Predicting MLB's Postseason Matchups

With the temperature beginning to descend and the leaves beginning to fall, it can only mean that playoff baseball is once again on the horizon.

The 2011 MLB Playoffs gave us dominate pitching performances from players like Chris Carpenter, Matt Moore and Derek Holland, historic offensive production from Adrian Beltre and David Freese and the best World Series baseball has seen in decades.

This year, postseason regulars like the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers look to lockup their playoff spots and make a run in October, while teams like the Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics are looking to prove that luck is not the only reason they are still hanging around in September.

While the National League gives us a somewhat clearer picture of who will be playing postseason baseball, American League playoff spots are all still up for grabs.

Here are the predictions for this year’s wild card and division series matchups.

AL Wild Card Game: Angels (84-69) vs. Yankees (88-64)

There’s just something about the Los Angeles Angels this year that says “postseason.”

A combination of all-star caliber youth and a stable pitching staff will carry this team to claim the final wild card spot over the Oakland Athletics in the American League.

Mike Trout has put up MVP-like numbers, batting .325 with 28 homers and 78 RBIs, and Mark Trumbo is supplying his team with outstanding offensive production, slugging 31 home runs and 89 RBIs.

Their pitching has been shaky and inconsistent at times but has managed to stay healthy and intact for most of the season. This month, Angel’s pitching has managed to post a 2.71 ERA and lead their team to a 14-7 record thus far.

That LA pitching staff will be tasked with stopping the offensive juggernaut New York Yankees, who have crushed an MLB-high 224 home runs this season. The Bombers have been living and dying by the long ball and have yet to let up in that department.

But this isn’t your father’s Yankees.

This team has been one of the more mediocre Yankee teams in recent history, especially when it comes to pitching, but do not count them out.

The Yankees recent mediocrity will result in the Baltimore Orioles taking the division, in the end, but New York will still be an extremely dangerous team that no one will want to face in October.

If this game between Los Angeles and New York occurs, it will be one of the more talent-packed and memorable games of the playoffs.

I have to give the edge to the playoff savvy New York Yankees in this matchup.

Los Angeles' Projected Playoff Lineup:

CF Mike Trout

RF Tori Hunter

1B Albert Pujols

DH Kendrys Morales

2B Howie Kendrick

SS Erick Aybar

3B Alberto Callaspo

LF Vernon Wells

C Chris Iannetta

Projected Rotation:

SP Jered Weaver

SP C.J. Wilson

SP Dan Haren

SP Zack Greinke

SP Ervin Santana

New York's Projected Playoff Lineup:

SS Derek Jeter

CF Curtis Granderson

3B Alex Rodriguez

2B Robinson Cano

1B Mark Teixeira

RF Nick Swisher

LF Ichiro Suzuki

DH Raul Ibanez

C Russell Martin

Projected Rotation:

SP CC Sabathia

SP Hiroki Kuroda

SP Any Pettitte

SP Phil Hughes

SP Ivan Nova

NL Wild Card Game: Cardinals (82-71) vs. Braves (88-65)

Last year’s World Series champions have been missing the big bat of Albert Pujols in their lineup, but apparently not enough to miss the playoffs.

The Cardinals are still a pretty good team without their slugger.

Last year’s bench players have turned into successful every day starters, like Jon Jay, who has yet to commit an error in the outfield and is hitting a solid .306 at the dish.

The Atlanta Braves have their role players as well, including third baseman Chipper Jones who has proved to be more than just the team’s 40-year-old leader. Chipper is batting a very impressive .295 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs in the last season of his Hall of Fame career.

This matchup comes down to the Braves’ masterful pitching against Matt Holiday, Carlos Beltran and last year’s playoff hero David Freese, as well as the health of the Cardinals’ ace.

The health of Chris Carpenter is also a huge factor in the outcome of this series.

Fresh off the disabled list, the Cardinals need him to pitch like the Cy Young Award winning ace hitters fear.

The Cardinals should have enough weapons to dismantle the Braves in the end.

