October Baseball. It is a slate full of powerhouses and unpredictable upstarts. Nothing is guaranteed and the baseball gods show now mercy. The 12 teams that enter this ring have claims to make as to winning the Commissioner’s Trophy. Let’s meet them shall we.
Baltimore Orioles (O’s What A Feeling!): Years of being the punching bag of the AL East and a carpet for Boston and New York to walk on are a thing of the past. The Orioles are back in the playoffs with the best season they’ve had since their championship run of 1983. The young talent has carried this team right from the start. Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson have laid the foundation for success on this roster, and everyone else is following suit. Remember how the pundits on MLB Network were saying that the starting rotation was a weakness? Well I’m here to tell you that they’ve adapted quickly. (In a way, they have the same makeup as their 1983 rotation) Kyle Bradish becoming one of the best young pitchers in the game, Grayson Rodriguez capping off his rookie season with an impressive 2nd Half, and oh yeah they just got John Means back from Tommy John and he’s returned to being an ace. (If Dean Kremer pitched 5 innings in some of his more recent starts, he would be at least a 16 game winner) The bullpen has been a bit shaky as of late, but moving Tyler Wells in there should help. However, just like their brothers across the street, the O’s have also been hit by the injury bug. BOOM! Felix Bautista needs Tommy John. Hasn’t this franchise and city suffered enough gods? Although I see a lot of the 2012 Buckle Up Birds in this squad, and even if this may be the learning experience year, there is good news. John Angelos and Wes Moore finally settled the stadium lease. Thank goodness the fans don’t have to deal with another Irsay situation. (Camden Yards finally is getting a great product just like Memorial Stadium had in this teams heyday)
Houston Astros (How Did They Pull This Off?): I know record wise this is one of the weaker squads that the Astros have trotted out, but they still are a major threat to anyone in the American League. Especially with their hitting lineup. (Good to see Michael Brantley, and Yordan healthy again) However there are a few issues that could hold them back from a 3rd championship in this window. The pitching staff in particular the rotation has been up and down, and who knows if Justin Verlander will ever be the same. They better hope the stretch that Framber Valdez has had since the All Star Break is going to guide the rotation. If not, well they can chuck out Hector Neris, and Ryan Pressly to bail them out. Once again every baseball fan who knows the history of the sport will want this team to fail, especially their rivals across the state, but if they defy the odds and make it back to the World Series, it will for sure vanish the trash cans of years past. I know they’re the defending champs, but there are still those who doubt their legitimacy. I’m not one of them, because they know this routine.
Minnesota Twins (Luigi Wins by Doing Nothing): We’re going to ask one question about the Twins, and it’s the question that was asked of the Guardians and White Sox the past few years. How much of their success is due to their talent, and abilities or whether the AL Central was a mess? They do have a case as to why they’ve made it here. Their starting rotation has dominated for most of the season. Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez have had career years, Sonny Gray is still a bonafide ace, and Bailey Ober, and Kenta Maeda would be #1 or #2 starters on most teams. (Not to mention Jhoan Duran as the closer shutting people down) The issues revolve mostly in the hitting core, but they could be getting some life jolted into them. Byron Buxton has been injured, but he’s supposed to return in the playoffs. If they are going to end the narratives, he and Carlos Correa are the keys to doing so. I know they have Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler as support, but the big guns have to carry this team. Especially against legit pitching. As long as they win at least one playoff game, it’s a success even if they lose to Texas in the Wild Card Round. You can manage right?
Tampa Bay Rays (2002 Oakland A’s): Can we sit back and be amazed at this Rays season? Yes I’m a fan of a division rival, yes I hate that they have showboaters all over their team, but you have to give them props for how they did it. Most of their pitching staff including Shane McClanahan was struck down by major injuries, Wander Franco decided to become a pedophile, and they struggled badly in July. How have they done this? Well thank Randy Arozarena, Issac Paredes, and Yandy Diaz for tearing the cover off the ball. (Josh Lowe and Harold Ramirez too) Tyler Glasnow may not be what he was, but you still can’t take his high heat lightly. Not to mention they’ve found their next elite closer in Pete Fairbanks who has been a bully all season. There is one issue like I said that has been plaguing them all season. CRACK! Injuries! Jose Siri, Aaron Civale, and Luke Raley come on down. Brandon Lowe is also out for the rest of the year with a broken kneecap. If this team somehow makes it far in the playoffs despite everything that has hit them this year I like the rest of America will eat massive amounts of crow. I would say a grudge match with the O’s is a given, but your first opponent just happens to be a team with gobs of talent ready to make a statement.
