MLB Playoffs Round 1 Preview
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by NFL-MLBGuru
With the Rockies locking up the final playoff spot after their 163rd game, now it is time to start making predictions on who will win it all. As proven last year, baseball's champion is not decided by the pure talent or even regular season record of a team. it is decided based on who's hot at the right time, and who is more consistenet. Based off these 2 criterion, I have made predictions for the 2007 MLB Playoffs. AMERICAN LEAGUE ALDS Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (94-68) vs. Boston Red Sox (96-66) With Tim Wakefield being left off the ALDS roster, this series will be closer than most think. Despite Gary Matthews Jr. and Vladdy Guerrero being banged up, the Angels still have some weapons that cannot be overlooked. Offensively, Orlando Cabrerea is a postseason stud who is a consistent threat for extra base hits. Chone Figgins was one of the hottest hitters in the AL this year (.330 batting average) and has incredible speed (41 stolen bases). Should Guerrero or Matthews sit a couple games, the Angels have no need to worry, since speedster Reggie Willits (.293, 27 stolen bases in 430 at bats) is waiting in the wings. The Angels also have some power sprinkled throughout the lineup in Juan Rivera, Matthews, Guerrero, Casey Kotchman, and Mike Napoli. Whereas this lineup has a lot of potential, it has not completely lived up to its potential due to injuries and just plain bad years for a couple of their guys, but they can break out at any moment and the Red Sox should be wary. The key to this series for the Angels will be getting the pitch count up for Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Curt Schilling so they can get to Kyle Snyder, Hideki Okajima, and yes, even Eric Gagne faster. They should also flex their baserunning muscle against an aging arm of Jason Varitek. On the Red Sox's side of the series, they have the obvious upper-hand pitching wise. Beckett, who is almost sure to win the AL Cy Young award, has been pitching very well down the stretch, and is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 4 career starts against the Angels. His game 1 counterpart, John Lackey, is a disastrous 1-6 in 11 career starts against the BoSox, with a 6.27 ERA and 90 hits surrenered in only 60.1 innings pitched. So I think its safe to say the Sox will get the jump right out of the gate on Wednesday. Daisuke Matsuzaka and Curt Schilling go next, then Jon Lester and possibly Julian Tavarez if there is need for a game 5. The Angels will throw out Kelvim Escobar, Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders and Dustin Moseley if there is a need for game 5. These matchups would be very close, but I think the Red Sox will win this series in 4 games. New York Yankees (94-68) vs. Cleveland Indians (96-66) This is a hard series to predict. The Yankees, of course, are playing some sick baseball as of late, and their offense is exploding on a regular basis. The Indians' pitching, though, is extremely tough, with C.C. Sabathia (19-7, 3.21 ERA, 209 strikeouts in 241 innings), Fausto Carmona (19-8, 3.06, 137 in 215), Jake Westbrook (6-9, 4.32, 93 in 152) Paul Byrd (15-8, 4.59, 88 in 192.1), and Cliff Lee (5-8, 6.29, 66 in 97.1). The Tribe's bullpen is also very, very strong, with AL saves leader Joe Borowski (45 saves) leading the charge, being followed by Rafael Betancourt and Aaron Fultz. The Yankees cannot offer a worthy opposition to this. Chein Min Wang, the Yankees' ace, is good but not dominant. Wang has proven more than once against Boston that he is shaky in big games and against big hitters. Wang had a good season (19-7, 3.70, 104 in 199.1), and is a good pitcher but has not been very strong since August. The good news for the Yankees is that they have Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite to back Wang up. Clemens has never won a World Series and is hungry for a ring at age 45. Although Clemens hasn't been as dominant as he was last year, The Rocket showed that he can still shine in the limelight with two brilliant starts against Boston in a tight division race. Pettite was a workhorse this season, pitching 215.1 innings and giving the Yankees 15 wins out of it. Pettite is 7-2 in his last 10 games. If the Yankees are going to win, it will come down to how well Clemens and Pettite throw, but could also rest on the resurgence of Mike Mussina. Mussina was having a horrible year and did not finish with good numbers (11-10, 5.15, 91 in 152) but came out in late September to give the Yankees three consecutive quality starts against Toronto, Baltimore and Toronto again. If he can continue that type of play, the Yankees will put up a good fight. The New York bullpen is not as good as Cleveland's, but flamethrowing stud Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera lead a decent 'pen that also includes Kyle Farnsworth, Ron Villone and Ross Ohlendorf. Both teams have very good lineups, and this series will really come down to who's pitchers can step it up the most. I'm thinking Cleveland in 5 games here, just because they have home field advantage and will play at home in the deciding game. NATIONAL LEAGUE NLDS Chicago Cubs (85-77) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (90-72) This series will boil down to the bullpens, really. Both offenses will score. Both teams' starting pitching will go 6 innings every game. But both bullpens will not hold up. This is a very even matchup until it comes to the bullpens... which spells bad news for all you Cubs fans hoping to end the championship drought. Brandon Lyon, Bob Wickman, Juan Cruz and MLB saves leader Jose Valverde lead one of the best 'pens in the NL. All the Cubs have to offer in the late innings is a un-intimidating mix of Carlos Marmol and Will Ohman to team up with Scott Eyre and Bob Howry, who have both been busts to this point. Chicago's closer is Ryan Dempster, who is 2-7 with a 4.73 ERA this year and a combined 3-16 over the past two seasons with 12 blown saves. The games between these two clubs will be close until the Diamondbacks pull away in the late innings. I say Arizona, who owns the NL's best record, takes this contest in 4. Colorado Rockies (90-73) vs. Philadelphia Philles (89-73) This is the toughest series to predict out of all the LDS matchups. Both of these teams are scorching hot right now, and coming up gigantic wins on the last day of the regular season. Both teams have great offenses, with the Phillies sporting a impressive combination of Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utely to match meddle with Colorado's Matt Holliday, Garret Atkins, Troy Tulowitzki, Brad Hawpe and Todd Helton. Whereas both offenses are good, Colorado's is more solid 1 through 9, which is why I am making a blod prediction and giving this series to the Rockies. Besides these sluggers that I mentioned, the Rockies have Kaz Matsui, Willy Taveras, Ryan Spilborghs and Yorvit Torrealba to produce some extra runs. The Phillies have Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell, and those guys are good, but them teamed with the Big 3 of the Phillies isn't quite as solid as the Rockies' lineup. The pitching matchups will be pretty even, but I think the Rockies are hungrier and can put up a better fight offensive-wise, therefore I say the Rockies in 5.
Matthews Jr is injured, there is a possibility he will be left off the roster. If he's on, then Rivera is off. Clemens has never won a World Series and is hungry for a ring at age 45. Check again.
Right on, Silencer. This article is poorly written and the research worse.