MLB Postseason Preview & Predictions

In Friday's AL Wild Card Game, the Orioles will rely on newly acquired starting pitcher Joe Saunders. (Ben Margot)

For each of the ten playoff teams, 162 games are in the books. Two of the teams will only play one more game. Others wait to find out where they will play their next game. Regardless, I am going to go ahead and predict what I think is going to happen for the entire postseason. Call me crazy if you wish, but what do I have to lose.

AL Wild Card Game - Baltimore Orioles @ Texas Rangers - Friday, 8:37 PM EST, TBS

This is a very difficult pick because you don't know what you will get with either team. The Orioles are a young, inexperienced team that must go on the road to play in a high intensity atmosphere. They will turn newly acquired Joe Saunders on the mound. He has pitched well as of late, but has struggled badly against the Rangers in his career. Speaking of the Rangers, they lost nine of their last thirteen games to put themselves in this situation. They will give the ball to rookie Yu Darvish. He been very good lately as well, but will be making his postseason debut.

Prediction: Rangers 3 Orioles 1

NL Wild Card Game - St. Louis Cardinals @ Atlanta Braves - Friday, 5:07 PM EST, TBS

For much of the season, people wondered if the Cardinals would have a chance to defend their status as reigning World Series Champions. They turned it on at the right time in the season to earn the NL's second wild card spot. They will turn to Kyle Lohse to the decisive game. If you told me before the season that Lohse would finish the regular season with a 16-3 record and an ERA of 2.86, I would have told you that you were absolutely crazy, but that is exactly he has accomplished. The Braves successfully avoided the meltdown they experienced last year when they missed the playoffs. They will have Kris Medlen on the mound. While this may seem like an interesing choice, the Braves haven't lost one of his starts in over two years.

Prediction: Braves 5 Cardinals 2

AL Divisional Series - New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers - Begins October 7

Since I have already talked about the Rangers, I will focus on the Yankees here. With the Orioles in hot pursuit, the Yankees had to be superb baseball to remain in first. Second baseman Robinson Cano is one of the hottest hitters in baseball. Raul Ibanez has added some clutch hits. The Yankees pitching has improved lately as well.

Prediction: Yankees 3-1

AL Divisional Series - Oakland Athletics vs. Detroit Tigers - Begins October 6

How about them Athletics? In the stretch of three months, they have gone from 13 games out to winning the AL West. Without any real superstars and the lowest AL payroll. The Tigers held off the Chicago White Sox to win the AL Central. They must now look for a way to slow done the Athletics for one game.

Prediction: Tigers 3-2

NL Divisional Series - Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves - Begins October 7

Since the Braves have already been discussed, the focal point is here to look at the Nationals. Their magical season has earned their team home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. A balanced offense is pushed by a talented pitching staff, lead by Gio Gonzalez.

Prediction: Nationals 3-2

NL Divisional Series - Cincinnati Reds vs. San Francisco Giants - Begins October 6

The Reds have simply played balanced baseball this season. A mostly consistent pitching staff and reliable lineup allow them to easily win the NL Central. The Giants have had their share of ups and downs this season. While certain players have struggled and are no longer available, others have stepped up to fill their holes.

Prediction: Giants 3-2

AL Conference Series - New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers - Begins October 13

While the Tigers may have better individual players, such as Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander, I believe that the Yankees are the better team from top to bottom.

Prediction: Yankees 4-2

NL Conference Series - Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants - Begins October 14

The main difference in this matchup is experience. How much of factor does it play? With a matchup this close, I've decided to use that as my deciding factor.

Prediction: Giants 4-2

World Series - New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants - Begins October 24

This would be an excellent matchup in all aspects of the game. When it comes down to separating the two sides, I believe that the Yankees have more depth in their lineup and pitching staff.

Prediction: Yankees 4-1

Bottomline: I am predicting the New York Yankees to win the World Series.

Phillies and Brewers Charging Into NL Wild Card Race

The Milwaukee Brewers' Norichika Aoki had a crucial double to help lift the Brewers to a 5-0 win over the Braves. (The Candian Press)

The Philadelphia Phillies have been disappointing all season. Underachieving meant that two of their best players, Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, ended up being traded. The Phillies pitching staff has been pretty solid all season (as expected). What wasn't quite up to par yet was the lineup and bullpen. All of a sudden, both have gotten hot as of late.

Winners of five straight coming into Tuesday night's game at home against the Miami Marlins, the Phillies looked to build upon their recent success. The Phillies got off to a great start when they scored three runs in the first inning. On the mound, Phillies ace Roy Halladay unexpectedly struggled. Lasting 6 1/3 innings, he gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Phillies veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run to increase their lead to 8-3. However, during the top of the seventh, the Marlins scored four runs to pull within one run, trailing 8-7. In the bottom half of the inning, Rollins hit a sacrifice fly to score an insurance run.

The lead was handed over to the Phillies' spotty bullpen. With the two-run lead in place, their relievers began pitching quite well. B.J. Rosenburg and Phillippe Aumont kept the lead intact, earning both of them their second hold of the season. In the ninth inning, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon threw a scoreless inning to seal the team's 9-7 victory.

