Early Predictions for the 5 Most Likely 2015 World Series Matchups
Predicting the World Series matchup at the beginning of the season is more times than not an exercise in futility.
That from a guy who picked the Washington Nationals to knock off the Seattle Mariners in his preseason predictions.
Even when the postseason picture takes shape and we have a good idea of which 10 teams will be fighting it out to reach the ultimate goal, it's still hard to predict who will come out on top when the lights shine brightest.
That's exactly what we're going to attempt to do here, though, as what follows is a look at the five most likely World Series matchups based on some sort of storyline that has proven an indicator of success in the past.
New York Yankees vs. Chicago Cubs
1 of 5
Why Them?
Both Wild Card Round winners reached the World Series last year, so why not again?
Overview
This one certainly looks like the most far-fetched of the five potential matchups laid out here, but how many people were predicting Royals vs. Giants in the World Series at this time last year?
There is an obvious disadvantage to playing in the Wild Card Round, as it not only puts a team in a win-or-go-home situation, but also forces it to burn its ace, making him unavailable for Game 1 of the Division Series.
However, it can also have its advantages.
Many times, the team with the best record in the league—the team the wild-card winner winds up playing in the Division Series—has been coasting down the stretch and is suddenly forced to flip the switch when October rolls around.
While the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs are both more or less locked into playoff spots, they still have plenty to play for down the stretch and are by no means coasting, with the Yankees trying to catch the Blue Jays in the AL East and the Cubs trying to pass the Pirates to host the Wild Card Round.
That playoff-type approach down the stretch and a big Wild Card Round win would give both teams a momentum advantage heading into the Division Series.
Now this is obviously assuming that both of those teams advance beyond the Wild Card Round, but with Jake Arrieta and Masahiro Tanaka likely toeing the rubber for those teams, they'll be tough to knock off in a one-game playoff.
A young upstart Cubs team pitted against a Yankees roster full of veterans would make for a compelling matchup between two of the most storied franchises in the game.
Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
2 of 5
Why Them?
They are the two hottest teams in baseball right now.
Overview
There is something to be said for building momentum down the stretch and carrying that on into the postseason.
Right now, the two teams with the most momentum in baseball appear to be the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rangers are 11-6 with a plus-17 run differential in September, and over the past two months, they have gone from hanging on the fringe of wild-card contention to holding a 2.5-game lead over the sliding Houston Astros in the AL West.
With the acquisition of Cole Hamels and a return to health for Derek Holland, alongside rotation staples Yovani Gallardo and Colby Lewis, their pitching staff is capable of being a serious weapon come October.
With Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder bouncing back from their disappointing 2014 performances and unexpected contributions coming up and down the roster, all the pieces look to be in place for them to continue that momentum.
For the Dodgers, questions remain about the back of their starting rotation and their bullpen, but that has not stopped them from going 12-4 with a plus-17 run differential this month.
Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw are capable of carrying the team through a postseason series if they pitch like they're capable of, while the offense has myriad weapons, even after the departures of Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez.
The big X-factor could be Corey Seager, who is hitting .412/.508/.647 with eight extra-base hits and 10 RBI in 51 at-bats while stepping in as the everyday shortstop for the injured Jimmy Rollins.
Kansas City Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals
3 of 5
Why Them?
They have the best record in their respective leagues.
Overview
No sense overthinking it, right?
The St. Louis Cardinals (92-55) and Kansas City Royals (86-61) have the best record in their respective leagues, and while both teams have had their ups and downs this season, at the end of the day it's about winning games.
The Cardinals have continued to thrive under the next-man-up, team-over-individual mentality, enduring numerous injuries to key players and watching guys like Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty step into key roles.
They have led by as many as nine games in the NL Central standings and have had a strong hold on first place since April 17.
While the Pittsburgh Pirates have looked like the better team at times, the Cardinals still hold a five-game lead in the division, and with an 8-7 record the rest of the way, they would have their first 100-win season since 2005.
Meanwhile, the Royals have proven their surprise run to the World Series last year was far from a fluke.
Lorenzo Cain has emerged as a bona fide superstar, and the offense as a whole stepped up when Alex Gordon missed significant time with a groin injury.
The big question was the starting rotation, and that looked to be solved with the deadline acquisition of Johnny Cueto, but he's gone just 2-6 with a 5.12 ERA in 10 starts.
That being said, this is a team that succeeded on the strength of its bullpen, defense and speed on the bases last year, and all three facets of the game are a strength once again.
The I-70 series might just happen, folks.
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Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Mets
4 of 5
Why Them?
They both added game-changing players at the trade deadline and have the best record in their league since Aug. 1 as a result.
Overview
Every once in a while, a blockbuster trade completely changes the outlook of a team.
David Cone to the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and Carlos Beltran to the Houston Astros in 2004 immediately jump to mind as two trades that proved to be absolute game-changers.
Two more names might be added to that list before this season is over in outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and starter David Price, as they have sparked their new teams in a huge way.
Through July 31, the Mets were 53-50 with a minus-6 run differential, due in large part to an anaemic offense that was averaging just 3.54 runs per game.
Since acquiring Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers at the deadline, they've gone an NL-best 31-13 with a plus-78 run differential and are putting up 5.93 runs per game in the process.
For the Toronto Blue Jays, an inconsistent starting rotation threatened to undermine what had been by far the best offense in baseball, so they went out and got themselves an ace in David Price.
The big left-hander has gone 7-1 with a 2.17 ERA in nine starts since joining the Jays, and his presence has seemingly elevated the game of everyone around him.
The Jays are an MLB-best 32-11 with a plus-111 run differential since Aug. 1, and with Price anchoring their postseason rotation, they look like a much more dangerous team come October.
Two players headed for free agency have completely changed the teams who traded for them at the deadline, and both are headed for a huge payday, but first they look to have a long October run ahead of them.
Toronto Blue Jays vs. St. Louis Cardinals
5 of 5
Why Them?
They have the two best team ERAs since the All-Star break.
Overview
A high-powered offense can go a long way, but the old adage that "pitching wins championships" still rings true.
The New York Mets starting rotation and the Kansas City Royals bullpen figure to be significant weapons when the playoffs arrive, but it's the St. Louis Cardinals (3.19 ERA) and Toronto Blue Jays (3.17 ERA) who have the two best team ERAs in the second half.
For the Cardinals, it's been a historically good season on the mound, despite losing ace Adam Wainwright after just four starts.
On the year, they have a 2.90 team ERA, and their starting rotation has posted an MLB-best 3.01 ERA even without their horse.
Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn, Carlos Martinez, John Lackey and Jaime Garcia give the team a formidable staff top to bottom, and there's still a chance that Wainwright could return down the stretch, with a decision coming on Monday.
It's been a different story for the Blue Jays, who boasted the league's best offense but pitched to a 4.18 ERA in the first half, which ranked 23rd in the majors and 12th in the American League.
After picking up starter David Price and relievers Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins at the trade deadline, and with the recent return of Marcus Stroman, that number has improved to an MLB-best 3.17 since the break.
A staff of Price, Stroman, R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Marco Estrada now has a chance to provide some serious support to what is still a juggernaut at the plate.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.
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