Baseball Playoffs

It's October, which means it's time for the playoffs. I'm excited that the Red Sox made it in as the wild card. Considering all the injuries, the loss of Ramirez and the fine play of the Rays, a 95-67 season is very good. In the first round, the Rays are up against the White Sox while the Angels square up against the Red Sox.

RED SOX/ANGELS

The Red Sox are 6-0 in the postseason against the Angels since 2004, 9-0 since game 4 of the 1986 ALCS, the last time the Angels beat the Sox in postseason play. However, the Angels won 8 of 9 contests between the two teams this season, sweeping the last two series. Granted the Red Sox weren't playing their best ball of the season when they were swept at home in July, the Angels outscored them 59-33 on the season, with the one Sox win coming in their first meeting of the season with the Sox fighting back after an atrocious start by David Pauly.

And though the Red Sox are limping into October, I wouldn't count them out just yet. Most scouts are giving the Angel's the upper hand in regards to pitching. I would take Lester, Matsuzaka and Beckett (even at 85%) over Lackey, Santana and Saunders any day of the week. No one can dispute that the Angels, thanks to the acquisition of Hunter and Teixeira, have a better offense at the moment. Though Vlad tends to disappear during the postseason, I would still swap him for a Bay or Lowell or Drew. Not to mention Anderson, Figgins, Kendrick, and possibly Gary Matthews.

The Red Sox have to rely on pitching to win this series. The bullpen has to be tighter and the Sox have to use their proven playoff experience as leverage. With a little luck and a good series from the big three of Pedrioa, Ortiz, and Youkilis, the Sox can prevail.

PREDICTION: Red Sox in 5.

WHITE SOX/RAYS

The Rays have definitely impressed me this year. No one predicted their sudden rise to excellence, I don't care what anyone claims. Even so, the Rays slowed down over the last month and a half and have yet prove they can win when everything is on the line. They are an extremely young team, and they're bound to be good for a long time with one of the strongest farm systems thanks to a handful of no.1 picks. The White Sox have numerous players who were on the team in '05 when they won and they have veteran pitchers in Buerhle and Vazquez. The Rays staff had a better regular season but in a short series I have to give the White Sox the advantage. They're hot at the right time and I have to wonder if the Rays can rise to the occasion with only a half-filled Tropicana field. Rays fans should be ashamed at their attendance numbers.

PREDICTION: White Sox in 4.

Let's assume that I'm right about the both of these. I'm usually not, but imagine and all Sox ALCS. If the Red Sox can get here I definitely pick them over the Whiteys. Better staff, comparable offense, better defense, better managing, and more experience. Perhaps even a healthier Lowell, Youk and Coco.

PREDICTION: Red Sox in 5.

I'm not going into detail concerning my National League picks. I'm just going to lay it out. Phillies in 4. Cubs in 4. Cubs defeat Phillies in 7 games.

WORLD SERIES PREDICTION: Cubs over Red Sox in 7 games.

For the record, last season I correctly predicted each stage of the American league playoffs (Sox over Angels, Indians over Yankees, Sox over Indians). I did not foresee the Rockies making the World Series, but I did correctly guess the Red Sox would win. Of course, I always predict the Sox to win. It's not so much foresight as wishful thinking.