Coming off a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves the previous night, the Milwaukee Brewers looked to keep their winning going at home Tuesday. Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks got the scoring started with a solo shot to center for the 1-0 lead. That is all the offense that starting pitcher Marco Estrada got while he was pitching. As it turned out, that proved to be enough as Estrada threw scoreless baseball into the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson hit Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez with a pitch to load the bases. Then, shortstop Jean Segura grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out as one run came into score. The next batter was pinch hitter Taylor Greene, who hit an RBI-single to center field. Right fielder Norichika Aoki capped off the big inning with a RBI-double. When it was all said and done, the Brewers had scored three runs to take a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Brewers cushioned their lead a little bit more on a solo home run by third baseman Aramis Ramirez. As far as the bullpen was concerned, relievers Jim Henderson, Francisco Rodriguez, and Brandon Kintzler pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to complete the 5-0 shutout.

The NL Wild Card race is wide open. With the Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals all struggling in the thick of the race, teams like the Phillies and Brewers have come out of nowhere to join the playoff picture. As a result of their wins tonight, both the Phillies and Brewers now have a 71-71 record and stand four games out of the second wild card spot.

If you had told me during the summer that the Phillies and Brewers would be in the playoff hunt in September, I would have said you were crazy. However, this is baseball, and it always seems as though anything is possible. While some things are more likely than others, it is nearly impossible to predict what will really happen. It will surely be an exciting race to the end in the National League.

Harper Homers Twice But is Ejected in Nationals Win

Nationals young phenom Bryce Harper had his first multi-homer game of his career, but was also ejected in the ninth inning. (Marc Serota) 

The NL East-leading Washington Nationals had been in a bit of a slide going into tonight's series finale at the Miami Marlins.They had lost five in a row and saw their lead over the Atlanta Braves in the NL East shrink to four games. Before tonight's game, Nationals manager Davey Johnson decided to give his players a pep talk. They had only totaled six runs during the five-game losing streak. This is not the time of year for the lineup to start going cold.

The Nationals responded to Johnson's message in a big way. They went off on the Marlins pitching to the tune of 8 runs on 14 hits. Their young hitting phenom, Bryce Harper, led the way offensively with two homers, making the game his first multi-home run game of his career. The accomplishment was great, but things went south in the ninth inning. Harper ended up hitting a ground ball that turned into a double-play. After he was called out at first base, he spiked his helmet and nearly hit first base umpire C.B. Bucknor. Bucknor rightfully ejected Harper immediately. After the game, Johnson told reporters that Harper lost his temper and was verbally reprimanded for his behavior.

The Nationals listened to Johnson's advice about hitting. Now, it is time for Harper to listen to what Johnson has to say to Harper about his temper tantrums. They are immature, embarrassing, and have no place in the game of baseball. Harper must learn to mature and to control his feelings. The Nationals need Harper in their lineup. There's no question about that. But if he is subjecting his place in the lineup to injury, ejection, and suspension, he is not doing what is best for his ballclub. Harper needs to mature and grow up. He needs to realize that when he does, he will become a more complete and better player.

Brewers Plan on Trading Ace Zack Greinke

The Milwaukee Brewers have announced that they plan on trading their ace starting pitcher Zack Greinke. (Eric Hartline)

The Milwaukee Brewers brought in starting pitcher Zack Greinke to be their ace for a push for the postseason. Now that they appear to be in rebuilding mode, they plan on trading Greinke to another team for the exact same purpose. With teams looking for the key piece to put them over the top, many scouts have been busy observing and reporting on Greinke's work on the mound.

So far this season, Greinke boasts a 9-3 record with a 3.44 ERA. He has a great strike-to-walk ratio with a 144 strikeouts compared to only 28 walks. With Cole Hamels signing an extension with the Philadelphia Phillies and other pitchers getting injured and pulled off the trading block, Greinke has emerged as the top pitching target likely available.

As I already mentioned, many teams have sent scouts to observe Greinke, but there have been four ball clubs that have emerged as the frontrunners. The first two are the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels. While the rivals battle for the AL West lead, they are both looking for a piece to put them ahead of the other and the charging Oakland Athletics. Even though both the Rangers and Angles are certainly interested, they might be concerned that Greinke is in the last year of his contract.

The third team is the Chicago White Sox. They have been the surprise team in the AL Central. After surprisingly leading the division for much of the season, they have been passed by the division favorite Detroit Tigers. If the White Sox are going to keep pace, they need a difference maker. While a stud pitcher like Greinke could provide just that, they need to consider Greinke's anxiety issues. He prefers to shy away from the spotlight and pressure of pitching in a big city.

The fourth and final team is the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are pursuing the Washington Nationals for the lead in the NL East. With a young rotation, Greinke could provide the consistency that they need. Many believe that Atlanta is the preferred destination by Greinke himself. The Braves concern might be whether or not they have the money to resign him long term.

The Zack Greinke sweepstakes are well underway. Phones are ringing and GMs are losing sleep. With so many contenders looking for that key piece, anything is possible. Pitching always seems to be at a premium at the trade deadline. This year is no exception. With Greinke emerging as the ace of the available pitchers, the asking price will be high. It will be interesting to see which team is able to pull the trigger and bring him into their rotation.

