Remember when I said playoff baseball was awesome? Three winner take all game fives that all had loads of excitement. Plus the Twins being a disaster, but that’s not the point. The Astros, Yankees, Cardinals and Nationals are moving on to the League Championship Series. The NLCS begins tonight, and the ALCS kicks off in Houston tomorrow.
National League Championship Series
Game One: Friday 10/11 in Saint Louis (8pm).
Game Two: Saturday 10/12 in Saint Louis (4pm)
Game Three: Monday 10/14 in Washington (Time TBD)
Game Four: Tuesday 10/15 in Washington
Game Five: Wednesday 10/16 in Washington (If Necessary)
Game Six: Friday 10/18 in Saint Louis (If Necessary)
Game Seven: Saturday 10/19 in Saint Louis (If Necessary)
The NLDS was among the best rounds of postseason baseball we have seen in a long time. Both series went the distance, and had excellent game fives. The Cards threw up a ten spot on the Braves in the first inning, and the Nats tied the game off of Playoff Clayton Kershaw in the eight and then won the game in the ninth with a grand slam off of Red Sox legend (I jest, sort of) Joe Kelly. This is the first time the Nats have advanced past the Divisional round since arriving in DC, and they will try and reach the World Series at the expense of Saint Louis, something the Montreal Expos were unable to do either. The Cards came back on the Braves bullpen in game four, capped off with a sac fly by the ageless Yadi Molina. In Atlanta for game five St. Louis supported Jack Flaherty with ten runs in the first inning and that was all the young ace needed. They went on to win 13-1.
In terms of this matchup, the star hitters- Soto, Rendon, Goldy and Ozuna will be key. If any of these guys fail to perform their team will be in serious trouble. Washington has the better lineup and starting rotation, but the Cardinals bullpen- especially if Carlos Martinez can figure it out is decidedly better than their counterparts from the capital. Depth will certainly be important, and I also see the likes of Carpenter, Tommy Edman and Dexter Fowler having a better series than Adam Eaton, Matt Adams and Howie Kendrick. This series should be a close one, though if any team would win it quickly it would be Washington. I can see a scenario where the Nats go on a Caps like run, finally slaying their demons and then blowing through the competition on their way to a championship. This Nats team is not nearly as talented as the Caps were though so this is unlikely. This series seems much more likely to go right down to the wire. That would most likely mean a game seven between Jack Flaherty and Strasburg. That would be an incredible game, but I would give a slight edge to the Cards there. Flaherty was the best pitcher in baseball after the All Star Game, and he was excellent in both starts against the Braves. This feels like one of those Cards teams that kinda limps into the playoffs and then just keeps winning, a la 2006 or 2011. I honestly can’t tell if the Nats are a magic team, or if Dave Roberts really channeled his inner Grady Little and choked the series away. I am leaning towards the latter, especially given the fact that it’s not like Playoff Kershaw and Joe Kelly are Mariano Rivera out there. Two highly questionable decisions by Roberts will also show Cards skipper Mike Shildt exactly what not to do with his bullpen. The St. Louis Cardinals will return to the World Series for the first time since 2013. (Google what happened that year 😉 ).
American League Championship Series
Game One: Saturday 10/12 in Houston (8pm)
Game Two: Sunday 10/13 in Houston (8pm)
Game Three: Tuesday 10/15 in New York
Game Four: Wednesday 10/16 in New York
Game Five: Thursday 10/17 in New York (If Necessary)
Game Six: Saturday 10/19 in Houston (If Necessary)
Game Seven: Sunday 10/20 in Houston (If Necessary)
The ALDS was compiled of one boring one-sided bludgeoning, and one great series that went five games. The Yankees smoked the Twins, which wasn’t great to see, but my biggest takeaway from that series was not how good the Yankees looked, merely how poor the Twins were in comparison to their regular season level of play. The Astros were surprised by the fight back of the Rays in Tampa, however beating them in Houston is a totally different story. (TBT to when the Red Sox won three straight there last season. Ok I’ll stop that now.) But Gerrit Cole came through when it mattered and dominated in game 5 and the Rays were finally beat.
For this series- biased I may be- I am taking Houston in 6. They are frankly the better team from top to bottom, and I think this series will show that. People are very high on the Yankees, but I again believe that last series had more to do with people being too high on Minnesota (hand up, I was one of them). Houston has superior rotation, anchored by the two best starters in the American League this season in Verlander and Cole, both of whom will go at least twice in this series. The Yankees absolutely have an edge in their bullpen, but Houston’s ability to jump out in front, especially at home will limit the ability of that bullpen to pitch with leads. In terms of the lineups, I think Houston also has a clear edge. First Base is a tossup. Both Yuli Gurriel and LeMahieu had great years. The Yankees have advantages at Right Field and Catcher, and I will take Edwin Encarnacion’s career of big hits in big moments over the great half season Yordan Alvarez had. But everything else is advantage Houston. Bregman, Correa and Springer are no brainers. I’ll absolutely take Michael Brantley’s incredible all around game over Stanton’s ability to his moonshots every once in a while. Sam and I have been arguing for the better part of an hour over Torres vs Altuve. Altuve had his worst year since maybe 2013, and his numbers were (outside of home runs 38-31) pretty much in line with Gleyber. Both were very good in the DS, but the Twins pitching was nothing short of awful, and Tampa has a great staff. Altuve is the better player in my book, and I don’t think it’s particularly close. But go ahead Gleyber, prove me wrong. I think the Yankees bullpen will steal them a game, and I also think there is a good chance of a Grienke meltdown in the Bronx, so if this were to go seven I wouldn’t be surprised either.
