1) Red Sox – The team had an impressive offseason (picking up Adrian Gonzalez / Carl Crawford) and given the Yankees inability to land a marquee free agent for one of the first times in their history, it appears to be Boston’s year to run the table.
2) Rangers – Last year’s AL title winner was supposed to be the team to beat…this season. Given their ability to rise early, this season should be even better behind their big bats.
3) Twins – The team has started a great franchise the right way, by building around their two superstars: Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. One of the most solid teams in the league for the past few years, this could be their season to advance into the World Series.
4) Wild Card: Yankees – Not the trendiest of picks, but A-Rod has had one of the best Spring Training seasons of his career. He may be the key for the team given their lack of great pickups in the off-season. CC Sabathia could be on track for his slimmest (?!) season and a Cy Young. Another possibility: The Rays come through again.
NL Division Champs
1) Phillies – My title pick from 2010 turned out to be a bit lame in the Playoffs…but with their rotation I would bet on a bounce back season. Especially when four of their starters could win 15-20 games. Sure, their power appears weaker but they might just win a lot of 2-1 games.
2) Brewers – A team led by men named Prince and Braun will take their division. The Reds are another possibility with the rise of their young talent. However, in my opinion, the Brewers have enough power to battle through.
3) Giants – The reigning World Series winner comes into the season with a lovable cast of characters – The Beard! Barry Zito! – and confidence from going all the way. Can they do it for an entire season? Maybe all this team needs is to get into the playoffs and then they can ride their hot arms and quick bats.
4) Wild Card: Braves – A young team, full of talent and finally transitioning away from the old guard (except the immortal Chipper Jones) is ready to take center stage. Too bad the team ahead of them in the division has one of the best rotations since the ’86 Mets or ’95 Braves.
Award Winners:
MVP’s – Albert Pujols, Cardinals / Joe Mauer, Twins: Both are poised for big years and there is no way to bet against Pujols in a contract year when he may be playing for free agency.
Rookie of the Year – Jeremy Hellickson, Rays / Brandon Belt, Giants: Two trendy picks, but with rookies you never know. I would not count out Freddie Freeman of the Braves given their excellent farm system.
Cy Young – Roy Halliday, Phillies / CC Sabathia, Yankees: Halliday is the best pitcher of the current era and Sabathia is looking slimmer than ever. The Phillies fantastic rotation may hurt Halliday – but should he stand above them he will shine even brighter. Sabathia will have to carry the Yankees in a tough division where every team can compete; he could be in line for 23 or 24 wins. The Mariners Felix Hernandez could take the AL Award.
World Series Matchup:
Trendy pick is the Phillies vs. Red Sox, but show me the last time trendy panned out in the MLB playoffs? I will go with Phillies vs. Twins with the Phillies rising as champs in 2011.
What better way to preview the race to the World Series then to imagine this year’s MLB playoff teams as classic movie villains?
NL Teams
1) Philadephia Phillies = Michael Corleone
Why: The Phillies are hands down the team to beat this year. Pitching is a major strength and for the most part that is how championships are won. Imagine, if you will a seven game series against the Phils – they could pitch (2010) Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, former Ace Cole Hamels (who could be the number 1 pitcher on 90% of the teams in the league) and recent addition Roy Oswalt twice. If they each win one game, you are going to game seven. Halladay will not lose and Oswalt has been on fire. Throw in one of the best lineups in the National League anchored by Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard and the Phillies are one of the most complete teams in the postseason. Like Michael Corleone they have a plan and can execute it at a very high level. They are ruthless and can outmanuever any team they face. The competition will not know what hit them, only that they have had their ranks completely decimated in moments.
2) San Francisco Giants = The Joker
Why: While the Giants sport a solid starting rotation their lineup is less terrifying then most of the other teams in the playoffs. That said, their starting pitching, should it come alive, could be enough to carry them through to the NLCS at least. Tim Lincecum has turned it on in September and the team has really refused to lose, ultimately snatching the division away from the Padres down the stretch. Their hitting may leave more to be desired but the Giants are coming into the playoffs nearly as hot as the Phillies.
So why Jack Nicholson’s Joker? The Giants are a tad back and forth to say the least. Their pitching could dominate but they may not be able to put any runs on the board. Barry Zito could regain his Cy Young winning abilities or he could completely fall apart. Like the Joker they may be able to make some plans that will put them through to the next round, but against a superior pitching team like the Phillies they will struggle to get on base and score runs.
