Predicting the 2015 MLB Playoffs (Trying To)

Predicting the baseball playoffs is absolutely next to impossible.



The talent pool is so deep, and to be honest every team in the postseason has a legitimate shot. In the American League, we can argue for the experience of the Yankees, the youthful energy of the Astros, the high energy of the Royals, the offensive juggernaut known as the Blue Jays, and the diet coke version of the Jays known as the Rangers. Each of them can make some serious noise.

Then there’s the even crazier National League. Do you pick the youthful and deep Mets? The German-like machine known as the Cardinals? The Dead Sea depth of the Pirates? The addicting youth of the Cubs? Or the microscopic ERA of the Dodgers? Unlike other leagues, every team that enters the postseason truly earns it, and 2015 is a majestic season so chock-full of awesome players it is hard to keep track of it all. For crying out loud, we had a pitcher throw two no-hitters yet not even wind up in Top 3 voting of the Cy Young in his own league. All I do know is expect long series, expect long games, and except a bunch of close games.

Even both Wild Card games might go the distance, even though I see both the Cubs and the Astros escaping by the skin of their teeth. What would I like to see in the World Series? Simple answer: the Blue Jays and the Cubs----give it a great America’s Team vs. Canada’s Team vibe. It would be brute offense against the cleverness of Cubs management. The ratings would be astronomical, even if most of it won’t be acknowledged (Nielsen Ratings don’t count Canadian viewership). But I don’t see either team truly going the distance, both winding up short in the championship series.



My prediction for the 2015 World Series is: The Kansas City Royals vs. The New York Mets.



Overall game is what will drive you in, having one overwhelming strength and trying to downplay the weaknesses will not help out this season. The Royals can pitch, they can steal, they can hit, and have a lights-out bullpen in the later innings when the going gets tough. Couple that with special home field advantage, a likable manager that seems to make all the right moves, and the momentum from the magical 2014 run should be enough to propel them to the Series yet again. They also carry the underdog edge that will be beneficial to the young squad that hasn’t really been respected---leading to some random conflicts early in the season.

The New York Mets have so much pitching they won’t know what to do with it---hell they hardly handled it well back in August when the innings were piling up. Imagine the concept of Matt Harvey being a bullpen pitcher to throw 2-3 innings of lights-out baseball. We also have Colon, Syndergaard, and DeGrom to choose from. Mix that in with a hot Flores, a red-hot Cespedes, sneaky-good Duda, great defense, and the incredible come-from-behind abilities and this makes the Mets arguably the toughest out in the National League---even if they aren’t as deep as the Cardinals and the Pirates.

If I’m wrong, it won’t really be a shock. The Blue Jays are more than capable of stopping the Royals, and the NL Central division alone has three squads with better teams and better records than the Mets. But the Mets got lucky because in the end of the opening round bloodbath, they would only have to deal with one NL Central team. Survive the Dodgers, and throw the kitchen sink against the NLCS opponent—because odds are they will be harder than anything that comes out of the American League. I still don’t really believe in the Cardinals, and I struggle to figure out why exactly. Maybe it’s the lack of star power, maybe it’s the influx of injuries. Every stat will tell you an NL Central team will walk into the World Series---I have a gut feeling that the Mets and their easier road will sneak in.

Back to the American League, the Yankees, Astros, and Rangers just don’t have the depth or the intimidation of the Royals and Blue Jays. The one guarantee I can give you is that the Royals and Blue Jays are going on a 7-game death battle in the ALCS, and it won’t be pretty because of their previous animosity towards each other. Home Field is important, which is why the Royals will triumph…



….and thanks to the All-Star Game (That issue will be discussed another day), this is why they will win the World Series in November. It will require lots of games, lots of innings, and lots of tension. It will be a great mix of fun, frustrating, and intense. At the end of the day, I can see the Royals surviving it all.



But its baseball. I’ll probably be wrong.