Paul’s Postseason Picks

Paul Mikowski/Sports Editor Assistant

Wow, is it really almost October already? There must be something about fall that makes time speed up. Oh wait, I know, it’s probably that fact that October is all in all the best month of the year for sports fans! The NFL season is just getting started, the NBA preseason is in full tilt, as the regular season is quickly approaching, and the NHL season is staring us right in the face.

It’s as if the Romans had a few sports fans of their own and wanted to give the generations of future sports fans a special gift in their calendar. But wait; let’s also give October’s favorite sport a little credit here. It is very fair to say that the most important and glorious thing going on in the upcoming month is the MLB playoffs.

As of the night of Sept. 24, the Philadelphia Phillies have officially pulled ahead of the Braves in the National League East and now have a clear, but sometimes shaky, lead in the NL. But Atlanta is seven games behind the Phillies and would love to beat out the second-place finisher in the West, be it San Francisco or San Diego. The Cincinnati Reds lead NL Central with seven games, but are still playing catch up with Philadelphia.

Now moving on to the current state of American League. There are four teams to watch closely, but many more are on the prowl. By far the most interesting circumstance in the AL, and possibly in all of baseball, is the great toe-for-toe battle for the East between the General Joe’s; Joe Girardi’s Yankees and Joe Maddon’s Rays, who continue to teeter back and forth between first and second place.

As far as talent goes, it is a battle between David and Goliath all the way down the lineups, as the Yankees are Goliath and the Rays stuck with David. With all due respect to first baseman Carlos Pena and third baseman Evan Longoria, as well as the rest of that motley crew down in Tampa Bay, the Yankees are getting their money’s worth out of that experienced lineup.

That being said, it would not at all surprise me if the Rays take that division. The Yankees, and even some optimistic Red Sox, will not be pleased to hear that. Andy Pettitte and C.C. Sabathia are two pitchers who I would obviously like to have on my team, but as the regular season dies down, I’m putting my money on Joe Maddon’s uncanny ability to get something from nothing.

The Phillies have been arguably the class of the NL for most of the season, but somebody out West is going to make Charlie Manuel shake in his cleats (not that managers actually wear cleats). The Giants have arguably the best pitching staff in baseball, especially with ace Tim Lincecum recovering from a nasty performance drought that lasted all through August. The young but consistent Padres are riding high after leading their division for most of the summer, so either team will be a great wildcard contender. Keep the Braves in that matchup too as a possible candidate.

So in a moment I will reveal my predictions for the best matchups of each League in first rounds of the playoffs. I do not believe in fortune telling extending too far so I will not yet reveal my World Series picks, but this is what you might be seeing in primetime in just a few exciting weeks.
National League:

Giants vs. Phillies: Phillies take it in six games
Reds vs. Padres: Reds take it in seven games

AND

American League:

Rays vs. Twins: Rays take it in seven games
Yankees vs. Rangers: Yankees take it in six

Now it’s up to you, fellow sports fans, to clear your schedules for October and make sure to be there for every ounce of great sports action that will be happening this month. But what is most exciting of all is the true spectacle of the fall season: Major League Baseball’s hunt for October!

Posted by Paul Mikowski on Sep 29 2010. Filed under Paul's Perspective, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.