3) Atlanta Braves = Hans Gruber
Why: The Braves have returned to the playoffs thanks to a thrilling victory that enabled them to avoid a one game playoff with the Padres. They certainly have a spark, playing for manager Bobby Cox in his final season as Skipper. Cox knows how to win in October but the team is “inconsistent” to put it mildly. Rookie Jason Heyward best exemplifies the team with his back and forth play – at times he has looked like a superstar while at others he has appeared plain and ordinary (struggling down the stretch). Veteran leadership and clutch hitting has been missing most of the season thanks to an unfortunate injury to third baseman Chipper Jones. Their bullpen is strong but the Braves may not have enough to finish out. Like Hans Gruber of Die Hard fame the Braves have a classy leader who definitely has some tricks up his sleeve. They may have enough to last a few rounds with the Phillies but in most scenarios will be thwarted by being tossed off a roof.
4) Cincinnati Reds = Dr. Evil
Why: The Reds made a valient effort getting into the playoffs, even winning out their division from the champion Cardinals….however, their young nucleas has a serious lack of playoff experience that may come back to haunt them. While Joey Votto has been in triple crown contention all season and their pitching better than average (13th overall) they definitely do not have enough to take the Giants or Phillies. Dr. Evil has a lot of plans and appears fearsome at first…then he throws out the elaborate sharks with lasers death plan and proves to be less terrifying then originally believed. The Reds may turn out the same way.
AL Teams
1) Tampa Bay Devil Rays = Darth Vader
Why: Excellant pitching and a young (but experienced) core that has been to the World Series help the Rays push to the top of the NL. All season they stood toe to toe with the Yankees and ended up on top of the division. Winning over the Yankees means a lot because now the Rays can play Texas instead of the Twins. Overall the Rays have played great all-around ball this year led by Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria. If those two can keep it up and the pitching remains solid there is no reason the Rays cannot make it back to the Series. Darth Vader appeared as a terrifying menace that could not be defeated, an all around power and symbol of the seductive power of evil. In the end: not so much as good overcame evil, even within his own soul. Will the Rays lose their edge too against the daunting Yankees who they have slugged it out with all year?
2) Minnesota Twins = Jaws
Why: The Twins are scarier then they may appear at first. The Yankees wanted desperately to avoid playing them. So did the Rays. Like Jaws, they are lurking out in the water waiting to strike at any time. Yes, they are not at full strength due to a rash of injuries but they still have the power and pitching to be very dangerous in the playoffs. A couple of hot starts by boy wonder Joe Mauer could make all the difference. If their pitching can maintain its overall ERA of 3.50 they can win a series or two. There are a lot of “ifs” for this team but no one wants to play them in the first round at full strength or not. The other teams may definitely need a bigger boat if they want to put the Twins away.
3) New York Yankees = The Wicked Witch of the West
Why: The defending Champs certainly have an uphill battle if they want to plan another parade down Broadway. For one thing they have struggled down the stretch and gave up the division crown to the Rays. Head to head they have struggled against Tampa and may have trouble putting Minnesota away. The Yanks also sport a roller coaster ride of a bullpen (even the unflappable Mariano Rivera has had trouble lately) that may give away close games. However…on talent alone the Yankees are the best team in either league. CC Sabathia has been one of the best pitchers this year, Rivera will probably be Rivera once October gets going, Kerry Wood and Joba Chamberlin had good finishes to the regular season. Mark Teixeira and A-Rod have earned their money at the end of the season. The only possible comparsion for them? The Wicked Witch of the West who is incredibly dominant but cannot stand a little water. New York may be a house of cards waiting for one bad outing to blow them down. Otherwise, they can win the whole thing.
4) Texas Rangers = Freddie Krueger
Why: The Rangers can play…maybe just not as well as the Yankees or Rays. They will not be an easy out, especially when Josh Hamilton is at the plate (.359-32 homers-100 RBI). Cliff Lee is a great pitcher and could go twice in any series and the young team has a lot of potential. The problem for the most part: they have not fully reached it yet. They will and this is an important first step in gaining valuable playoff experience but it may not be their year just yet. Freddie Krueger likes to slice and dice and the Rangers have similar abilities but if they want to win it all, they are dreaming of next year already.
Opening Day is here! Time to make some picks:
The Cover Corner - A Whole World of Sports 