So the season is over, and my Angels are out of the playoffs once again. At least I have my St. Louis friends to keep me company. Since I'm doing this late, I'm omitting Wild Card game predictions (For the record, I picked the Blue Jays and the Mets, but I also can't prove that). All I'm going to say is that I still want a 3 game Wild Card series.
NLDS Low/High: Giants Vs. Cubs
The Giants are good. As a 6th seed, they have 3 great to good pitchers and a solid batting lineup. But the Cubs are so head over heels better at every position (outside of catcher), that I can't see them getting very far. Oh, and Madison Bumgarner is down for the first 2 games, only to return in a match-up with Jake Arrieta.
Cubs over Giants 3-0
ALDS Low/High: Blue Jays Vs. Rangers
Oh boy, it's a rematch. Last year's ALDS between the Jays and Rangers was great. Jays overcame a 2-0 deficit, and a game 5 that featured a controversial bat deflection at home, trash on the field (stay classy Toronto), and the bat flip heard around the world. Should this be just as exciting? Probably not. Most of the Blue Jays elite pitchers are gone, and while the batting lineup is still good, losing Marcus Stroman for the beginning of the series against Hamels and Darvish in Texas might not bring the magic of the 2015 ALDS back.
Rangers over Blue Jays 3-1
NLDS Mid: Nationals Vs. Dodgers
Ohhhhhhhh boy, Max Scherzer versus Clayton Kershaw in Game 1! And then the runs are let loose in game 2 and 3... So who has the better bats. The Nationals have a slugger at 3rd and 1st, a batting champion at 2nd, and an MVP in Right. The Dodgers have a young hot Shortstop surrounded by aging contact hitters and a problematic Right fielder.
Nationals over Dodgers 3-2
ALDS Mid: Red Sox Vs. Indians
Is Cleveland only settled for their NBA Finals trophy? Well, their red hot bats and solid lineup may prove otherwise. They might be down David Salazar, but they have an ace up their sleeve: David Price is pitching for the Red Sox in the playoffs (2-7 and an 5.12 ERA in his postseason career). Oh, and home field advantage might be a good tiebreaker for a match-up between two teams with a talented young Shortstop and a solid starting rotation.
Indians over Red Sox 3-2
NLCS: Nationals Vs. Cubs
Well, the Nationals are pretty good, and outside of Harper, Scherzer and Murphy, I think the Cubs outdo the Nationals in everything. I give Scherzer the edge over Arrieta this year, Harper is a better all around better player than Jason Heyward, and Murphy is one of the best bats this year, certainly outperforming Zobrist and Baez this year. But in every other position, including the other 4 pitching spots and the entire bullpen (minus Joe Smith), the Cubs are leagues above the Nationals. Still the best all around team this year.
Cubs over the Nationals 4-2
ALCS: Indians Vs. Rangers
The Indians have a slightly better pitching rotation, in both their #1 ace and their all around effectiveness, but I might give the Rangers the slight advantage in hitting, namely the stellar infield. But will an aging 3rd baseman give Texas the edge the youth of the Indians infield (except Mike Napoli)? I vote no, congrats Cleveland.
Indians over Rangers 4-3
World Series: Cubs Vs. Indians
Well, the Indians have home field advantage! But they are outclassed in every other asset. Better pitchers, better batters and better fielders. Again, the Cubs are by and far the best team in baseball, and if we were to put this in video game terms, the Cubs overall rating would be 99, the highest possible. It's a tale as old as time: Beauty and the Beast, the Iliad, and Cubs fans saying that "this is our year". But eventually, it has to be true, and the blinding combination of talent and age gives hapless Chicago baseball enthusiasts hope for not only 2016, but even 2017 and beyond. Regardless, the Cubs were the real deal in 2015, are again in 2016, and will be for years to come.
Cubs over Indians 4-1
MVP: Kris Bryant
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