MLB Playoff Schedule 2013: Ranking Most Compelling Possible Divisional Series

With two additional teams making the MLB playoffs these days, fans have the opportunity to root for the matchups they hope to see during the wild-card play-in games. 

Which got me to thinking—which matchups would I be most excited about seeing (including the divisional series already set in stone)? What compelling storylines or rivalries do I want to see played out on the October stage?

I'll share my picks below, including the full postseason schedule to follow. Be sure to include your thoughts in the comments.

*Watch postseason baseball live on TBS.com or your mobile device.

6. Cincinnati Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals

While the divisional rivalry aspect of this matchup would add to the intensity, there wouldn't be that many intriguing storylines here, right? Neither team is an upstart, there isn't a long and intense history of hatred between the clubs and neither team has too many players who move the needle.

It would be good, solid baseball, but it's the least compelling matchup for the average fan. 

5. Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox

Anytime you get a chance to see an AL East rivalry, it's a good thing. The Red Sox were one of the most surprising teams in baseball this year, while the Rays and manager Joe Maddon keep finding their way to the postseason.

Still, there are four series that would bring more intrigue to the table than this matchup. 

4. Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Outside of Cincinnati, everyone is rooting for the Pirates to win the play-in game, right? We'd all love to see the team mired in years upon years of futility get a full playoff series, right?

The Pirates have a start in Andrew McCutchen, a masher in Pedro Alvarez and one of the most solid pitching staffs in all of baseball. Add in a recent legacy of failure, and you have America's darlings in this postseason should they advance past Cincinnati. 

3. Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves

It turns out a series we are guaranteed to see is also one of the most compelling options. Both of these teams bring serious star power to the table and made headlines for dramatically improving before the season began.

In the Dodgers, you get Hanley Ramirez, Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. The Braves counter with Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann, Craig Kimbrel and Kris Medlen. 

The Braves won the season series, five games to two. Can they keep up their winning ways against LA with the pressure on?

2. Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox

C'mon, everyone wants to see Terry Francona face his old team after his unceremonious firing from the Red Sox in 2011 following the great "fried chicken" debacle. Now, he returns with a young, exciting Indians team that has the bats to hang with the equally dangerous Red Sox lineup.

The "return of Francona" storyline would get old fast, but beyond that, two of the best offenses in the American League would slug their way to a fun ALDS. 

1. Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics

From a purely baseball-driven perspective, this is the matchup I'm most intrigued to see. 

Any chance to watch Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer is exciting enough, but the chance to see a rematch of last year's five-game ALDS?

Sign me up. The Athletics don't have the star power of the Tigers, but they are one of the game's most balanced teams. You can bet this will once again be an excellent matchup and one that should go the full five games. 

Here's the full MLB postseason schedule:

NL Wild Card

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
NL Wild Card	Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates	Tue, Oct. 1	8 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com

 

AL Wild Card

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
AL Wild Card	Tampa Bay Rays @ Cleveland Indians	Wed, Oct. 2	8 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com

 

NLDS A

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	NL Wild Card @ St. Louis Cardinals	Thu, Oct. 3	5 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 2	NL Wild Card @ St. Louis Cardinals	Fri, Oct. 4	1 p.m.	MLBN	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 3	St. Louis Cardinals @ NL Wild Card	Sun, Oct. 6	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 4*	St. Louis Cardinals @ NL Wild Card	Mon, Oct. 7	TBD	TBS or MLBN***	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 5*	NL Wild Card @ St. Louis Cardinals	Wed, Oct. 9	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com

 

NLDS B

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	Los Angeles Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves	Thu, Oct. 3	8:30 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 2	Los Angeles Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves	Fri, Oct. 4	6 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 3	Atlanta Braves @ Los Angeles Dodgers	Sun, Oct. 6	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 4*	Atlanta Braves @ Los Angeles Dodgers	Mon, Oct. 7	TBD	TBS or MLBN***	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 5*	Los Angeles Dodgers @ Atlanta Braves	Wed, Oct. 9	TBD	TBS

 

ALDS A

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	AL Wild Card @ Boston Red Sox	Fri, Oct. 4	3 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 2	AL Wild Card @ Boston Red Sox	Sat, Oct. 5	5:30 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 3	Boston Red Sox @ AL Wild Card	Mon, Oct. 7	TBD	TBS or MLBN***	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 4*	Boston Red Sox@ AL Wild Card	Tue, Oct. 8	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 5*	AL Wild Card @ Boston Red Sox	Thu, Oct. 10	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com

 

ALDS B

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	Detroit Tigers @ Oakland Athletics	Fri, Oct. 4	9:30 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 2	Detroit Tigers @ Oakland Athletics	Sat, Oct. 5	9 p.m.	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 3	Oakland Athletics @ Detroit Tigers	Mon, Oct. 7	TBD	TBS or MLBN***	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 4*	Oakland Athletics @ Detroit Tigers	Tue, Oct. 8	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 5*	Detroit Tigers @ Oakland Athletics	Thu, Oct. 10	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com

 

NLCS

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	TBD @ TBD	Fri, Oct. 11	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 2	TBD @ TBD	Sat, Oct. 12	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 3	TBD @ TBD	Mon, Oct. 14	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 4	TBD @ TBD	Tue, Oct. 15	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 5*	TBD @ TBD	Wed, Oct. 16	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 6*	TBD @ TBD	Fri, Oct. 18	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com
Game 7*	TBD @ TBD	Sat, Oct. 19	TBD	TBS	Postseason.TV; TBS.com

 

ALCS

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	TBD @ TBD	Sat, Oct. 12	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 2	TBD @ TBD	Sun, Oct. 13	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 3	TBD @ TBD	Tue, Oct. 15	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 4	TBD @ TBD	Wed, Oct. 16	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 5*	TBD @ TBD	Thu, Oct. 17	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 6*	TBD @ TBD	Sat, Oct. 19	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 7*	TBD @ TBD	Sun, Oct. 20	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV

 

World Series

Game	Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Streaming
Game 1	NL Champion @ AL Champion	Wed, Oct. 23	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 2	NL Champion @ AL Champion	Thu, Oct. 24	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 3	AL Champion @ NL Champion	Sat, Oct. 26	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 4	AL Champion @ NL Champion	Sun, Oct. 27	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 5*	AL Champion @ NL Champion	Mon, Oct. 28	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 6*	NL Champion @ AL Champion	Wed, Oct. 30	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV
Game 7*	NL Champion @ AL Champion	Thu, Oct. 31	TBD	FOX	Postseason.TV

* If necessary

*** "TBS will air three of the four Division Series games on Friday, October 4 and up to three games on Monday, October 7. MLB Network will air one Division Series game on both of those dates. TBS will air 18 of the 20 Division Series games" (via MLB.com).