MLB Playoff Predictions

 

It's finally here, the MLB Postseason. Now of course you all want to know how myself (The Hammer) and Johnny Baseball did with our pre season MLB predictions. Well Johnny Baseball pulled off a very impressive 4 for 8 correctly choosing the Tigers, Rangers, Phillies and Brewers and I shit the bed with a 3 for 8 correctly choosing the Rangers, Brewers and Phillies. Needless to say, almost every team on my "Teams To Look Out For" list made the fucking playoffs. So fuck me right? Anyway here are the Talk of the Town's MLB playoff predictions. And it's not just myself and Johnny Baseball this time. 

Steve the Hammer: 

NLDS:

Brewers vs Diamondbacks

Who the fuck would've thought that the Arizona Diamondbacks would make the playoffs this year? With a roster consisting of Justin Upton and a bunch of role players they won the west. Good for them. But the season ends here. The Brewers are legit. You don't want to face Gallardo, Greinke and Marcum in a short series. Dbacks might take one, so I'm going with the Brewers in 4. By the way, I have a massive man crush on Ryan Braun as well, so I'm picking them to win because of him. 

Phillies vs Cardinals

Cardinals are the hottest team going into the NL playoffs, but this Phillies team is built for the postseason. Halladay, Lee, Hamels and Oswalt. Good luck St. Louis, you're in for a rough series. Phillies bring out the brooms and take it in 3. 

NLCS:

Phillies vs Brewers

This is going to be a fucking series. If there is one team who can match up with the Phillies on the hill, it's the Brewers. I love the Brewers and Hunter Pence is my most hated player in baseball, but I can't go against my pre season prediction. I have to go with the Phillies in a long series. Phillies in 6. 

ALDS:

Yankees vs Tigers

These two teams are extremely similar. Both have an ace at the front end, an awesome closer at the back end, and lineups that can absolutely mash. The other starters and the bullpens are going to be the battle throughout this series. It's going to be a long series and facing Verlander twice is a tall order for the Yanks. I'm going Tigers in 5. 

Rangers vs Rays

Rays are the hottest team in baseball right now. It's the postseason, and pitching is clutch in the postseason. I still can't go against Texas, they fucking rake. Plus I'm not sold on the Rays pitchers in the playoffs. The Rangers still have a bad taste in their mouth from coming so close last year, I think they take this series in 4. 

ALCS:

Rangers vs Tigers

This is going to be a hell of a series. Both of these teams rake tits but the Tigers have that Verlander dude. I'm not sold on the rest of the Tigers pitching, but I'm also not sold on any of the Rangers pitching. As much as I like the Rangers, I'm going with the Tigers here. If this series goes where I see it going, Verlander pitches games 1, 4 and 7 or 1, 5 and 7. Either way, he's throwing three games. Get on Cy Young's back. Tigers in 7. 

World Series:

Phillies vs Tigers

As much as I absolutely despise the Philadelphia Phillies, their pitching is built for the post season. The Tigers have one guy, the Phillies have four. Look back at last year with the Giants and many years before that. Good pitching will beat good hitting. Phillies in 6. 

Johnny Baseball:

ALDS

Yankees and Tigers - Well I predicted the Tigers to go to the World Series and I'm going to stick with it. Verlander is insane and Doug Fister is pitching great as well too. They have a good lineup and not to take anything away from the Yankees but I sort of have to stick with my pick here. Tigers in 4.

Rangers and Rays - I think the Rays are really hot right now and they are going to carry this one over to the series with the Rangers. Haven't heard much about the Rangers, but I just don't think they have the pitching to last in the playoffs. I'm going with the Rays in 3.

ALCS

Tigers and Rays - Like I said, the Tigers are my pick. This will be a great series but it will go 7 games. This means Verlander could pitch about 3 times. For that reason I'm going with the Tigers and the magic stops here for the Rays.

NLDS

Phillies and Cardinals - People forget about the Cardinals getting really hot just because of the Redsox collapse and the Yankees and Rays last series of the year. They have great pitching and a solid line up. I think we are in line for a major upset people! Cardinals in 5. Phillies have been playing like trash lately. They deserve a good loss.

