MLB Division Series Predictions

After one exciting Wild Card play-in game and another Wild Card play-in game, the MLB playoffs are officially set to begin.  I personally could care less because the Yankees are not involved in the proceedings, but I have served up a set of predictions based on how I feel each meaningless Division Series will go.

Orioles v Tigers

The Tigers have the star pitchers and the star hitters, but the Orioles believe that Buck Showalter is a demi-god capable of making magic out of decent players which has lead fans to the classic argument of talent vs. magic.  I’m going to say that the Orioles take Games 1 fairly easily and then play a classic Game 2 that goes into, oh let’s say 15 innings before the O’s capture the victory.  Feeling good, the Orioles head into Comerica Park and lose Games 3 and 4 in competitive, but not really close games setting up a Game 5 for the ages.  In Game 5 the Orioles will blow a lead in the 8^th and then lose the game in extras.  Sound familiar?  Why yes, this is exactly how the 1995 Yankees – Mariners ALDS series went, where Buck Showalter lost and Don Mattingly was eliminated from his only playoffs.  NEVER FORGET.  Tigers in 5.

Angels v Royals

Ah, nothing says thrilling like a classic play in game.  The Royals were able to beat The Athletics, a 29 year history of failure, and the managerial “skills” of Ned Yost in that thrilling game.  Now they get rewarded by playing a team that is competent and didn’t lose the last 40 games of the season.  I’m going to say that Mike Trout has a good, but not great series, and that Pujols emerges as the driving factor behind this Angels team.  The Royals may sneak a game at home, but will ultimately go down because Ned Yost refuses to pitch anybody out of his bullpen.  He will replace each starter with another starter, and then go straight to having position players pitch in a move that confounds everybody in the league.  Angels in 4.

Nationals v Giants

The Giants have a thing for even numbered years so look for them to sit back and wait for the magic that accompanies a year divisible by 2.  The Nationals have been ranked as World Series favorites and we know that people in Washington always thrive under pressure.  Plus it doesn’t hurt to have Theodore Roosevelt on your side as a mascot (the man shot and killed eight giants and their children in his life).  I’m going to say that the Nationals pull this series out because every prediction I’ve read calls it for them to win and I’ve never read a sports prediction that was later proved wrong.  Nationals in 4.

Cardinals v Dodgers

There has been this weird vibe going around baseball about the “Cardinal way” and how the Cardinals are always playing in October and are built to win.  Last time I checked they have 11 World Series wins, a full 16 less than the Yankees.  Since the Wild Card era began in 1995, the Cardinals have played October baseball 12 times compared to the 17 times by the Yankees.  Fellas, let’s hold off on that coronation for a bit shall we?  It’s getting a bit embarrassing.  This match-up is a rematch of last year’s Championship Series where the “Cardinal Way” triumphed over the “Dodger Dickishness”.  Even though I’m supposed to hate the Dodgers for their intense rivalry with my beloved Yankees, I can’t root against Donnie Baseball.  They also have Clayton Kershaw whose mere presence guarantees the Dodgers a win.  Dodgers in 5.