You know what’s funny? This is the first time all year I’ve done an MLB document for this blog. Honestly thank goodness I get a chance to do one of these (You can thank my summer internship and fall schedule for this). Anyways, ITS TIME FOR SOME PLAYOFF BASEBALL! 12 teams enter the arena and only one of them leaves as the champion. And here’s a new wrinkle for this year. LOLMETS and a fading Astro Empire are non-participants (That and Baltimore being struck down by the gods AGAIN!). Oh boy what do we have here?
Toronto Blue Jays (The Revolution Has Arrived, FINALLY): At long last, the Blue Jays finally managed to play up to their potential after years of teasing the daylights out of their fanbase. Well sort of. Who thought that Toronto would be this good despite nearly every offseason move blowing up, especially Max Scherzer, Andres Gimenez and Anthony Santander (SkyDome doesn’t have the short porch of Eutaw Street sadly even though it’s hitter friendly)? Crazy I know. Their success this year has been due to an old calling card of theirs. Hitting depth. And we’re not just talking about Vlad Jr and Bo Bichette (who should be healthy in time for the ALDS), we’re talking about the renaissance of George Springer, plus the rise of Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes. The pitching staff does have concerns especially in the bullpen but with Gausman, Bassitt, and a freshly acquired Shane Bieber at the top of the rotation, they should be ok (Is a certain music star coming for the playoffs?). However this is a team that is mediocre away from SkyDome and this is a team from Toronto. And considering how cruel the gods have been to the Maple Leafs, I don’t know how that city is going to get over this blow (Although if the Jays do go far, knowing that fanbase it’ll be bonkers)
Seattle Mariners (No Gut Punching This Year, I Think): It’s nice to see that the Mariners didn’t live up to their previous collapsing stereotypes of years past and translated what was looked at as a critical year into a division title. Yes you can thank the Astros and Rangers for falling apart but these guys earned their way into October. Especially when you have the greatest single season performance by a catcher in league history. Cal Raleigh didn’t just smash the single season home run record for a backstop, he hit 60 of them. (For a switch hitter too) Add in Julio Rodriguez plus revivals of Josh Naylor, Randy Arozarena and Eugenio Suarez, and you’ve got yourselves a dangerous lineup that Seattle hasn’t had in years. And that’s not even including their championship caliber pitching staff. What was once looked at as a big three has now turned into the second coming of the Fab Four now that Bryan Woo has complimented Kirby, Gilbert, and Castillo (And if you get by that, you got Andres Munoz out of the pen). On paper this is a serious World Series Contender, but to me Seattle’s biggest problem is themselves. When they’re on, they can beat almost anyone at any time. When they aren’t, its old habits being revisited on repeat. As of right now they’re the only franchise that hasn’t made a World Series. Their mission? End that narrative once and for all.
Cleveland Guardians (Against All Odds): God gives Cleveland his toughest battles. Look at where the Guardians were at the trade deadline. (Their success is why I begged the Orioles not to do anything at that point. WHY ME?) They sold off key pieces including Shane Bieber and Paul Sewald, Emmanuel Clase was victimized by Pete Rose disease, and they were almost 10 games under 500 in August. (They nearly gave up Steven Kwan) Who would have thought that this crew of all teams would overcome a massive lead by the Tigers and take hold of the division? NOOOOOOOOBODY! (“We don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan”) Well if you look at what Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo are doing then you can understand why. Just like last year, Cleveland is getting hot at the right time despite their lack of depth, and if the pieces fall into place, they can go far. But to be honest even if they get past Detroit, the clock’s about to strike midnight on them isn’t it?
