MLB Playoff Schedule: Power Ranking Each Team's Path To World Series
After 162 games, the Major League Baseball postseason is finally here.
The 2010 playoffs has it all, from powerhouses like the Yankees and Phillies, to upstart teams like the Braves and Giants.
The games start Wednesday when the Texas Rangers travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays, followed by the Reds against the Phillies, and the Yankees against the Twins.
But before the first pitch has even been thrown, it already looks like some teams have positioned themselves as early favorites to play in the World Series.
Of course, that's why the games are played. If everything happened the way it was supposed to, then the predictability of it all would stop millions of fans from watching the game.
My predictions might be a little out of the norm, but not impossible. After all, anything can happen in October.
Here are my MLB playoff predictions, and a look at which teams will have the easiest path to the World Series.
MLB Playoff Predictions: Giants Vs. Yankees in World Series
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American League Divisional Series:
Yankees over Twins in four games.
Rangers over Rays in five games.
ALDS:
Yankees over Rangers in five games.
National League Divisional Series:
Phillies over Reds in four games.
Giants over Braves in four games.
World Series:
Yankees over Giants in six games.
8. Atlanta Braves
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: While the Reds will go against a talented pitching rotation themselves, the Braves will face three studs for San Francisco: Lincecum, Cain, and Sanchez. Neither the Giants or Braves have great offenses, so whichever offense is good enough in this series will come out on top.
I know he's a rookie, but Braves rookie Jason Heyward will have to step up for Atlanta to have a chance.
NLCS Pitfalls: If the Braves win, they'll either face an offensive team (the Reds) or another nasty pitching trio against Philadelphia. I think the Phillies will be there, and they have something that the Braves don't: experience.
Will Atlanta be able to overcome a team that's been there twice in as many years? The Braves will have to bring the wood to do so.
World Series Issues: If the Braves are going to have any shot at knocking off the AL Champion, it's going to be because of their pitching. Atlanta's pitching staff ranks third in ERA and seventh in batting average allowed.
That trend needs to continue for the Braves to win a World Series championship.
7. San Francisco Giants
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: The Giants offense, with offensive numbers that are average at best across the board, isn't going to scare any opposing pitching staffs. It likely won't produce many runs against a Braves pitching staff that doesn't give up many.
The Giants have three of the top four pitchers in this series, however, and that is precisely what will get them past it.
NLCS Pitfalls: Someone has to step up for the Giants offense in a series against the Phillies or Reds. Pedestrian offensive numbers aren't going to get it done against arguably the top two offenses in the National League.
For all of the hype that Jason Heyward gets, Giants rookie Buster Posey may actually be the most important NL rookie in the 2010 postseason.
World Series Issues: Just like the divisional series and NLCS, San Francisco is going to need offensive production. Some production, from somewhere.
Posey might have to be the guy in this case as well, which is asking a lot from a rookie.
6. Texas Rangers
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: The Rangers' starting pitchers have to be better in the postseason than they were during the regular season, when they ranked 25th overall in quality starts.
Can Cliff Lee out-duel Rays pitcher David Price? He'll have to, against a Rays team that ranks third in the league in runs scored.
ALCS Pitfalls: It would be much of the same for the Rangers in a series against the Twins or Yankees. Minnesota and New York absolutely rake at the plate, and a lack of quality starting pitching is a feast in the eyes of these team's hitters.
In all likelihood, Cliff Lee will have to pitch on two days rest, and give two stellar outings.
World Series Issues: I know it seems redundant—and it is—but pitching is the key to any World Series championship team. Lee and the rest of the Rangers staff will have to step up, or Josh Hamilton better bring the lumber.
5. Cincinnati Reds
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: Cincinnati had no problem swinging the stick during the regular season. The Reds offense led the National League in runs, hits, homeruns, RBI, total bases, and slugging percentage.
But will the offense show up against the Phillies when the Reds face Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels? Cincinnati will have to out-slug Philadelphia to make it past the divisional series.
NLCS Pitfalls: The Reds aren't going to match up with the Braves or Giants pitching-wise, which means Cincinnati will have to get a lot out of its offense against two good pitching staffs. A more ideal match-up for Joey Votto and the Reds would be against the Giants.
Cincinnati would face quality pitching in either series, but the Braves are a better-hitting club.
World Series Issues: Can the Reds pitching staff—a middle of the road group—stop teams like the Yankees or Rays? Cincinnati would have a hard time preventing those teams from scoring runs.
4. Minnesota Twins
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: Minnesota is entering the postseason after losing eight of 10 games against teams with no shot of making the playoffs. Is that a sign of things to come, or Minnesota's way of "resting" for the playoffs?
The Twins will have to play better than they have been for the series against the Yankees to even be close.
ALCS Pitfalls: Make no mistake about it: the Twins will miss Justin Morneau's presence in the lineup.
Has Minnesota been good without him? Yes. Are the playoffs a whole different story? Yes.
World Series Issues: The Twins were much better at Target Field (54-28) than they were on the road. The NL representative in the World Series will have home field advantage.
Minnesota won't have the luxury of playing at home, where the Twins are an entirely different ball club.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: The Phillies come into this series as the most experienced team in the National League, but the Reds enter this matchup with one heck of an offense and an underrated pitching staff.
The first two games of the series are at Citizens' Bank Park, where the Reds have not win in their last six attempts. If Philadelphia keeps winning games at home, this series will be over before it even starts.
NLCS Pitfalls: A potential NLCS showdown with the Giants could provide three great pitching match-ups. Philadelphia is the only team that's been there before, but San Francisco's pitching staff boasts the only rotation that can go neck and neck with the Phillies.
World Series Issues: For all the big names the Phillies have, their offense was pretty mediocre by the team's standards for most of the season. Philadelphia ranked 12th in batting average and 7th in runs scored.
In a potential rematch between the Yankees and Phillies, Philadelphia is going to rely on a little postseason magic from the guys who've been in the World Series the last two seasons.
2. Tampa Bay Rays
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: The Rays score a lot of runs—ranking third in the majors—but they'll need to against a a Rangers club that scores almost as much (fifth overall).
Carlos Pena hit just .196 during the regular season, and will play a key factor in Tampa's ability to play keep up with the Rangers.
ALCS Pitfalls: The Rays won the head-to-head season series with the Yankees 10-8, and a potential series with the Twins also bodes pretty well for the Rays. Tampa Bay would face a Minnesota with a pitching staff that tends to give up a lot of hits (24th in BAA).
However, David Price would have to be on his A-game against a Twins team that has the second best on-base percentage in all of baseball. Could Price pitch on three days rest to keep the Twins offense in check?
World Series Issues: The Rays' most likely opponent in the World Series would be the Phillies. Philadelphia was 54-30 at home during the regular season, and the Rays barely have any fans at their home games.
1. New York Yankees
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Divisional Series Roadblocks: The Twins are right up there with the Yankees in terms of offensive numbers—but still behind in the most important ones—and the Twins have home field advantage.
But the Yankees had the advantage of playing in the best division in the AL, and they are obviously the defending World Series champs. Still, the Twins hit (3rd in BA) and get on base (2nd in OBP).
ALCS Pitfalls: The Yankees pitching staff ranks 21st in quality starts, and is pretty unpredictable outside of C.C. Sabathia. What will New York get out of its other starting pitchers?
If they don't get much, that offense better come prepared.
World Series Issues: Those pitching problems will be following the Yankees to the World Series if they get there. Sabathia's fellow starters will need to provide him with some quality starts so that he doesn't have to pitch three times if the Series goes seven games.