Braves Rally From 9-0 Deficit to Beat Nationals in 11 Innings

Atlanta Braves reliever Chad Durbin celebrates the final out in their comeback win over the Nationals 11-10 in 11 innings. (Carolyn Kaster)

With baseball's second half wearing on, divisional games become more and more important. The Washington Nationals have been leading the NL East for the majority of the season, but have to be careful not to let up now. The Atlanta Braves are one of the teams hot on their trail. They travelled this weekend to the nation's capital to take on the Nationals.

In the series opener tonight, the Nationals jumped out in front early when right fielder Michael Morse crushed a three-run home run off Braves starter Tommy Hanson. In the fourth inning, Hanson served up another three-run bomb, this time to third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. One inning later, the Nationals offense was at it again. They loaded the bases and scored three more runs. When all was said and done, the Nationals' lead was 9-0.

Meanwhile, the Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg was in control, until he ran into some trouble in the sixth inning. His first mistake was when he left a pitch over the plate to Braves catcher Brian McCann, who hit it out for a two-run homer. Later in the inning, the Braves struck again when left fielder Martin Prado doubled home a pair of runs.

Still down 9-4 in the eighth inning, the Braves got in business again when they loaded the bases. Right fielder Jason Heyward drew a walk to score a run. The next batter was veteran third baseman Chipper Jones. Jones' single to left scored two. First baseman Freddie Freeman's RBI single score one more run. Despite the big inning, the Braves still trailed 9-8.

Nationals closer Tyler Clippard came in the ninth to try and save his team's dwindled lead. He got himself into trouble by walking Braves second baseman Dan Uggla and hit shortstop Paul Janish with a pitch. Center fielder Michael Bourn made Clippard pay when he smashed a ball to deep right center for a triple. Two runs came across to score as the Braves finally took the lead 10-9.

With their one-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth, the Braves brought in their own closer Craig Kimbrel. The Nationals though weren't willing to just go down. Second baseman Danny Espinosa connected on a solo shot to tie up the score. This crazy game wasn't over yet. We were headed for extras.

In the top of the 11th inning, Uggla led off for the Braves. He hit a ball hard to third base. A throwing error by Zimmerman allowed Uggla to reach second base. Uggla advanced to third on a passed ball. Janish hit a bloop single to score Uggla. In the bottom half of the inning, Braves reliever Chad Durbin came in to try and finish off the Nationals once again. This time he got the job done with a 1-2-3 inning.

The win was the Braves' largest comeback since 1987. More importantly, it pulls them to 2 1/2 games behind the Nationals. There's still three games left in the weekend series, including a double-header tomorrow. The Nationals need to bounce back from this game. Losing this type of lead is very disheartening. They must remember that this is merely one bump along a long the road of a long regular season. With as unexpected as this game was, we could be in for a great rest of the series and second half in the NL East.

Indians and Reds Complete Home Sweeps

Indians closer Chris Perez celebrates another save. (David Richard)

The Cleveland Indians don't care how many people come to watch them play. Right now, they are too busy winning. This afternoon the Indians completed a sweep of their division rival Detroit Tigers. Today's game featured a pitchers duel between Tigers ace Justin Verlander and Indians young stud Justin Masterson. Verlander only gave up a solo home run to Shin-Soo Choo and a RBI single to Jose Lopez in eight innings of work, but he only got limited support from a floundering Tigers offense. Masterson didn't dominant the Tigers (gave up five hits and had five walks), but he limited the damage, only allowing one run. He gave the 2-1 lead to setup man Vinnie Pestano, who earned his 12th hold of the season. Closer Chris Perez shut the door in the ninth, picking up his 16th save of the season. After criticizing the Indians' fans, Perez backed up his talk with a perfect save in each of the three games in the series. Winners of eight of their last ten, the first-place Indians (26-18) now have a 3 1/2-game lead over the White Sox and a 6-game lead over the Tigers in the AL Central.

Rookie Devin Mesoraco hits first career grand slam. (Al Behrman)

The Cincinnati Reds powered their way to a sweep of the Atlanta Braves. In their series opener, the Reds hit four solo home runs, including three in a row, to win 4-1. During Tuesday night's 4-3 win, Brandon Phillips went yard twice and had three RBIs. Last night, Todd Frazier hit a walk-off solo shot to propel the Reds to the 2-1 win. Tonight's finale saw rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco cap the series sweep off in style. The Reds were down 2-1 in the sixth, but had the bases loaded. That's when Mesoraco connected for his first career grand slam. The Reds pitching definitely deserves credit as well. They held the Braves to only eight runs in the four-game series. The Reds closer-by-committee worked to perfection. Sean Marshall, Arolids Chapman, and Logan Ondrusek each picked by a hold and a save during the sweep. The Reds (25-19) now have won six games in a row, which puts them in first place in the NL Central following a loss by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Two Ohio teams completed home sweeps tonight. Both are unexpectedly in first place in their respective divisions, but absolutely deserve it. They are playing complete team baseball. It will be interesting to see if they can keep it going the rest of the season.