Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees:
Is it better to be hot or to be a better team? Minnesota has now won 17 out of 21 to get into the playoffs and their similarities to the 2007 Rockies are eerily close. They have one of the best hitters in baseball, a rocking bandbox of a park that should provide them homefield advantage, and the dreaded "nobody believed in us factor". That being said, I can't see them pulling this one out. The Yankees dominate at almost every position and the starting pitching match-ups all favor the Yankees. The Twins are hot and confident right now so I can see them pulling out a game. But I see the Yankees continuing their dominance over the Twins from this regular season and the recent playoffs and so I'm taking the Yankees in 4.
Joe Girardi breaks down the Twins (via Tyler Kepner). Sam Borden says that the Yankees have chemistry in mass quantities...and a great graphic to go with it.
Boston Red Sox @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:
Despite my joking around about rule changes, the rules will stay in effect...and the Angels will run on the Red Sox. How do the Red Sox stop that? Don't allow baserunners. Jon Lester and Josh Beckett are strikeout pitchers who need to limit the guys they allow on base. If Boston can take one of the first two games of the series in Anaheim, the Angels may be in a bit of trouble. This has not been a kind match-up to the Angels in the past few years, and I do see this team as being different, but if they couldn't beat the Red Sox last year with Mark Teixeira and K-Rod, I don't think they'll have much more success with Kendry Morales and Brian Fuentes. Jonathan Papelbon walks the tightrope, but he gets out of it. Fuentes I don't have that much faith in...especially in Fenway. I've gone back-and-forth in this series, but I think, in the end, we'll see the Red Sox pull it out in 5.
Not surprisingly, 5 out of 6 Boston Globe sportswriters picked Boston, according to the LA Times. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer picks the Red Sox in 4. Ken Rosenthal thinks that the Angels will run all over the Red Sox and win in 5.
Colorado Rockies @ Philadelphia Phillies:
These two teams have good pitching staffs, but I predict a lot of runs in this series because they both play in huge offensive parks. These are the last two NL pennant winners so both have playoff experience. But I believe the Phillies winning it all last year will give them that added advantage here. The one problem for the Phillies has to be their closer as Brad Lidge has not been the same guy who was perfect all of last year. But Cliff Lee has the ability to go all the way and I think the Phillies do as well so I got the Phillies eeking by 3-2.
Ed Price from AOL FanHouse says that the weather could wreak havoc on this series (a la last year's World Series). A former Yankee could be part of the postseason roster for the Phils, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
St. Louis Cardinals @ Los Angeles Dodgers:
What is more important? Starting pitching or relief pitching? St. Louis has Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter going in games 1 and 2. Los Angeles has a deep bullpen in front of Jonathan Broxton. Both teams have big hitters in the middle of the lineup: MannyBeingManny vs. Sir Albert, Matt Kemp vs. Matt Holliday, etc. I've been back-and-forth on this series. I just think that, in the end, superior starting pitching wins playoff games. The Dodgers have been just going through the motions in the second half and I'm not sure they can flip the switch. I'm going to go against my original gut and pick the Cards in 5.
Sean Forman picks the Dodgers because he says the Cardinals played much worse competition the entire season and the Dodgers were legitimately a 95-win team and the best team in the NL by a wide margin. The New York Times has some more NL storylines.
Other "experts":
- Sam Borden has the Yankees in 3, the Phillies in 4, the Dodgers in 5 and the Angels in 5.
- LyfLines uses a "scientific" formula and has the Yankees (in a sweep), Red Sox, Rockies and Cardinals (H/T Rob Neyer)
- Jayson Stark picks the Yankees to go all the way
- 15 have the Yankees winning the World Series, 4 have the Cardinals, and 3 have the Red Sox
- 18 have the Yankees winning the AL Pennant, 3 have the Red Sox and 1 has the Angels
- 11 have the Cards winning the NL Pennant, 5 have the Phillies, 5 have the Dodgers, and 1 has the Rockies
- Not one person predicted the Yankees to lose in the first round
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment