Baseball Playoff Talk

[Grndslmhttr3]

How bout them Phillies?! Two division wins in a row! Here is the playoff bracket. The White Sox have one more game left, and if they win, they will have a one-game playoff with the Twins to see who will go on to compete against the Rays.

[Eore]

the cubbies should win the NL easily. the dodgers aren't special. the cubs beat the brewers in two games using their scrubs. i think the phillies will give them a run for it, but the cubs should pull out ahead

[golf_junkie27]

This is going to be a great playoffs. So many storylines. I mean, can you imagine Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez leading the Dodgers to the WS against the Red Sox? Or Sweet Lou and the Cubbies playing his former team, the Devil Rays? Or what about a Subway Series, Cubbies and White Sox? Or a freeway series with native son Mike Scocia taking his Angels against the Dodgers? Or two rabid fan bases with history going at it in the Phils and Sox?

Yeah, if you can't tell, I absolutely love baseball. Sadly, my team closed it's stadium and all its ghosts died with it: Yankee Stadium.

I can't wait for the playoffs to start. There's going to be some great baseball.

Go Cubbies!

[Stacey_E]

HOW ABOUT THEM PHILLIES!!!

They have to be the hottest team in baseball right now. I live in Tennessee but have been a Phillies fan since the Schmidt, Rose, Carleton, McGraw, Bowa, McBride, Matthews, Boone, etc era.

I'm down with the P all the way. Go Phillies!

[Grndslmhttr3]

I'm 16, don't remember the 93 WS at all but hell I've been a Phillies fan since I was capable of remembering. Those ten years of dedication have paid off. Hopefully the Phils will get farther this year. I don't think the Brewers are much to worry about. It's going down between the Phils and the Cubs; that should be a good match.

[Stacey_E]

I'm ready for the Cubs. I am so glad the Braves dynasty is over (if you can call it that)! I'm absolutely saturated with Braves fans where I live-my girlfriend, mom, stepdad, golfing buddies. It's good to make the playoffs two years in a row. I just hope the Phils go deeper. With Rollin's glove and some big bats, all I'm worried about is the pitching, which has tightened up lately. I hate puting up 6 or 8 runs and losing.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Yeah the bullpen has me every time. Man I was on the edge of my seat on Saturday when Rollins made that final play. Hats off to Lidge for going 41/41 in saves, but he did get a little wild towards the end of the year. Phils' hitting is real solid, so yeah, it's the 'pen that we gotta worry about.

[gogolfing]

HOW ABOUT THEM PHILLIES!!!

This is debatable.... Other teams have clinched earlier and have been sitting starters and the Phillies ended their season against the Nationals and Braves... hardly two power houses. I think they could be in tough against the Brewers.

[Stacey_E]

This is debatable.... Other teams have clinched earlier and have been sitting starters and the Phillies ended their season against the Nationals and Braves... hardly two power houses. I think they could be in tough against the Brewers.

I can't deny that taking it to the day before the season ends puts a hurt on the players. Ideally that is not the situation you want to be in. But winning 13 of the last 16 including a 4 game sweep of the Brewers is what you want in all sports, peaking going into the playoffs.

[Chilli Dipper]

It may be a once in a hundred year event, but I have to think that the Chicago Cubs are the favorites to win it all. Looking up and down their roster, there are no weaknesses to be found. Their fourth starter in the playoff rotation won 17 games during the regular season; the washed-up outfielder they picked up for nothing at midseason has hit for 19 homers and a .937 OPS (7th in the NL if he were eligible) in a platoon role. Granted, these are the Cubs, and baseball's playoffs rarely go according to plan, but try to find a team in either league that is as stacked in the lineup and in the bullpen as the Cubs.

[pjsnyc]

Definitely gonna be a fun post season to watch. I'm curious to see if the Rays will be able to fill their seats!

[golf_junkie27]

Definitely gonna be a fun post season to watch. I'm curious to see if the Rays will be able to fill their seats!

Of course they will. These are Florida baseball fans...the best fairweather fans in the history of sports.

You'll see it filled just like Marlins Stadium during their playoff runs in 97 and 03.

[pjsnyc]

Of course they will. These are Florida baseball fans...the best fairweather fans in the history of sports.

I don't know if you noticed, but the Trop was having problems even coming close to half capacity when the Rays were (and basically still are) the best team in baseball. Kinda sad...though I can see the Yankee fans coming in full support for the Rays should they face the redsox in the ALCS.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Well, good ol' Jim Thome helped the White Sox win AL Central, so they will be playing the Rays.

[HartridgeKing]

This is the Cubs' year to win it, this is probably the best chance they've ever had. Look at the starting lineup: Dempster, Big Z, Harden, and Lilly. The Bullpen is stacked too: Howry, Jeff Samardzija, Marmol, and Wood. The starting lineup is great too. I'll be surprised if this isn't the year, because if this is not, then when will it be?

[NI4NI]

So, what is everyone's DS predictions?

The way I see it:

ALDS Winners:
Red Sox
Rays

NLDS Winners:
Phillies
Cubs

Trying hard not being a homer, but the defending WS champs still own the Angels come post-season time (reminds me of the old Pats vs Colts match-ups). I know that the lineups are different this year, blah, blah, blah...but the road still goes through Boston...so I can still hope for the best.


Personally, I'd love to see either a Red Sox vs Cubs (old school teams) or Red Sox vs Dodgers (the cast of characters and story backdrop iare just too good), in the WS, but it's a long road still, and there's only one OCTOBER!!!


How do yous guys see the DS ending?

[pjsnyc]

This is the probable scenario:
ALCS - Rays vs. Angels
NLCS - Cubs vs. Phillies

WS - Cubs vs. Angels - Angels in 6

I pretty much predicted Angels winning it all in May.

[NI4NI]

This is the probable scenario:

Given your "homey" status - you must see the Angels sweeping, right?

Don't disappoint me...