Atlanta's Projected Playoff Lineup:

CF Michael Bourn

3B Chipper Jones

RF Jason Heyward

C Brian McCann

1B Freddy Freeman

2B Dan Uggla

LF Martin Prado

SS Andrelton Simmons

Projected Rotation:

SP Tim Hudson

SP Tommy Hanson

SP Mike Minor

SP Kris Medlen

SP Paul Maholm

St. Louis' Projected Playoff Lineup:

CF Jon Jay

1B Allen Craig

LF Matt Holliday

RF Carlos Beltran

3B David Freese

C Yadier Molina

2B Skip Schumaker

SS Pete Kozma

Projected Rotation:

SP Chris Carpenter

SP Adam Wainwright

SP Kyle Lohse

SP Lance Lynn

SP Jake Westbrook

AL Division Series: Yankees (88-64) vs. Rangers (90-62)

The Texas Rangers have been the best team in the AL all season, and it doesn't look like they’re letting up anytime soon.

This Texas team is one of the more balanced teams in the league, bringing strong pitching and a powerful offense to each game.

Matt Harrison has established himself as the true ace in the staff, posting 17 wins this season with a 3.17 ERA, while teammates Yu Darvish and Derek Holland haven’t had a poor start in over a month.

The midseason acquisition of Ryan Dempster was simply perfect, as he provided the final piece in an already well put together championship puzzle.

Dempster is 6-2 in his nine starts for the Rangers.

Strong starting pitching and the bats of Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre will be what carry the Rangers to a rout of the Yanks in the division series.

But watch out Rangers fans, this Yankee bullpen is no joke and offensively, this team is capable of slugging their way to a victory.

Texas' Projected Playoff Lineup:

2B Ian Kinsler

SS Elvis Andrus

CF Josh Hamilton

3B Adrian Beltre

RF Nelson Cruz

1B Michael Young

LF David Murphy

DH Mike Napoli

C Giovanni Soto

Projected Rotation:

SP Matt Harrison

SP Yu Darvish

SP Derek Holland

SP Ryan Dempster

New York's Projected Playoff Lineup:

SS Derek Jeter

CF Curtis Granderson

3B Alex Rodriguez

2B Robinson Cano

1B Mark Teixeira

RF Nick Swisher

LF Ichiro Suzuki

DH Raul Ibanez

C Russell Martin

SP CC Sabathia

SP Hiroki Kuroda

SP Any Pettitte

SP Phil Hughes

SP Ivan Nova

AL Division Series: Tigers (80-72) vs. Orioles (87-65)

The Detroit Tigers have too much talent not to win the AL Central pennant.

After slowly creeping up in the standings, they currently sit one game behind the collapsing Chicago White Sox.

This Detroit team comes fully loaded with plenty offensive weapons, including MVP-candidate Miguel Cabrera, who is well on his way to becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.

Cabrera is currently batting .332 with 41 home runs and 131 RBIs.

Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera are the best three-four hitter combination in baseball and impossible for a team like the Baltimore Orioles to shut down.

For the birds to win this series their young pitchers need to contain Detroit’s role players and keep them off the bases. If the Orioles can keep players like Austin Jackson, Delmon Young and Jhonny Peralta at bay, they can avoid giving Cabrera and Fielder a chance to hit with runners in scoring position.

Pitchers like Jason Hammel, Wei-Yin Chen and Chris Tillman won’t be able to keep up with the talented and experienced rotation the Tigers bring to the table.

In the end, a veteran rotation led by AL MVP Justin Verlander will prove too much for the Orioles' lineup.

Baltimore's Projected Playoff Lineup:

LF Nate McLouth

SS J.J. Hardy

CF Adam Jones

C Matt Wieters

RF Nick Markakis

1B Mark Reynolds

DH Chris Davis

3B Manny Machado

2B Robert Andino

Projected Rotation:

SP Jason Hammel

SP Joe Saunders

SP Wei-Yin Chen

SP Chris Tillman

SP Miguel Gonzalez

Detroit's Projected Playoff Lineup:

CF Austin Jackson

LF Quintin Berry

3B Miguel Cabrera

1B Prince Fielder

DH Delmon Young

RF Brennan Boesch

2B Omar Infante

SS Jhonny Peralta

C Alex Avila

Projected Rotation:

SP Justin Verlander

SP Matt Scherzer

SP Doug Fister

SP Rick Porcello

SP Anibal Sanchez

NL Division Series: Cardinals (82-71) vs. Reds (92-61)

The Cincinnati Reds have proved to be one of the more resilient ball clubs in the majors and will beat out the Washington Nationals for the best record in baseball.

