MLB Opening Day 2012: Potential Postseason Previews in First Weekend

It's been a long time coming, and there were several false starts along the way, but we have finally, finally arrived at Opening Day.

Thursday is the first full day of the 2012 MLB regular season, and most teams will be making their regular season debuts. Those that aren't will make their debuts on Friday. If you feel like calling in sick to work or already have called in sick, just know that you have done absolutely nothing wrong.

There are a lot of games to be played between now and the postseason, so the first games of the season mean relatively little in the grand scheme of things. But you never know. Some of the matchups we're getting to start the season might just crop up again once we get to the playoffs.

There are five opening series in particular that look like playoff previews.

Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers

It's going to take a collective collapse beyond reckoning for the Tigers to miss out on the postseason this year. They're one of the strongest teams in the American League, and they're head and shoulders above the rest of the AL Central.

The division is theirs to lose.

The Red Sox, on the other hand, are going to need a lot of things to go right in order to make the postseason. The top three starters in their rotation need to stay healthy and productive, and they need the back end of their rotation to stay consistent.

They also need their patchwork bullpen to stay together. They'll win some games on the strength of their offense, but their pitching is a huge concern.

Still, the Red Sox are going to be in the wild-card hunt when the end of the season comes around. If they can avoid another disastrous September, they could very well earn a postseason berth.

If so, the Sox and Tigers could meet in the AL Division Series. The winner of the play-in Wild Card Game gets to play the No. 1 seed in the American League, and that could be the Tigers this year. They have the goods to win 100 games.

Since we'd be talking about two teams with powerful lineups and multiple aces, I'm of the mind it would be a great series.

Miami Marlins vs. Cincinnati Reds

The Marlins have as much collective talent as any team in the National League. They have a deep and talented rotation, a lineup that is stacked with both power and speed and a bullpen that is led by one of the best closers in baseball in Heath Bell.

The NL East is winnable this year.

The Phillies had it in the bag from the get-go last season, but this year, their offensive woes are going to make it tough for them to repeat. If all of Miami's pieces come together, it may actually run away with the division.

There's a train of thought out there that the NL Central is the Reds' division to lose. That's a bit much, but they'll be able to win it if their starting pitching pans out, and if they get key contributions from the assorted youngsters in their lineup.

They'll also need Sean Marshall to be steady closing games out in place of Ryan Madson.

Even if one team has to settle for a wild-card berth, this could still end up being a National League Division Series matchup. If not, you obviously can't rule out the possibility of this matchup taking place in the NL Championship Series. 

Both of these teams feature some good, young stars, so watching them go head to head would be tons of fun.

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays

It's going to be a huge disappointment if the Yankees don't make the playoffs this year, whether as the AL East champion or as a Wild Card. They're old in a few key areas, but they still have more than enough talent to make a run at the postseason.

The Rays are a scary team because of their starting pitching. Theirs is one of the deepest and most talented rotations in baseball. They have four potential aces in James Shields, David Price, Jeremy Hellickson and Matt Moore. Their pitching will allow them to make the postseason, and their pitching will make them dangerous in a short series.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if these two teams met in the AL Division Series. One of them is going to get into the playoffs as a Wild Card, and this year, there's no rule against teams from the same division meeting in the ALDS. 

If they happen to meet in the ALCS instead, so be it. That would be just as awesome. 

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Milwaukee Brewers

The Cardinals looked pretty good in their season opener against the Marlins. That doesn't mean they're a lock to make the playoffs, but anybody who thinks the Cardinals are doomed without Albert Pujols and Tony La Russa needs to think again.

Similarly, the loss of Prince Fielder is not going to doom the Brewers. They'll miss his offense, to be sure, but nobody should be too quick to underestimate how good Milwaukee's pitching is.

The Brewers starting rotation is outstanding, and so is their bullpen. They can pitch their way to the playoffs this year.

One of these two teams could easily win the division. The hard part will be snagging a wild-card berth, as there are going to be a lot of teams in the wild-card race in the National League this season. Whoever finishes second in the NL Central will not be guaranteed a wild-card berth.

The Cardinals and Brewers gave us an entertaining series in the NLCS last year. A postseason series between the two of them in 2012 would have a different flavor, but it would still be fun.

San Francisco Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

One of these two teams is going to win the NL West. They're both well ahead of the other three teams in the division.

The Giants are scary because of their pitching, as their rotation has three aces in it, and their bullpen is absolutely loaded with quality arms.

They'll need their key bats to stay healthy, especially Buster Posey, but their offense won't be any worse than it was in 2011, when it was epically  horrible.

The Diamondbacks have to like their pitching as well. They have two co-aces in Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson, and they added depth by trading for Trevor Cahill.

If they need pitching help this season, they have some excellent young arms in their system that are ready to contribute. Offensively, they're going to hit a ton of home runs. 

In a postseason series, the Giants and D-Backs would put on a pitching clinic. Sign me up.