MLB playoff predictions

[MartyFunkhouser]

AL West - Angels
AL East - Red Sox
AL Central - Detroit
Wild Card - NY Yankees
Best team: Red Sox

It really is a toss up between the Yankees and the Devil Rays for the Wild Card, which is sad because the Rays may be the 2nd best team in the AL

NL West - Dodgers
NL East - Phillies
NL Central - Cubs
Wild Card - Giants
Best team: Dodgers

It is amazing the difference in quality with the AL wild card contenders and the NL wildcard contenders. The wild card in the AL will be the Yankees, Red Sox, or the Rays. The run differentials of those teams are +77, +92, and +85. Contrast this to the NL where your major contenders are the Cubs, Cardinals, Giants, and the Rockies. The run differentials of those teams are +36, +31, +44, and +54.

To be fair to the NL, the AL Central contenders are pretty pathetic with run differentials of +17 and +18. However, it is again clear that the AL is the better league.

[falafel]

What makes you think the Red Sox will pull it back together and overcome the Yankees? The Bombers are playing pretty well right now, and their pitching has been pretty darn good going into August.

[Guest]

AL West - Angels
AL East - Red Sox
AL Central - Detroit
Wild Card - NY Yankees
Best team: Red Sox

It really is a toss up between the Yankees and the Devil Rays for the Wild Card, which is sad because the Rays may be the 2nd best team in the AL

NL West - Dodgers
NL East - Phillies
NL Central - Cubs
Wild Card - Giants
Best team: Dodgers

It is amazing the difference in quality with the AL wild card contenders and the NL wildcard contenders. The wild card in the AL will be the Yankees, Red Sox, or the Rays. The run differentials of those teams are +77, +92, and +85. Contrast this to the NL where your major contenders are the Cubs, Cardinals, Giants, and the Rockies. The run differentials of those teams are +36, +31, +44, and +54.

To be fair to the NL, the AL Central contenders are pretty pathetic with run differentials of +17 and +18. However, it is again clear that the AL is the better league.

The Angles have lost a couple to an average team this week, but they can beat anyone in the AL East in series. They're up 4-2 on Boston in the season series.

Also, as I've mentioned before, when the Giants line up their rotation Lincy and Cain to start a playoff series (if they get the WC), they can cut right through Philly just like they did last week.

[Hot Lunch]

Also, as I've mentioned before, when the Giants line up their rotation Lincy and Cain to start a playoff series (if they get the WC), they can cut right through Philly just like they did last week.

Those 2 can cut through any line-up. They will be very dangerous if they make the playoffs because of these 2.

[MartyFunkhouser]

What makes you think the Red Sox will pull it back together and overcome the Yankees? The Bombers are playing pretty well right now, and their pitching has been pretty darn good going into August.

Because the Red Sox are a better team and the best team in baseball. I hate both equally, and possibly may hate the Red Sox more, so I don't think I am biased in this opinion.

[cougjunkie]

AL West - Angels
AL East - Red Sox
AL Central - Detroit
Wild Card - NY Yankees
Best team: Red Sox

It really is a toss up between the Yankees and the Devil Rays for the Wild Card, which is sad because the Rays may be the 2nd best team in the AL

NL West - Dodgers
NL East - Phillies
NL Central - Cubs
Wild Card - Giants
Best team: Dodgers

It is amazing the difference in quality with the AL wild card contenders and the NL wildcard contenders. The wild card in the AL will be the Yankees, Red Sox, or the Rays. The run differentials of those teams are +77, +92, and +85. Contrast this to the NL where your major contenders are the Cubs, Cardinals, Giants, and the Rockies. The run differentials of those teams are +36, +31, +44, and +54.

To be fair to the NL, the AL Central contenders are pretty pathetic with run differentials of +17 and +18. However, it is again clear that the AL is the better league.

Maybe the NL is just more balanced and the bottom of the AL is a lot weaker then the bottom of the NL. That could explain the run differential.

[Guest]

Maybe the NL is just more balanced and the bottom of the AL is a lot weaker then the bottom of the NL. That could explain the run differential.

The AL has a winning percentage of .527 (or something like that) over the NL. That helps too.

[Hot Lunch]

Maybe the NL is just more balanced and the bottom of the AL is a lot weaker then the bottom of the NL. That could explain the run differential.

It really just says that the AL is really just the eastern division and there is only garbage in the other 2.

[Hot Lunch]

To be fair to the NL, the AL Central contenders are pretty pathetic with run differentials of +17 and +18. However, it is again clear that the AL is the better league.

I am not sure if it is clear. I guess I don't read spreadsheets as well as you do. No real contenders in the Central you say. You yourself have also posted a couple of times about how the Angels aren't that good either. So once again, the American League is just the eastern division and that is about it. Great at the top 3 and not so good after that.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I am not sure if it is clear. I guess I don't read spreadsheets as well as you do. No real contenders in the Central you say. You yourself have also posted a couple of times about how the Angels aren't that good either. So once again, the American League is just the eastern division and that is about it. Great at the top 3 and not so good after that.

Last year the Angels weren't that good, but this year they are very good. I'm not sure that I have posted this year about the Angels since the start of the season. Last year they were lucky and winning a lot of 1-run game, this year they are crushing the ball and have a +73 run differential.

[CardiacCoug]

Here are mine:

AL West - Angels
AL East - Yankees
AL Central - Detroit
Wild Card - Red Sox
Best team: Yankees

NL West - Dodgers
NL East - Phillies
NL Central - Cardinals
Wild Card - Giants
Best team: Dodgers

A Dodgers-Yankees World Series matchup would be a ratings bonanza for MLB and Fox. Baseball playoffs are impossible to accurately predict, but I think this year the Yankees will finally make it back to the World Series.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I am not sure if it is clear. I guess I don't read spreadsheets as well as you do. No real contenders in the Central you say. You yourself have also posted a couple of times about how the Angels aren't that good either. So once again, the American League is just the eastern division and that is about it. Great at the top 3 and not so good after that.

Arguably the top 3 in the AL East are as good, if not better than, the 2nd best team in the NL the Phillies. I'll give the NL this they do have the best team in MLB in the Dodgers, as much as it pains me to say that.

I think when you look at both run differential of the top teams and the AL's record in interleague play, it is pretty clear that the AL is superior.

[MartyFunkhouser]

A Dodgers-Yankees World Series matchup would be a ratings bonanza for MLB and Fox. Baseball playoffs are impossible to accurately predict, but I think this year the Yankees will finally make it back to the World Series.

I have seen the best team go down early far too many times and a bad team win the World Series far too many times to actually predict the World Series anymore.

After 2006 when a bad St Louis team won the World Series and the A's beat the best team in the playoffs in the first round, I decided against predicting the World Series.

[CardiacCoug]

I have seen the best team go down early far too many times and a bad team win the World Series far too many times to actually predict the World Series anymore.

After 2006 when a bad St Louis team won the World Series and the A's beat the best team in the playoffs in the first round, I decided against predicting the World Series.

Yeah, that Cards team has to be one of the worst teams ever to win the World Series. I like the expanded MLB playoffs, but one of their inevitable outcomes is an occasional mediocre team making a lucky playoff run.

[cougjunkie]

Lincecum and Cain twice in a 7 game set is a nightmare for opposing teams.

Billingsley and Kuroda not so much.