MLB Playoff Preview

What a game last night. I went in to the closet and dug up an old Rockies batting practice jersey that I hadn't worn in like ten years and was on the phone with my half-brother who lives in San Diego. When the Pads scored two in the 13th. He chortled at me. "No way the Rox win now, we've got Hoffman coming and he's money in the bank."
Apparently that bank got held up.
The Rockies, who arguably are playing the best ball in the MLB right now scored 3 in the 9th, including a controversial winning run on a sac-fly in the 13th to win 9-8. The Wild card was decided on the final play of the extra-final day of the season. Matt Holliday headfirst slide around Michael Barrett to score the winning run may not have touched the plate and the umpire took his sweet time making a call, and both my brother and I thought initally Holliday was out. When ump Tim McClelland spread his arms to call him safe, the wild (card) celebration began. Both of me and my brother were yelling, but he conceded that the Padres did blow it. They had three chances to clinch and ironically had multi-run leads in each game Saturday, Sunday and last night. They have no one to blame for their loss but themselves
Since the wild card tiebreaker counts as a regular season game, Matt Holliday took advantage to knock in two runs and sneak by Ryan Howard for the NL RBI title. He also went 2-6 to maintain his slim lead over Chipper Jones to win the batting title. The Rockies make only their second postseason appearance in their 15 year team history. They were quickly run out in 1995 by the eventual World Champion Braves in 4 games.
The only beef I have is that the Rox must now fly to Philly for a NLDS game 1 on Wednesday. Why the quick turnaround. Why do the Yanks and Indians get to wait all the way to Thursday? That start should have been when the Phils-Rockies series should have started. Anyway lets take a look at the MLB playoff picture.

Rockies (90-73 NL Wild Card Winner) vs Phillies (89-73 NL East Winner)

Series Schedule All Times ET and shown on TBS
Game 1 10/3 @ Philadelphia 3p
Game 2 10/4 @ Philadelphia 3p
Game 3 10/6 @ Colorado 9:30p
If Needed
Game 4 10/7 @ Colorado 10p
Game 5 10/9 @ Philadelphia 6:30p

2007 Season Series
Rockies won Series 4-3

First Postseason Meeting Phillies last postseason appearance 1993, Rockies 1995.

Rockies Key Players
MVP candidate Matt Holliday is the most indispensible player on the squad, he hits and can put the long ball up as well. Long-Time Rockie Todd Helton is the veteran leader and Hotshot rookie Troy Tulowitzki is a defensive ace who has a good batting stroke to boot. The Rockies can bash the ball their .280 team batting average led the NL, but surprisngly their team defense with .989 fielding percentage was also tops in the NL with a league low 67 errors. Jeff Francis tied a team record with 17 wins this year and has anchored a so-so Rockies pitching staff that has played well over the last month.
Fast Fact: Todd Helton played 1516 games before getting to the postseason

Phillies Key Players
Slugger Ryan Howard despite his nearly 200 strikeouts is the feared bat but multi-talented Jimmy Rollins is engine of the offense His 20+ steals (41) , doubles (38 ) , triples (20) , and homers (30) make him a worthy MVP candidate as well. Cole Hamels is the pitching ace of the Phillies winning 15 and wily veteran Jamie Moyer adds badly needed experience to a relatively young pitching staff.
Fast Fact: Jimmy Rollins set an ML record for AB in a season with 716

Breakdown
Both teams come in nuclear hot. The Phils winning 13 of their last 17 and the Rockies winning a mind blowing 14 of 15 to barge into the postseason. Both teams can hit, but it will come down to the pitching and I think that the Phils have just a little more of a pitching edge. This will be a fun series to watch as both teams play a scrappy, high scoring type of game. Both venues will be loud and the Phils having the home field edge will be critical.
Pick-Phillies in 5

Diamondbacks (90-72 NL West Champs) vs Cubs (85-77 NL Central Champs)

Series Schedule All Times EDT and shown on TBS (except where noted)
Game 1 10/3 @ Arizona 10p
Game 2 10/4 @ Arizona 10p
Game 3 10/6 @ Chicago 6p
If Needed
Game 4 10/7 @ Chicago 1p (On TNT)
Game 5 10/9 @ Arizona 10p

2007 Season Series
Diamondbacks won 4-2

First Postseason Meeting: Diamondbacks last appearance 2002, Cubs last appearance 2003

Diamondbacks Key Players
Orlando Hudson led the team a .294 batting average and Chris Young banged out 32 Homers. Eric Byrnes is the key run scorer and run producer scoring 103 times and knocking in 83. The D-Backs ranked near the bottom of the NL in batting average but were a strong pirching squad Brandon Webb winning 18 games and Jose Valverde saving 47 and holding opposing batters to a microscopic .196 average
Fast Fact: The Diamondbacks have made the playoffs 4 times in their 10 year existance

Cubs Key Players
Derek Lee provides the pop, Well traveled Alfonso Soriano hits for average and Aramis Ramirez knocks in the runs. None of these players were homegrown, but all jelled quickly together. Carlos Zambrano is the hyper leader of the pitching staff, and led the team with 18 wins. Ted Lilly is a capable 2nd starter. Kerry Wood suddenly emerged as a bullpen ace as a late season addition.
Fast Fact: The Cubs became the first NL Central team to win the division after finishing last the previous season.

