't need a 5 man rotation in the playoffs. Nobody fears Morris, Williams and Marquis.

[sq764]

I would take 4 15 game winners over 1 ace.. Marquis and Carpenter are bordering on Ace-like status..

point being that they may not have a guy that can potentially throw a shutout at anytime, like a Clemens or Schilling, but they will likely get 3,4 or 5 great starts, and be kept close enough to let their offense take over.

When you have an offense like that, you don't need shutouts, you need a solid 7 innings giving up 3 or 4 runs.. Other teams cannot overcome 3 or 4 runs

[Valuist]

Ask the 2001 Mariners about that. They won something like 110 games and it was mostly offense and a decent, but unspectacular starting rotation. This St Louis team reminds me a lot of that Seattle team.

[sq764]

ok... guess we will see soon enough

[Valuist]

As for the early games, these would be my leans:

Minnesota (Santana) -114. This guy is an ace; likely Cy Young Award winner.

Anaheim -101. Pedro is struggling and Colon has been on fire after a horrible first half.

Houston -120 I'll take Clemens over Wright in the post season any day.

[sq764]

I believe Schilling is pitching the opener for the Sox, not Pedro

[Valuist]

You're right. Pedro/Colon is the game 2 matchup. I'll still take it.

[kenwoodallpromos]

I predict favored teams winning all the way through. My personal fav this year is St Louis.

[witchdoctor]

I am hoping that my Astros can get finally get it done this year. We have 2 aces and the nothing. I can kind of relate to the old Braves who had a saying something like Spann and Sain and pray for rain.:cool:

[sq764]

Well with 2 aces in a 5 game series, you should be ok.. You need 2 great pitching performances and one offensive explosion and its over.