Boosh Magazine :: Your Campus Unfiltered :: Baseball Postseason Preview

Baseball Postseason Preview - Everything You Need to Know

Updated: September 22, 2008

With October now only a few short weeks away, the baseball regular season is winding down and the postseason is rapidly approaching. At this point, most divisions have already been decided, but there are several teams still fighting for berths. I'm going to break down the playoff picture for you in both leagues and give you my picks for each series.

The AL

October-bound: Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago White Sox

The Rays are undeniably the best story in baseball this year. After finishing last place in 2007 with a record of 66-96, they are now 1st in the AL East and own the best home record in the majors. The team has been without catalyst Carl Crawford since mid-August due to a finger injury, but they are hopeful that he will return in time for the playoffs. And let's not forget that they still have a formidable offense in Carlos Pena, B.J. Upton, and rookie of the year candidate Evan Longoria. Their pitching is also dominant, with a core of Kazmir, Shields, and Garza, and while CL Troy Percival has battled injuries all season, they've had guys step up and get the job done in tight situations. Their only weakness is inexperience, and against veteran teams like the Red Sox and Angels, this doesn't bode well for their postseason hopes. They'll end up with the wild card, but they're going to be ousted in the Divisional Series by the halos.

The Red Sox are a complete team, and they will ultimately prevail in the division race. They have a comfortable lead over the Twins for the wild card, but their mix of talent and experience is unique. Dustin Pedroia (205 hits, .324) is having an MVP-caliber year, rookie Jed Lowrie has been a drastic upgrade at SS over Julio Lugo, and since the acquisition of Jason Bay, the BoSox are 29-16. And they are, after all, the defending world champions. The Red Sox should have no problems with the White Sox (or Twins) in the Divisional Series, but they're going to have trouble getting by the Angels in the ALCS.

The Angels have already clinched their division, and they were the first team in the bigs to do so by a long shot. Their top three
starters (Santana, Lackey, and Saunders) have a combined ERA of 3.41, and they also have a guy named Francisco Rodriguez [pictured left], who just set the all-time record for saves in a single season by recording his 58th last weekend. They have a potent offense with Vlad, Teixeira and Hunter in the meat of the lineup, but they can also play small ball with Figgins and Aybar. Also working in their favor is plenty of postseason experience and a smart manager in Mike Scioscia who knows how to win. World Series bound? It's a safe bet.

It's going to be a grind, but the White Sox are going to outlast the Twins in the AL Central. Both teams have strong pitching, but the difference lies in the age and experience among starters. The emergence of John Danks and Gavin Floyd has taken some of the pressure off of Buerhle and Vazquez, and Francisco Liriano has not relinquished his 2006 form. Although the White Sox are without slugger Carlos Quentin (broken wrist), they still have mashers in Jermaine Dye, Nick Swisher, and Jim Thome (and a fine young rookie of the year candidate in Alexei Ramirez). Compare this to the Twins, whose offense relies entirely on the poor shoulders of Justin Morneau (128 RBI). Second on the team in RBI is Joe Mauer with just 79 – a margin of almost 50! I'll take the White Sox to win the division by a smidgen, but they won't make it past the Red Sox.

The NL

October-bound: New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Mets have fans holding their breaths – again. We all remember the epic 2007 collapse during which they surrendered a seven-game divisional lead to the Phillies in less than three weeks and missed the postseason. They now find themselves in second place in the NL East with a slim lead over the Brewers for the wild card, but of course this could change any day. While there remains the possibility that the Mets could wake up and catch the reeling Phils, they are still better built than the Brewers (especially now with the injury to Ben Sheets). In Johan Santana, they have the legitimate ace that they lacked last year, and with Mike Pelfrey, they have a nice little duo. If the bullpen can pull it together (and I know this is a big 'if'), they'll be able to hold off the Brew Crew for the wild card. The loss of Billy Wagner will be felt immediately, and they will lose to the Cubbies in the divisional series.

The Phillies have taken over first place, and they've done it with improved pitching and timely hitting. Jimmy Rollins may be having an off year, but the versatile Victorino has stepped up, and with Utley, Howard and Burrell in the heart of the order, they can do some damage. They are 2nd in the NL in runs scored and in slugging percentage. Their pitching is also new and improved with the resurgence of Brett Myers, who was pitching in the minors in July. But since July 29th, he is 7-3 with an ERA of 3.20. With Hamels, crafty old-man-Moyer behind him, and Lidge in the 'pen, things seem to be looking bright for the Phils. They have a good shot at winning at their second division title in as many years.

The Cubs have dominated all year long, and it comes as no surprise. With Lou Piniella now in his second year as manager, everything seems to be clicking as they just clinched the NL Central. Rookie Geovany Soto has been spectacular behind the plate, and with Lee, Ramirez, and Soriano, they've had no problem scoring runs. Even their bullpen is equipped with Carlos Marmol, Jeff Samardzija, and CL Kerry Wood. Zambrano is back and healthy (and fresh off a no-hitter), and with Dempster, Harden, and Lilly, the Cubbies are poised to play deep into October. Coincidentally, it was exactly 100 years ago that they won their last world series, so – dare I say it – could this be their year? I like their chances.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been plagued by injuries all season, but after a strong second half, they have overthrown the Diamondbacks and enjoy a comfortable lead in the NL West. Since acquiring Manny Ramirez (.400 avg. with LA) and his dreads, the Dodgers are 27-21, and they have lost only five times so far this month. They sport the NL's lowest ERA, and with Takashi Saito back from the DL, their bullpen looks even better. What has kept the Dodgers competitive is their depth, and this has given Joe Torre tremendous flexibility both in his lineup and off the bench. And for those of you who believe in omens, Juan Pierre hit his first home run in almost two years last week. Unfortunately, I don't see the Dodgers making it past Hamels, Myers, and that potent Phillie offense.