MLB Playoff Predictions

With just over a month left in the season, the playoff bracket is just as open and cluttered as ever in major league baseball. From surprises to disappointments, here’s what to look for going into October.

In the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays simply will not go away. The team has shown tremendous heart and late game heroics down the stretch and currently has a 5 and a half game lead over Boston, while boasting the best record in the American league and guaranteeing themselves home field throughout the playoffs. This team may win 100 games (84 going into September) because of their terrific depth. When All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford went down with injury, long injured Rocco Baldelli stepped up and battled through to show Rays fans the superstar right fielder they were used to. With number one overall pick David Price likely to be brought up in the September call-ups giving them another quality lefty in the pen, and with Crawford and rookie sensation Evan Longoria scheduled to be off the DL by mid-September, this is definitely a team to look out for in October. Rays take the AL East.

The AL Central race is a much more interesting race, but also riddled with surprises. After the terrible fallout the White Sox had last season and the year that Paul Konerko is having (.235 BA, 13 HR, 47 RBI) I don’t believe I was the only one riding them off this year. Especially when combined with the strong season the Indians had last year and most of that ALCS team coming back, their season was a shaky surprise at best.  I’m sure the biggest surprise this year was not the strength of the Twins but of the weakness of the Tigers. Arguably the best set up lineup in MLB history with a solid pitching staff and plus bullpen and they will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. But how about those twins: lose Torii Hunter to Free Agency, trade Johan Santana, and challenge the Sox for the division, doesn’t seem to fit right? You couldn’t make this stuff up! Despite the slim lead (.5 games), the Sox improved at the trade deadline by getting Griffey Jr. and with Thome and Quentin hitting, I believe Chicago will outslug the overachieving Twins and take the AL Central.

Out west things are simple, in my opinion the best team in baseball, the Angels took a strangle hold on the division early in the season and delivered the punishing blow by grabbing Tex at the deadline. Angels take the division, and might just take it all, again.

Happy dance anyone?

Now for the fun part, WILD CARD!! 3 teams, Yankees, Red Sox and Twins, only one can make the playoffs. I know it may surprise some people that I’m even including the Yankees on this list, but I’m sure we’ve all learned, if it’s a mathematical possibility you can’t rule anyone out. The Yankees have the most difficult schedule remaining but the bats and Joba Chamberlain are coming around, and if the staff of Mussina, Pettitte, Joba, Pavano and Ponson/Rasner can keep teams under 4 runs a game then the Yankees have the talent to go on a Rockies-like tear at the end of the season. Boston is the currently leader and the clear favorite, and why not? They have a stellar offense, solid bullpen, and decent rotation. If the pitching can stay strong they will breeze through September. However, with Beckett hurt, Dice-K the worst 16 game winner in baseball, and Lester struggling of late, I’d be worrying if I were a Sox fan. Injuries have decimated other teams this season, but not this late in the year, even with the brilliance of the Red Sox front office acquiring Paul Byrd, Jason Bay, and Mark Kotsay to precisely fill their needs, it will be September that defines the defending champs and will determine if they are really a repeat contender.  Sorry Twins fans, you’re team had a great year but this is the point in the season when the tested and proven teams step up and while the Twins will have a great record I believe they will fall just short of the Sox in the Wild Card run.In the NL east, the Mets and their slim lead will continue their winning ways and with a new ace and the lineup coming around they should have a strong September. The Phillies failed to improve their pitching staff, even “upgrading” with Joe Blanton wasn’t enough, Howard doesn’t hit enough, Victorino has played below his potential and aside from Jason Werth hitting outside his mind this season the Phil’s would already be out of it.

NL Central is simple and needs no explanation. Cubs, no more needs to be said.

That's right, I'm sooo nasty!

The most fun and least successful division is living up to its’ reputation this year, once again the NL West is wide open. Arizona has a 3 game lead over L.A. but both teams are very streaky. The Rockies are 6 games back but for the second year in a row are the team that won’t go away. The Dodgers significantly improved their offense with the Manny Ramirez deal, but I don’t believe they have enough in the rotation to catch the D-Backs. Arizona is a young and very talented team, but they don’t hit enough for average so they either don’t score or score runs in a hurry. Despite their recent struggles Brandon Webb and Dan Haren will return to form and lead this young team into the post-season. And with a trio of those two and Randy Johnson, with Micah Owings if they need him, a solid back end of the bullpen, and the reemergence of Stephen Drew, this is another young team that if they hit their stride at the right time could be a force in October.

For the wild card, sorry Phillies phans but it’s another simple choice. The Milwaukee Brewers could have any other division in the NL but they have the joy of playing in the same division as the Cubs. Another strong rotation, no one wants to go against Sabathia-Sheets-Suppan in a short series. Braun’s a beast, Fielder has been under-producing all year and they still have a potent offense. Brewers will take the wild card and the second best record in the NL, which is a shame because they’ll have to play at New York anyway.

That’s the potential playoff picture, but as the great Yogi Berra has always put it: “It ain’t over til it’s over.”

-JRabes