New York Yankees (Which Judge Will We See?): For most of the year it’s been a roller coaster ride for the Damn Yankees. In April and May they were a wagon, running over the American League East at full speed ahead led by Aaron Judge putting up his usual numbers and Cody Bellinger filling the Juan Soto role quite well. Then came June and July where the decimated pitching staff came back to bite them especially with Gerritt Cole and Luis Gil out long term, and Devin Williams not living up to the hype. Then in September, they went from potentially missing the playoffs, playing up to their potential for once in their damn lives. But now that it’s October the question remains the same. Which iteration of the Bronx Bombers will we see? The lineup that has Jazz Chisholm, Ben Rice, and Trent Grisham in particular compliment Judge and Belly? Or the lineup and pitching staff that went MIA at midseason. On paper they have a great chance to make it back to the World Series. But then again Aaron Boone still lingers and oh yeah they get to face the foe that has held them back from extending their Evil Empire to new heights over the last two decades. And they’re out for blood again. (Yes Yankees fans, laugh at Houston all you want, but your biggest nightmare is coming back for you)
Boston Red Sox (Familiar Territory): In some ways this season has been disappointing for the Red Sox given the massive expectations back in the spring and Rafael Devers, but hey anytime you make it back to the playoffs after a little bit of a retool it’s always a good day. This time around, Boston has been guided by a youth movement thanks to a refreshed farm system. Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela after years of promise have broken out at long last. And Roman Anthony is just getting warmed up. Although who would have thought their best hitter this year would be Trevor Story? Don’t get me wrong he’s a good player, but over Bregman and Duran? Interesting. Lets also not forget that their big ticket move in Garrett Crochet is fully embracing the Chris Sale career arc and has become a bonafide ace. It just sucks that Lucas Giolito could miss the Wild Card series but hey Brayan Bello has come into his own. The Red Sox, especially a revived Aroldis Chapman, know what’s in front of them. A chance to turn their biggest rivals into the biggest meme in baseball. The chance to continue to build on the legacy of Four Days In October is at hand. However if things go south, I wouldn’t want to be around Red Sox Nation if I were you.
Detroit Tigers (Lucky Bastards): “WE’RE THE LUCKIEST SONS OF (BEEP BOP!) IN THE WORLD!” The phrase perfectly describes the Detroit Tigers right now. When I saw these boys in Minnesota beat the ever living crap out of the Twins, I was like this is the World Series favorite in the AL. But in reality I must have jinxed them (My best friend from the Bogeys is going to bash me for this). Since that series, the Tigers went into free fall. (BOOM!) AND I MEAN FREEFALL! Injuries, multiple 8 game losing streaks, and blowing a 12 game lead in August to Cleveland of all teams. The only saving grace was that the Astros may have seen better days. Luckily these boys especially Riley Greene and a now producing Spencer Torkelson are gonna get their shot at redemption. And with the way Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty are pitching, it’s possible. Now here lies their first objective. Prove that their collapse was a fluke by getting revenge on the Guardians. If not, well at least you have the Lions who look really good so far. (Part of me feels like Detroit will be very active in free agency if things go south)
Milwaukee Brewers (Deus Ex Uecker): I think it’s safe to say that Mark Attanasio may be the most underrated owner in baseball. Look at what has gone with this franchise. They’ve lost several cornerstones the past few years, the winningest manager in franchise history, suffered the type of playoff losses that are hard to recover from, and worst of all the death of Bob Uecker. What’s their response? Not only get injected with gobs of devil magic but completely suffocate their opponents with not one but two 10+ game winning streaks. Christian Yelich is back in his prime, and Bryce Turang along with Jackson Chourio are budding stars. (Plus William Contreras is locked in more than ever) Brandon Woodruff, who needs him when Quinn Priester is becoming another in a recent line of excellent Brewers starting pitchers (Which is weird to say because they’ve always been a power hitting team). The same can be said for Trevor McGill who has filled the Devin Williams void quite well. Milwaukee has all of the momentum going into the playoffs, but they will be tested right away regardless of who their opponent is. And I know one thing’s for sure, they don’t want their neighbors to the south invading Miller Park come this weekend.
Philadelphia Phillies (DONG!): The Phillies of this current era remind me so much of the Orioles under Buck Showalter. A team that lives and dies by the long ball while playing in a hitter’s bandbox. But unlike those O’s teams, they have more resources and a better farm system. In theory that is. Kyle Schwarber has not only gone on a tear that rivals 2013 Chris Davis but the rest of the offense has joined on the fun. 11 players with 10 or more home runs this year, which is a Major League record. And that’s not including three separate 8 home run games as a team. (That hadn’t happened before this year until the Phillies and Yankees each pulled this off) But what about the pitching staff? Yes, it’s still very good, thank you very much. However Zach Wheeler has gone under the knife and that’s brutal, but given how good Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo have been this year, the rotation hasn’t missed a beat. Oh and this time they’ve got a monster at the back of their bullpen. Jhoan Duran. One of the most electrifying pitchers in the game with possibly the most daunting entrance baseball has seen since Mariano Rivera with Enter Sandman. In the words of a certain owner next door at Lincoln Financial Field, winning a championship in Philly isn’t seen as a great accomplishment, it’s their birthright and an expectation. And if the Phils get over the hump, ALL HELL’S COMING LOOSE IN DELAWARE VALLEY! COUNT ON IT!
