By Josh (9 Inning Know It All):
With the regular season now officially over it is time for the baseball world to see just how exciting the new Wild Card format is going to be for the playoffs this year. Personally I’m pumped to see the excitement in both of the stadiums on Friday night. I also like the fact that for the teams who won their divisions they now have an advantage given to them for earning that division title.
AL Wild Card Game Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles:
This game is really interesting to me because I would have laughed at anyone who would have told me this was going to be the match up at the start of the season. The Rangers are the two time defending AL West champion and they looked stronger this year, and the Orioles weren’t even a consideration in the AL East. This should be a great game but I give the edge to the Rangers. Their offense is just good and they have proven that they can turn it on in the playoffs.
New York Yankees vs. Wild Card winner
The Yankees ended the season with the best record in the American League, but that doesn’t matter in the playoffs. This series is my upset pick of the playoffs. Whether the Rangers or the Orioles win I am picking the Wild Card winner to beat the Yankees. Now could this be because I don’t like the Yankees? Maybe, but honestly I think the Orioles would want to prove that they should have won the East and the Rangers want to prove to the world that they can actually win a World Series and not just make it there.
Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland A’s
The A’s are the feel good story of the year in sports and if they are able to win the World Series it would be a great finish to the Moneyball story but getting past the Tigers is not going to be easy for any team. With Verlander on the mound and Cabrera at the plate this Tigers team is a World Series contender.
NL Wild Card Game St Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves
As I mentioned on the 9 Inning Know It All Facebook page this game is going to be great. Anything can happen in a one game playoff but I really think that the Braves win this one. With Chipper Jones looking to finish his career with a playoff run I think his teammates respond and do anything and everything to give Jones one last run in the playoffs.
Washington Nationals vs. Wild Card Winner
The Nationals are a great team that has the potential to win for the next couple of years. However, they are going to either be facing the defending World Series Champions in the Cardinals or a team on a mission in the Atlanta Braves. Not having Strasburg will impact the pitching of the Nationals and I really think they may have the mindset of if we don’t win this year we can win next year which is a BAD mindset.
San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds
Both of these teams have been solid throughout the regular season, but I see a lot of similarities in the 2012 Giants as I did in the 2010 Giants team that won the World Series. Pitching is really strong and with Posey having an MVP caliber season they just might be set to make another run.
World Series Picks
With all of this being said my picks for the 2012 World Series is going to be a rematch of the 2010 World Series but with a different ending. The Giants and the Rangers will meet once again but this time I have the Rangers winning it all.
Now I do have a backup World Series pick just in case my first pick goes bad and so I sound smarter later on. My back up pick is Tigers vs. the Braves. Sorry Reds, Nationals, Cardinals, A’s, Orioles and Yankee fans but I just can’t pick your teams to make the World Series this year. I’ve been wrong in the past but that is what makes baseball so great because regardless of who makes the World Series it is still going to be fun and I’ll probably miss most of it anyways because I don’t have the right channels to watch.