Baseball is a long season, but short postseason. 162 games is strenuous, but the next four weeks will be the most exciting time of the year for the sport. This is a stacked postseason field with a few favorites. The next few moments we will go from the League Division Series (LDS) all the way to the World Series. These picks are being made after the Wild Card game for each league.
Playoff Teams and Seeds
American League
1 Houston Astros
2 New York Yankees
3 Minnesota Twins
5 Tampa Bay Rays
National League
1 Los Angeles Dodgers
2 Atlanta Braves
3 St. Louis Cardinals
4 Washington Nationals
-American League Division Series (Best of 5)
5 Tampa Bay Rays vs 1 Houston Astros
I see this being a very non-competitive series. Houston should jump out to a commanding 2-0 lead. Tampa Bay will steal game three at home, but fall in Game four. (HOU wins 3-1)
-American League Division Series (Best of 5)
3 Minnesota Twins vs 2 New York Yankees
These two teams led the majors in home runs and were separated by one home run on the season. The Yankees have one of the best bullpens in baseball, but this series will be defined by the bats. The first team to seven runs a game could win each game. Although the Twins are a very good team I see New York winning this series in four. (NYY wins 3-1)
-National League Division Series (Best of 5)
4 Washington Nationals vs 1 Los Angeles Dodgers
The Nationals won the wild card game on a mistake by the Brewers. Bryce Harper is not in Washington anymore. The Dodgers bullpen is shaky on the back end with closer Kenley Jansen, but that will not be a factor. Dodgers win the series in a sweep. (LAD wins 3-0)
-National League Division Series (Best of 5)
3 St. Louis Cardinals vs 2 Atlanta Braves
This will be the best series of this round. Expect a split in Atlanta and a split in St. Louis. Setting up a decisive Game five in Atlanta. The Braves are too good to lose this series. (ATL wins 3-2)
-American League Championship Series (Best of 7)
2 New York Yankees vs 1 Houston Astros
The two titans of the American League and it should be another heavyweight fight. They have been the two projected teams out of the American League this season to go to the World Series. One on side there is great starting pitching. The other side is the great bullpen of the Yankees. This series will go at least six games. While the Yankees do have the better bats. Postseason baseball is all about pitching. The Astros have the better starters that can go deep into the games. (HOU wins 4-3)
-National League Championship Series (Best of 7)
2 Atlanta Braves vs 1 Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have won the last two NLCS and the Braves have not been this far since 2001. Both teams pitching is shaky in the bullpens. The bats for both teams are great. The first four games will be a split and tied at 2 a piece. The Braves will use their bats in their home park to take a 3-2 lead. In Game 7 it will come down to Kenley Jansen to close it out and he will blow a save. Giving us a new NL Champion. (ATL wins 4-3)
-2019 World Series (Best of 7)
2 Atlanta Braves vs 1 Houston Astros
About five years ago these were the worst teams in baseball. The Braves had one of the best minor league systems and the Astros had talent on the rise. The Astros starting pitching should dominate. The Braves have power bats with Ozzie Albies, Freddie Freeman, and Ronald Acuna. The Astros are just too strrong all around. (HOU wins 4-1)
This should be a fun next few weeks as we enter into the postseason. Have a magical day and we will SEE YA! real soon.