Diamondbacks and Brewers - Who are the Diamondbacks and where in the hell did they come from? A last place team last year basically had the division wrapped up before September even started. This might be the best series of the playoffs. Going with the Brewcrew who will win their first playoff series since 1982. It's due for them in 4 games!

NLCS

Cardinals and Brewers - A divisional matchip for the NLCS, nothing is better. Which means we are looking at an all Central World series, because the Tigers will make it and they are in the AL Central. Going with the Cardinals in 6 here.

THE WORLD SERIES

A rematch of the 2006 World Series THAT THE METS SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN is in order. The Detriot Tigers versus the St. Louis Cardinals, only this time.....The Tigers will sweep the Cardinals in 4 games. Screw you Cardinals, this is a Met fans only revenge.

Slothy:

So after the most historic September 28th in the history of the world the postseason is set to begin. Thankfully the Sawwxx are not a part of this event. Hilton Head just added about 40 new tee times and perhaps a job opening for ADGO to cut the grass (too much?) Anyways I digress...on to the picks

ALDS:

Yankees v Tigers- This is the marquis matchup of the post season in my opinion. In a 7 game series I say Yankees all the way, but a 5 game series might favor Detroit. Why? You might ask...Well if you haven't been paying attention this year, Detroit's got this guy named Justin Verlander, he's pretty good. If the series goes 5 games, this dude is pitching two of them and that gives the Tigers a very nice advantage over the Yankees. However...if you just look at the two teams on paper and you look at the productivity of the two teams as a whole, the Yankees have more than a slight edge. I say the Yankees win in 4 and I bet CC beats Verlander in game 1. Although Verlander is great and probably deserves the AL MVP he's struggled in his last few starts and I have a feeling he's going to shit the bed giving up 5 in 5 1/3 innings. Yanks in 4

Rays v Rangers- I know a lot of people are going to hop on the Rays bandwagon, talk about what a resilient team they are, how they fought back to make it to the post season, blah, blah, blah. Let's make one thing clear...the Rays aren't that good. They weren't lights out in September the Sox were just lights off. Last night their ace got abused which means he ain't pitching game one. People forget about how good this Rangers team is...Let's not forget they beat the Yankees last year in the playoffs and they bring back the same team minus Cliff Lee. They steamroll the Rays. Texas in a decisive 4.

NLDS:

Phillies v Cardinals- I REALLY like this matchup. Really do. Cardinals are solid up and down and have been Red Hot in September. The Phillies have the most dominant pitching staff in baseball including in my opinion 2 of the top 3 pitchers in the game. Their number 3 is Cole Hamels...A World Series MVP. Not too shabby. Most people probably think this series is a no brainer but I beg to differ. If the Cardinals can beat either Halladay or Lee in those first two games I think they win the series...I expect them to win one of those 2. Then you have Chris Carpenter who in my opinion is one of the most underrated guys in the league. He throws bowling balls at 95 and makes hitters beat balls in to the ground like Ike beat Tina. Cardinals in 4.

Dbacks v Brewers- DOG SHIT ALERT!!! Who cares about this series. I sure as shit don't. Neither team is going to beat the Phillies or Cardinals in the ALCS. However, my friend from school was a Brewers fan and I'd like to see him happy. Brewers sweep.

ALCS:

Yankees v Rangers- This series is going to play out a lot like the series played out 10 years ago...Yanks are going to wipe their asses with the Rangers. Rangers have a great offense, there is no denying that. But the Yankees have a better offense and better pitching and home field advantage. Just don't see the Rangers competing...Maybe win one game but that's it. Yanks in 5

NLCS:

Cardinals v Brewers- This is going to be a very good series. Great pitching on both teams. Two offenses who can put numbers up in a hurry. You've got Ryan Braun...Who should win the MVP for the National League and The Prince who drops absolutely donkey bombs. On the other side you have The Cardinals. A team full of veterans who have been in this situation before. Chris Carpenter will throw two games this series and prove to be vital. I see this series going the whole way...Cards in 7.

World Series:

Yankees v Cardinals- I'm a little biased as a Yankee fan, but the only team that really worried me throughout the year was the Sawx. Cardinals are good, but this is the Yankees year...I see the Cards rolling over just like they did in '04. Yankees in 5...MVP Mark Texiera.