MLB Predictions: A Complete Breakdown of the 2011 Postseason
This is the final installment if a seven-part series predicting the records of each team.
And now, the playoffs.
The teams that make the postseason in this installment are based on previous years.
Now that the 2011 season is closer than ever, as Opening Day is only eight days away, we writers are giving our preseason predictions, and these are mine. Through careful analysis of records, schedules, transactions and more, I have compiled my postseason picks.
Now it’s time to break them down.
Matchups in the postseason are incredible, and they always provide fireworks. The ability to play five or seven games against your opponent is what makes baseball great. The best teams usually come out on top, but sometimes we have surprises, like the 2008 Phillies or 2010 Giants.
These next slides are my predictions of each postseason series and breakdowns of each series. Sure, the postseason is over seven months away, but it’s never too early.
NLDS Series 1: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Cincinnati Reds
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The Phillies added Cliff Lee to make their pitching rotation even stronger. The Phillies now have the best four-man rotation in baseball. This four-man rotation will carry them through the playoffs, for sure.
The Phillies suffered a ton of injuries in 2010, and during this year's spring training, they’ve suffered a few more.
The Phils lost Jayson Werth, but he had a terrible RISP and he did not produce much during the postseason. While Werth was an All-Star at one point, he did not produce when it mattered, and a healthy offense will help them much more than Werth.
Even if the Phillies aren’t fully healthy, they are still dangerous.
The Reds were the biggest surprise of 2010 and they have not lost too much. Joey Votto carried the team, but the rest of the team was quite good, too. The pitching staff was pretty good, but the offense was incredible.
In this matchup, I am looking forward to seeing Roy Halladay pitch against the Reds, because the last time he did, he threw a no-hitter. The Phillies pitching staff and the Reds offense are the two sides to watch, but I like the Phillies pitching over the Reds offense.
Prediction: The Phillies will win the series, 3-1.
NLDS Series 2: San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves
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The Giants are the reigning World Series champions, and they are looking to repeat.
Unfortunately for the Giants, they are running into the Braves, who I have penciled in for 96 wins and the Wild Card spot. The Braves’ new second baseman, Dan Uggla, makes the offense even more dangerous, and they are looking to beat the Giants this time.
Both of these teams have excellent pitching staffs. The Giants are led by ace Tim Lincecum and are solid through their first five, but they will only use four in the postseason. The Braves are led by Tim Hudson and have a dangerous first four.
The deciding factor in this series is the offense, and the Braves have a clear edge in that department.
Dan Uggla solidifies the lineup, and they now have enough firepower to beat the Giants.
Prediction: Braves win the series, 3-2, revenge from 2010.
ALDS Series 1: Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles of Anaheim
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The Boston Red Sox might be the most improved team this offseason and the Angels are looking to regain their throne atop the AL West.
The Red Sox went out and acquired Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Dan Wheeler in the offseason, and they didn’t lose much. The Red Sox now have the best corner infielders in the game in Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis.
The Red Sox also have a great playoff rotation, being able to pick four guys from Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buchholz and Daisuke Matsuzaka, some of the best pitchers in the game.
The Angels boast a great pitching staff, led by Jered Weaver and Dan Haren. The Angels finished below .500 last year because of injuries, but coming back healthy is going to be a boost for them.
I see the Red Sox beating the Angels because they are slightly better in both facets of the game.
Prediction: The Red Sox win the series, 3-0, the only sweep.
ALDS Series 2: Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
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The Tigers landed Victor Martinez this offseason to provide some protection for Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers offense looks better and their pitching is still led by ace Justin Verlander.
The Tigers are a very solid team, overall.
The Yankees always seem to make the postseason, and 2011 will be no exception. The Yankees have a great offense, and while Andy Pettitte retired, they will still have a great pitch staff led by CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes.
The interesting part of this series is how the Yankees' pitchers will fare without Pettitte. The Yankees’ only weak spot is pitching, and the Tigers need to take advantage of that. Overall, I think that the Yankees are the better team and they will win the series, but it will be close.
Prediction: The Yankees will win, 3-2, and it will be incredibly close.
NLCS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves
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It’s an NL East matchup, and it’s also the teams with the best records in the NL.
As I have said, the Phillies’ four-man rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels is the best in MLB and they have possibly the two best postseason pitchers in the game today. The Braves have a great pitching staff, too, and they also have a great offense.
In terms of pitching, I give the edge to the Phillies, and by a decent-sized margin because they have four legitimate aces.
In terms of offense, I give the Braves the edge, but the margin is not too wide.
Overall, I will give the series to the Phillies, but if they have any serious injuries at this time, they might not win it.
Prediction: The Phillies will win the series, 4-2, and the NL East champions will go to the World Series.
ALCS: Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
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Boston’s new acquisitions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez will better their lineup even more. These two, along with Youkilis and Pedroia, make up an incredible lineup, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
Boston’s combination of hitting and pitching make them a great team and give them an edge in any matchup they face.
The Yankees’ loss of Pettitte sets them back behind the Red Sox, despite their awesome lineup.
I give the edge to the Red Sox, but this rivalry has proven that anything is possible, including a comeback from being down 0-3.
Prediction: The Red Sox win the series, 4-3, but the Yankees will fight their rivals to then end.
World Series: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Boston Red Sox
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By now, you know about these two teams, but let’s just touch on some of the more important points.
The Phillies have the best four-man rotation in baseball, but the Red Sox are in the top three.
The Red Sox have a spectacular offense, but the Phillies still have a good mix of contact, power and speed.
Both teams are great in every aspect of the game, so this will be an awesome series.
The Red Sox lineup includes Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis.
The Phillies lineup includes: Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco, Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins (whose play could very well decide the series).
These teams are both absolutely incredible, and this series will provide enough fireworks to make you want to watch every game. The pitching matchups in this series will all contain aces, and there will be awesome pitcher-hitter matchups galore.
The question is: Which team will be better?
I cannot stress enough how incredibly close these teams are, but I give the edge to the Red Sox.
The Phillies are an injury-riddled team and they have already suffered injuries to Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco and Brad Lidge this spring training. Their only flaw is their bullpen, which has gotten better, but is still a weak spot. Brad Lidge is still shaky, and this will be their downfall.
As a Phillies fan and featured columnist, I consider myself unbiased, and I can honestly see the holes in their game. The Phillies are overrated this year because of their pitching, and their lack of a closer and a powerful right-handed bat will hurt them.
Prediction: The Red Sox will win the series, 4-3. If the AL wins the All-Star game, it will definitely go to Boston, but if the NL wins, it could be the other way, though I still like the Red Sox.