Los Angeles Dodgers (A Unique Experience): The defending champs are back to defend their title. We think. Remember all of the talk about how this was going to be the most dominant baseball team ever assembled? Well we forgot to realize that the Dodgers organization is full of cavemen conditioning coaches that make Steve Saunders look humble in comparison. Most of their big additions in the offseason have been injured although some of them are due to come back. At least Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound again which I think isn’t that big of a deal because he’s still raking in the batters box. And they’re going to need that given that this is the last ride of Clayton Kershaw. (Who will not be pitching at all this postseason) The murderer’s row that is their lineup is still kicking ass even if Will Smith has been fighting a midseason concussion. From a seeding perspective LA may be weaker compared to years past, however don’t let their talent and dominance over the past decade fool you. As someone who witnessed this first hand with a certain team in Kansas City, I’ll believe they’re dead when I see it with my own two eyes. That means they’ll probably make another run at a title. CRAP!
Chicago Cubs (Counsell’s Revenge): Thank god. It’s about time the Cubbies managed to play like the contender they were hyped up to be. Their offense in particular is full of talent across the board. Seiya Suzuki has reinforced why was labeled as the Japanese Andre Dawson a few years ago, Michael Busch has become the power bat at first base that they’ve been missing since Anthony Rizzo, and oh yeah that Pete Crow-Armstrong kid. Boy is he a treat to watch with his all around skills and likable personality. And with King Tuck coming back from the injured list just in time for the playoffs, that lineup could be deadly. (Kyle Tucker was an MVP candidate prior to the All Star Break) It just stinks that Justin Steele is not going to pitch at all this postseason, but at least Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd have filled his void in the rotation. (When did Boyd get that good again?) The only issue I see for the Cubs is the backend of their bullpen. They don’t have a true closer, and it may cost them against a legit foe. It certainly feels good to see playoff baseball back at Wrigley, but how long will that last? Especially since their opponent in the Wild Card series wants heads for their trophy room (And even if they get past them, Milwaukee awaits).
San Diego Padres (Trying To Bust Old Habits): The Padres have put tons of resources as far as the eye can see into breaking that illustrious Legacy of Failure. The good news at least this time around is that they won’t have to face the Dodgers until the NLCS. But to get there, they have to go through a gauntlet.
Cincinnati Reds (LOLMETS NEVER DIES!): (Meet The Mets playing) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Excuse my laughter for a second. Anyways, you know how in Mario Party there are memes of Luigi winning by doing nothing. That was the Reds this year. All they did was sit back, creep up in the standings and watch the New York Mets completely implode on themselves. Although I must say Terry Francona does know how to change a dying culture. He did it in Cleveland a decade ago, and now he’s doing it on the other side of the state (Plus those two rings in Boston). It also helps that Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer are stars on the rise even if they have consistency issues. Although I see a lot of last year’s Tigers in these Reds. Why? Because of their pitching staff. Even without Hunter Greene, they are very capable of locking down opposing lineups. Mainly Brady Singer and Andrew Abbott. I swear if this is another 2021 Bengals run, that fanbase is going to be even more insufferable than they already are (What state do I have the most disgust towards? O-H! I-O! YUCK!) PAUSE.
Considering that I got the last World Series prediction correct, especially since it was obvious to the naked eye (Same with the Super Bowl too) I have a feeling that there’s going to be a lot of pressure on me to replicate that. You know what? BRING IT!
Prediction: In one of the most bizarre seasons in baseball history given how much chaos and parity we had, I feel like there could be another Chaos World Series matchup. But this time around I’m going for a rematch. And no it won’t be a rematch of last year, I HOPE! (If it’s Yankees vs Dodgers again, the MLB turns into the mid 2010s NBA just like the NFL and NHL) In my opinion it’s going to be the grudge match of the 1993 World Series. Phillies against the Blue Jays. If that happens, Vlad Jr is going to turn into Kawhi Leonard and Joe Carter in Philly Sports Infamy isn’t he?
Bragging Rights Sports 