The Reds are well-coached under Dusty Baker and have one of the better rotations in baseball, even if it lacks the standout names.

Johnny Cueto has been a stud, going 18-9 in 31 starts this season while posting a 2.84 ERA and fanning 159 hitters. Pitchers Matt Latos, Bronson Arroyo and Homer Bailey have all managed sub-four ERAs this season as well.

If the St. Louis Cardinals can make it out of the wild card game, they will have to match up with this very good Cincinnati Reds club.

With Reds slugger Joey Votto now healthy and fresh off a nine-game hitting streak, this Cardinal lineup is going to need to bring their A-game and go hit-for-hit with players like Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips if they have any chance at knocking off this talented Reds team.

Cincinnati has been too consistently good to lose a first-round playoff series this year, but don’t sleep on the Cards, who amassed seven wins in thirteen games against the Reds this season.

Cincinnati's Projected Playoff Lineup:

2B Brandon Phillips

CF Drew Stubbs

1B Joey Votto

RF Jay Bruce

3B Todd Frazier

LF Ryan Ludwick

SS Zack Cozart

C Ryan Hanigan

Projected Rotation:

SP Johnny Cueto

SP Matt Latos

SP Bronson Arroyo

SP Homer Bailey

SP Mike Leake

St. Louis' Projected Playoff Lineup:

CF Jon Jay

1B Allen Craig

LF Matt Holliday

RF Carlos Beltran

3B David Freese

C Yadier Molina

2B Skip Schumaker

SS Pete Kozma

Projected Rotation:

SP Chris Carpenter

SP Adam Wainwright

SP Kyle Lohse

SP Lance Lynn

SP Jake Westbrook

NL Division Series: Giants (89-64) vs. Nationals (92-60)

Solid pitching characterizes these Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants ball clubs.

Washington has pitched better than any other team in the National League, led by their ace and 20-game winner Gio Gonzalez. Their 3.27 team ERA is the lowest in the NL and second only to the Tampa Bay Rays for best in baseball.

But then there’s this season’s most controversial managerial move—shutting down Nationals’ ace Stephen Strasburg, who went 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA and 197 strikeouts this season.

The Giants 3.68 team ERA is good for fifth-best in the NL, not bad.

But with a Giants management that has decided not to bring back outfielder Melky Cabrera for the postseason after he failed a drug test this month, the team is going to have to pitch like the best team in baseball to compete with this young Washington lineup.

The spotlight has been on 19-year-old rookie sensation Bryce Harper this season, but it’s been players like Ian Desmond, Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman who have contributed to this high-powered offense on the cusp of their first NL East pennant.

In the end, it will be the Nationals’ pitching, even without Strasburg, that propels them to a victory over the Giants.

Washington’s Projected Playoff Lineup:

RF Jason Werth

CF Bryce Harper

3B Ryan Zimmerman

1B Adam LaRoche

LF Michael Morse

SS Ian Desmond

2B Danny Espinosa

C Kurt Suzuki

Projected Rotation:

SP Gio Gonzalez

SP Jordan Zimmermann

SP Ross Detwiler

SP Edwin Jackson

SP John Lannan

San Francisco’s Projected Playoff Lineup:

CF Gregor Blanco

2B Marco Scutaro

C Buster Posey

3B Pablo Sandoval

RF Hunter Pence

1B Brandon Belt

LF Xavier Nady

SS Brandon Crawford

Projected Rotation:

SP Matt Cain

SP Tim Lincecum

SP Madison Bumgarner

SP Ryan Vogelsong

SP Barry Zito