Texas Rangers (Pick a Form Please!): I have no idea how to view the Texas Rangers as a squad. On paper they have probably the most dangerous hitting lineup in the AL side of the playoffs. With Seager, El Bombi, Seimen, Lowe, Jung, and Heim in that lineup? All in their primes. That for sure makes them a tough out indeed. But like most instances in Rangers history their entire fate comes down to starting pitching. Max Scherzer has suffered a hard decline, Nathan Eovaldi has been injured (Thank goodness he’s returned), as has Jon Gray, and Dave Dunning has been in a slump. Plus the bullpen has been shaky, especially Aroldis Chapman. If they’re going to break the Curse of the Senators, the rotation and bullpen have to be as solid as they were in June and July. If not, the headline will be that this was at one point a team that was from a sure-fire World Series Contender who like most teams in its existence, crashed and burned with a major dud. You better hope that lineup dominates everyone in sight or else you’re toast.
Toronto Blue Jays (Will This Be the Movie?): Can the Blue Jays play up to their potential? That question has been pondered all season. Early on, this was a soap opera that was viewed as baseball’s version of Days of our Steelers. Then Toronto decided to wake up and hold off Seattle, New York, and Boston down the stretch. To me this is the biggest Wild Card in the AL. (Which is fitting because they are a Wild Card team) Vlad Jr, Bo Bichette, and Matt Chapman are most likely going to have to carry the load especially with the rotation being hit or miss. (Excluding Kevin Gausman that is, he’s been consistent all year) When you have as many potent hitters in their lineup as they have, anything less than a deep run should be unacceptable. And they know it. The only way the Jays are going far is if they outscore their opposition and hope their bullpen solves every issue they have in pitching. Vlad Jr has been waiting for the movie to come out, will it be Boys of Summer? Or the modern day version of Cats?
Atlanta Braves (Tomahawk Country): The goal of being the next great dynasty in baseball is there for the taking. The Braves know what they need to do. Prove that last year’s loss to the Phillies was a fluke. In fact this is probably the best team they’ve trotted out since the 90s. (Which is insane knowing that they won a World Series in 2021) An offense with a modern day Murderers Row. 3 of the Top 5 MVP candidates in Ronald Acuna, Matt Olsen, and Austin Riley destroying opposing pitchers, 11 players with at least 10+ home runs including Ozzie Albies, and Marcell Ozuna. Setting the record for most home runs hit by a team in a single season. If that’s not enough? Well they’ll just trot out Strider, Fried, Elder, and Ground Chuck. I would say that the bullpen is the only problem but they have AJ Minter, and Raisel Iglesias being the bulldogs that they are. This is a machine that stops for nothing. The only thing that can stop this team is themselves. That or their opponent somehow wins via deus ex machina. But this is a team from the ATL. So nothing is ever guaranteed for them. (We did say this about Georgia Football, look how that turned out)
Los Angeles Dodgers (Revenge Tour): Last year may have been the greatest postseason letdown maybe ever. The chance to forge a potential dynasty in Chavez Ravine only to get shot down by little brother to the South thanks to a pitching staff with dead arms. Now the Dodgers are looking for a way to get back to the Fall Classic. However it’s going to be a serious uphill climb for them. Just like last year, their pitching staff has been destroyed, literally. Walker Buelher and Tony Gonsolin are stuck with Tommy John, Blake Treinen is close to needing Tommy John, Julio Urias decided to be a total idiot, and Kershaw is basically at the end of his prime. He, Lance Lynn, and Bobby Miller can’t do this on their own. Which is why they’re going to need their offense to lead the way. Freeman, and Mookie this is where you come in. You need to prove that last year’s disaster was a mirage, and that LA can still make a deep run. (They’ll have Will Smith, JD Martinez, etc. to help them) Can this team truly beat the Braves? Who knows but if they go out early, Dave Roberts will be given every excuse there is by the media. Some things with this team never change.
