Why do people blog? Is it some kind of deep-down desire to write something great? Something simpler, like to keep family and friends up-to-date with what you’re up to? Maybe you’ve been inspired by stories of people that started out writing funny e-mails to your friends and are now writing for ESPN. (Yeah, that’s probably my reasoning…and I’m quite sure I’m not alone.)
Here’s another good reason- to make picks. Absolutely everyone with a sports column, a blog, or for the low-tech among us, a voice, is making picks on who’s going to win the four baseball playoff series. Some of those people might even get all four of the series right, and if you’re just saying it, you’re trusting people a) listen to you and b) remember what you said. A blog, on the other hand, gives you proof. Sure, you can always edit things after the fact…but that little timestamp will rat you out. For better or worse, your picks are out there, ready to be praised or, more likely, ripped to shreds.
I am not afraid. I will boldly make these picks and stand by them. I may stand by them and continually kick them, but I will stand by them.
NLDS Series 1: Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati
Over the last few years, you can count on two things if it’s October in Philadelphia- the Eagles are going to be in the midst of some kind of quarterback turmoil, and the Phillies are going to be in the playoffs. This year’s Phils squad looks pretty stacked, too…Roy Halladay. Roy Oswalt. Cole Hamels. Yikes. In a five-game series that spans eight days, those three guys can start all five games without needing to pitch on short rest. That’s a tall, tall task for any team, let alone a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 1995.
I don’t want to take anything away from the Reds- Joey Votto had an awesome year, and it’s fun to see someone on top of that division besides the Cardinals- and Cincy should be rocking for their home playoff debut in Game 3. However…remember that series where the Cards and Reds did battle in Cincy and the Cards rocked ‘em? That showed me that when the stakes get elevated, the Reds are really, really green. The Phils aren’t.
The pick: Phillies in 3.
NLDS Series 2: San Francisco vs. Atlanta
You’ve gotta hand it to Bobby Cox. Nobody gave the Braves a shot to be relevant this year, let alone contend for the NL East most of the season. Heck, they were leading that division until that Phillies three-headed monster in the rotation got filled out at the trade deadline and overtook them. Still, a great season for the Braves…almost like a lifetime achievement award for Cox.
The Giants? They spent the season chasing the Padres, finally overtaking them late and getting the NL West crown. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are strong starters, and there’s always the shot Barry Zito (remember him?) comes up with a big start in Game 3. This series should be really entertaining…but you’ve gotta wonder if the Atlanta fans will show up for the games? You know the team will…but I don’t know if it’s enough to overcome the Giants’ pitching.
The pick: Giants in 5.
ALDS Series 1: Texas vs. Tampa Bay
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Texas in October- remember the 90s when it seemed like they’d lose to the Yankees every year?- and now they’re back. Cliff Lee’s in the house to provide a little pitching…but will Josh Hamilton be able to provide the hitting they need? We know the Rangers can mash the ball, but can they handle David Price and the rest of the Rays?
It’ll be interesting to see if the Tampa fans respond to Price and Evan Longoria calling them out for not coming to the September games. Will MLB care if Tampa does a free ticket giveaway for the playoffs? Will the team care if they’re playing in front of 20,000 at home and 50,000 on the road? These guys had the best record in the AL with no discernible home field advantage (as evidenced by the two game difference in their home and road record)…imagine if they didn’t play in front of crickets inside that dump of a stadium.
The pick: Rays in 4.
ALDS Series 2: Minnesota vs. New York
Here we go again. You’ll see all kinds of absurd stats like “Ron Gardenhire has a .250 winning percentage against the Yankees,” “The Twins have won once in New York since 2008,” “The Twins have lost nine straight postseason games,” et cetera, et cetera. However, that was when the Yankees had home-field advantage…that shoe is on the Twins’ foot. The Metrodome’s out of the mix too, replaced by the beautiful Target Field. Will that be enough for the Twins to get over the top?
I said at the start of the season that the Twins were putting together a team that can go into Yankee Stadium and bomb away at that right field porch. Thome and Kubel can mash. Mauer can turn on a ball and jerk it over that fence. Delmon’s been hitting ‘em out everywhere. We’ve waited 162 games to get to where the fans thought the Twins would be, and those 162 games essentially were a warmup for this best-of-five series. Win and everything is gravy…lose and there will be an offseason worth of questions about the team. No longer are the Twins the plucky little underdogs. They’ve spent $100 million- nearly half of what the Yankees spend!- to go beat the pinstripers. They’ve got home-field advantage. The players are rested. The rotation is set. If not now, when??
Can they? Absolutely. Will they? I don’t know. If Game 1 starts out badly, there’s going to be an awful lot of negative energy inside Target Field, that same old “here we go again, we’ll never beat those guys” vibe that raced through the Metrodome. Then there’s that little matter of needing a win at Yankee Stadium…technically they don’t need one, but I just don’t think the Yanks will lose three games at Target Field. I’m optimistic…but my pick is realistic. They’re the damn Yankees, and somehow, they just find a way to get it done in October.
The pick: Yanks in 4, and man, do I hope I’m wrong.
