By: Jay Miller
October Baseball is the Best Baseball!
Ah yes, it’s that time of year again. The winds of change. A season has just ended and another, more important one, is about to begin. October baseball is the best baseball! Who doesn’t love watching the Yankees and Red Sox go at it in a one game playoff while flipping back to Hocus Pocus during the commercials? It’s playoff time in Major League Baseball, baby!
Allow me start by saying, a year ago at this time, I successfully predicted the Dodgers over the Rays in the World Series. Let’s see if I can predict the future once again.
American League Wild Card
Yankees at Red Sox
The one-game matchup we were all hoping for! I’m gonna keep this one simple. Rafael Devers is a beast and I don’t think Gerrit Cole is the same pitcher without the sticky icky icky. I expect a low scoring affair, but I give the nod to Boston since the game will be played in Fenway.
National League Wild Card
St. Louis Cardinals at LA Dodgers
As angry as I am that the Cards ripped off 17 something wins in a row to keep the Reds out of the playoffs, that is not the reason I have them losing the wild card game. It helps, but the Dodgers are just too good in a one game stint. I believe this matchup would go the distance for a 5 or 7 game series, but Wainwright against Scherzer… I’d bet the farm on Mad Max to go seven if it’s a close game. Dodgers send the Cardinals south for the winter… see what I did there?
American League Divisional Series
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Everyone, including the 12 Rays fans I follow on Facebook, had extremely low expectations for this team in 2021. Shows what they know as they watched this club shoot to another AL East title and a 100-win season. How do they do it? A magician never reveals his secrets, nor should they! This club in a full series is hard to beat and the Red Sox won’t be able to handle the Trop at full capacity. Rays over Sox in three.
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros
I’m gonna be real honest here… I have not paid much attention to either of these two teams this season. Am I going to go against the Astros strictly because of what transpired a couple years ago with computers and trash cans…? Yes… yes, I am. In all seriousness, this White Sox team is very talented, but very young. A great series awaits us and will go all five games with the Sox advancing over the ‘Stros.
National League Divisional Series
LA Dodgers at SF Giants
The fighting Gabe Kaplers have really taken this season by storm! A makeshift starting rotation, a closer who doesn’t hit 90 mph and a defensive wizard at SS that has the greasiest locks in the bigs. Mix it all together, with a dash of Kris Bryant, and that’s a recipe for success. Hold up a sec. It’s the Dodgers. The mighty mighty Dodgers! This isn’t a one game playoff and Mookie cannot carry this team on his own. It will be Buster hugs for everyone after six games when the Giants knock off the reigning champs and head to the Championship series.
Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers
As a baseball fan, I will miss not being able to see Ronald Acuna Jr playing in this series. In the end, that may be the missing piece to the puzzle to put the Braves into the next round. Milwaukee doesn’t strike me as the most talented team in the postseason, but they may certainly be the best team and there is a difference. They lost their one-two punch in the bullpen when Devin Williams sucker punched the wall during a post-game celebration. I expect Hader to see more 4 or 5 out saves this month. Just like the wall that ended Williams’ season, the Brewers will drop the Braves in four games.
American League Championship Series
Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
The team full of young talent against the team full of more young talent that played in a World Series a year ago. The Rays have used 38 different pitchers this season. That won’t stop just because it’s the playoffs. Expect young ace in the making, Shane Baz to make a big impact in this series. If you remember the trade robbery between the Pirates and Rays a couple years ago, Baz is that player to be named later. He started his year in the minors, won a silver medal at the Olympics and now will take the mound in the MLB playoffs.
Chicago will be happy to be there while the Rays have experience under their belt and revenge on their mind. Tampa Bay in five.
National League Championship Series
Milwaukee Brewers at SF Giants
These two teams matchup extremely well with each other. In my opinion, I don’t see a real advantage for either one going into the series. Travel and time zones may play a factor in this one, advantage Giants. Ball parks and dimensions may also be tipping the scales, advantage Giants. Out of every game and matchup in the postseason, this is an absolute toss-up. It will be cold in SF, but not inside the dome in Milwaukee. Giants take one on the road and all three at home. Fighting Kaplers in six.
World Series
SF Giants at TB Rays
Who didn’t have this matchup booked in Vegas back in April?! Kris Bryant, Buster Posey and a couple other Giants have solid postseason/World Series experience, but is it enough? The Rays relied on the long ball more this year than in most years. Can it continue? Once again, travel from east coast to west coast is going to be a huge factor. Which team handles it better may have the biggest impact on the outcome of this one.
This Fall Classic comes down to a couple plays each game. Low scoring contests throughout, but the Rays successfully avenge their 2020 Blake Snell yank job and win the World Series for Montreal… I mean Tampa. The city of TB will have won a Stanley Cup, Super Bowl and World Series within the last calendar year. Side note, the Toronto Raptors made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals while playing their home games in… you guessed it, Tampa.
Tampa Bay Rays in six.