Milwaukee Brewers (Operation Banish Milt Mason!): Will this be the year Milwaukee finally gets its shot at World Series Glory? They have the pitching staff to do it, especially now that Brandon Woodruff will be back from the injured list in the NLDS if they get there. Him along with Burnes, and Peralta will be a challenge for any lineup to deal with. Josh Hader may be gone, but Devin Williams has filled the closer role nicely. (The rest of the pen is a mystery box) If the Brewers are going to overcome the boogeymen at the top, they’re gonna need the hitting core to emerge quickly. Christian Yelich and Willy Adames can’t do this alone. (Need more veterans? Why not bring in Josh Donaldson, and Carlos Santana) They have some young hitters but they need time to develop. This may not be their year, but I will say it’s definitely looking better for the Crew than it did last year. Even if they get blown out by LA in the NLDS, at least they can laugh at big brother in the Cubbies. That’s always a positive for them, right?
Philadelphia Phillies (A Group of Phighters): This team is baseball’s version of Rocky Balboa. No matter what obstacle is thrown in their paths, they always find ways to win. The Phillies are the perfect representation of that thinking. When Bryce Harper was injured this year, they struggled immensely especially considering that Rhys Hoskins has been out all season. (He may pull a 2016 Schwarber, if they make it back to the Fall Classic) Once Harper came back, Philly got out of its midseason slump, and all of a sudden they look like a team that no one wants to face in October. With how Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola have been pitching as of late, it’s justified. Even Trea Turner has broken out of his midseason slump, and is playing up to his abilities. The biggest question I have is can the offense cover up the flaws of the bullpen like they did a year ago? That’s not an easy question to answer. Right now I’d focus on getting revenge against the team that shut down your old stadium and playoff hopes 20 years ago in route to their most recent championship.
Miami Marlins (Familiar Territory): This year has been a godsend for the 305. Both the Heat and Panthers have pulled off Cinderella runs when no one but their players saw coming. (They both were #1 seeds in 2022 though) Now can the Marlins, a team that has won both of their championships off of unexpected runs, join the party? I mean they have a shot, (CRACK!) If their rotation wasn’t as depleted as they are right now. Trevor Rogers, Sandy Alcantara, and Eury Perez are most likely done for the year. They still have Braxton Garrett, Jesus Luzardo, and Edward Cabrera but it’s going to be an uphill climb. Jazz Chisholm, Luis Arraez, and Jorge Soler are going to have to carry this team if they have any chance at the Cinderella Trifecta. Getting a hungry opponent in the Phillies during the Wild Card Round is not a good sign either. But to be fair this is actually an easier matchup for the Fish compared to what the Heat and Panthers went through. (Those two faced the Bucks and Bruins in Round 1, and somehow prevailed) They’re about to shock the world too aren’t they? (Let me guess, if that happens, the Dolphins are going to the Super Bowl aren’t they?)
Arizona Diamondbacks (How Are You Still Breathing?): I thought that this team would collapse after their hot start. Well they did struggle to end the season, but they’re lucky that both the Cubs and Reds ran out of gas. Thus the Diamondbacks have made it to the playoffs. This may not be a talented bunch compared to other playoff teams especially in the NL, but they definitely are the most scrapy. Corbin Carroll’s playstyle has set the tone for the entire team. It also helps when Lourdes Gurriel has made a key impact in his 1st year in the Desert. It says something when Christian Walker, and Ketel Marte are described as guys who are under the radar despite being key contributors to the offense. And oh by the way they have one of the top pitchers in baseball in Zac Gallen who is in the running for the Cy Young Award. This is probably going to be the learning experience year for Arizona, but I must say, I was wrong about them at the beginning of the year. They’ve earned a ton of respect with their playstyle. Keep it up. (The only issue is that their Wild Card opponent has been the state that’s ripped their souls for the last decade. Wisconsin) PAUSE.
How much chaos are we going to get this postseason? If last year was any indication, what will this year’s iteration of Baseball in October bring us?
Prediction: This is a postseason bracket that is very wide open, especially in the American League. Unlike previous years there is no legitimate favorite, and it feels like anything can happen on a given day. As for this year’s World Series matchup, I’m going with the two teams that should have played in the Fall Classic in 1996 if it weren’t for a meddling 12 year old kid in the Bronx. Orioles vs Braves. (Accuse me of being biased all you want, this is a logical prediction based on how well these two teams fared against their leagues this year) One of the fastest rising franchises in baseball against an unstoppable locomotive that has crushed nearly everyone in sight. I hope I’m right, because I cannot afford to suffer another 2006/2019 Ravens-type ending with that succubus stuck in my head DARN IT!
Bragging Rights Sports 