MLB Playoff Schedule 2013: When and Where to Catch Every Game of the Postseason

Who needs football when you have playoff baseball?

The 2013 MLB postseason will begin on Tuesday, when two National League teams play to determine who gets the only NL wild-card spot. For an entire month, baseball fans will be treated to some history-making moments.

The lack of a great team in either league should make for more drama as well. You could very easily see either of the wild-card teams making a run to the World Series.

You've got plenty of teams in the old guard of MLB that have become fixtures in the postseason mixed in with smaller-market teams looking to capitalize on their windows of success.

In addition, plenty of players will be looking to bolster their resumes with strong showings in the postseason. Stars can make or break their careers in October.

Here's the full schedule of games, followed by four players who will need to step up in a big way in order to ensure playoff success for their teams.

Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland Indians

Having watched Ubaldo Jimenez for the last three years, his reemergence in 2013 couldn't have come as more of a shock. While he's not quite as good as he was back in 2009 and '10 with the Colorado Rockies, Jimenez has been more than adequate for the Cleveland Indians.

The problem is that the 29-year-old is probably good enough to be a very good No. 3 or No. 4 starter on a postseason team. For the Tribe, he's the ace of the staff. Justin Masterson is just coming off an injury and may be used in the bullpen.

At the very least, the Indians will need Jimenez to win his start in the ALDS and possibly even the wild-card playoff to get into the postseason.

If the Indians go further, the more Terry Francona will lean on Jimenez to be the tone-setter in the starting rotation.

Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers

Upon Yasiel Puig's emergence during the summer, the Los Angeles Dodgers went 57-25. The rookie was on a tear, hitting .349 with 13 home runs while driving in 31 runs.

However, Puig has cooled off a lot in September, with his average dropping to .222. As a result, the Dodgers have only gone 12-13.

It's a drop not all that dissimilar to Mike Trout's last year. Rookies always have that adjustment period at the end of the season. If Los Angeles is going to advance out of the NLDS, though, Puig must break out of his funk that he's in.

The Dodgers offense isn't so good that it can withstand having one of its most important players underwhelming in the playoffs.

Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

There isn't so much a problem with Andrew McCutchen struggling as there is a need for him to just be his usual regular-season self for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This is a moment that has been building for decades. When McCutchen hit that walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009, though, you sensed that something special was brewing in PNC Park.

Pirates fans will just be happy to have postseason baseball again. Pittsburgh could be swept or knocked out in the wild-card playoff, and that won't change what's happened to the organization. However, it would be great to see McCutchen and the Pirates have their moment in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh has a very good pitching staff, but if its star outfielder isn't there to carry the offense, it could be in trouble.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Maybe that huge contract extension for Justin Verlander wasn't quite the most brilliant decision the Detroit Tigers have made in recent years. The 30-year-old saw declines in wins, strikeouts and earned run average, while also giving up 17 more hits and 14 more walks in 26 fewer innings than 2012.

One would expect some regression after his performance in 2011 and '12, but just not quite as quickly.

Verlander's drop this season has been covered up by how great Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer have been.

In a five- or seven-game series, though, the Tigers cannot afford to have their best pitcher at anything other than his best, especially against a great pitching team like the Oakland A's.