Breakdown
This is a series of contrasts and contradictions. The D-Backs are light hitting and have no superstar, but their 90 wins were tops in the NL. The Cubs won 85 games, fewest of any playoff team but were the first NL team to clinch a postseason berth. Both teams have strong pitching but the Cubs are playoff tested. The D-Backs are much different than the veteran laden team that made the playoff three of four years between 1999-2001. Both teams will rely on their pitching aces, but I think the Cubs hitting trio will be too much for the Baby-Backs to handle.
Pick-Cubs in 4


Red Sox (96-66 AL East Champs) vs Angels (94-68 AL West Champs)

Series Schedule Times TBD all games shown on TBS
Game 1 10 /3 @ Boston
Game 2 10/5 @ Boston
Game 3 10/7 @ Los Angeles
(If Needed)
Game 4 10/8 @ Los Angeles
Game 5 10/10 @ Boston

2007 Season Series
Red Sox won series 6-4

Last Playoff Meeting
Red Sox Swept Angels in 2004 ALDS

Red Sox Key Players
You dont speak of the Sox with out talking about the big hammers David "Big Papi" Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. But the Sox have so many more weapons. Jason Varitek is the respected and beloved captain and directs a strong pitching staff led by 20 game winner Josh Beckett, ageless knuckleballer Tim Wakefield and pricey but inconsistent Daisuke Matsuzaka.. Oh and they have some guy named Schilling who has a bit of playoff expereince too.
Cincy product Kevin Youkilis has a smart bat with some pop as does Mike Lowell at 3B. Rookie of the Year front runner Dustin Pedroia complements all with sound defense and a good bat to boot

Angels Key Players
Vladmir Guerrero is the feared bat in this lineup but you miss the essence of the Angels if you overlook Howie Kendrick and Orlando Cabrera have provided and up the middle punch and solid defense. Garret Anderson and Gary Matthews Jr. have been hampered by injuries by injuries as have Guerrero and Kendrick, but all players are getting healthy at the right time. The Angels have a seriously underrated pitching staff as John Lackey and Kelvim Esobar have been the 1-2 punch to make up for the disappointing season from Bartolo Colon and with Frankie "K-Rod" Rodriguez at the back end of the bullpen. The Angels have a serious hammer to close out games.

Breakdown
You're crazy if you think the Sox will roll up the Angels. Both teams have serious pop and pitchers who can deal. The Beckett/Lackey Matchup in game 1 will be the key. I think the Sox have just enough to edge the Angels but this series will go five. Ortiz and Guerrero cancel each other out, but ManRam may just be enough to get the Sox past a dangerous Angels Squad
Pick-Red Sox in 5

Yankees (94-68 Wild Card Winner) vs Indians (96-66 AL Central Champions)

Series Schedule Times TBD all games shown on TBS
Game 1 10/4 @ Cleveland
Game 2 10/5 @ Cleveland
Game 3 10/7 @ New York
If Needed
Game 4 10/8 @ New York
Game 5 10/10 @ Cleveland

2007 Season Series
Yankees won 6-0

Last Playoff Meeting
Yankees beat Indians 4-2 in 1998 ALCS

Indians Key Players
The Indians have more or less flown under the radar all season, but the Indians have five players with 20+ homers. Victor Martinez leads the team in batting and homers, but Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner also have great defense and pop in their bat as well. The real strength of the Tribe is their pitching. C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona can shut down a lineup and have 19 wins apiece. Paul Byrd is a well traveled vet who quietly won 15 games and is a great 3rd option.

Yankees Key Players
You start with runaway MVP candidate Alex Rodriguez who's mind blowing season makes him the focal point of this lineup. He has carried the Yanks all season. Yankee Captain Derek Jeter has had his usual steady season. Robinson Cano has provided pop no matter where he is in the lineup. And Hideki Matsui has been solid. And of course Jorge Posada has also provided leadership to a young pitching staff. The Yanks have had real inconsistent pitching. Cheng Ming-Wang won 19 but behind that the names are big Mussina, Petite and Clemens but the numbers have not.

Breakdown
The Indians are young and full of fire, The Yanks are the wily vets. ARod now bears the brunt of a monster season to weigh on his playoff failures. I think that though the Yanks are not the feared team of old, they have enough in the tank to get by a Indians team that are not quite ready for prime time.
Pick- Yankees in 4