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Trysta Krick of SportsPulse catches Ted Berg of For The Win and Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports, who give us their predictions for this year's baseball playoffs.
USA TODAY & # 39; HUI
Los Angeles Dodgers player Yasiel Puig awaits his turn in the batting cage before the first game of the 2018 NHL Playoffs Baseball Series at Dodger Stadium.(Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA Today Sports)
Hi and goodbye to the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics, who really participated in the Major League Baseball playoffs in 2018. Now that the losers have been defeated, the remaining field is gaining clarity.
And some teams are better placed than others.
Ranking the remaining eight teams based on their ability to win the World Series – and the path they must follow to achieve it:
1. Dodgers
Location, location, location. The Dodgers reside in the National League, which means an automatic bye against the top four teams in the field. Unfair, you say? Well, no matter what it's worth, NL has beaten the American League this season as an Interliga. The Dodgers claimed a division in which four teams were seriously trying to win; they should not have to apologize for the road ahead.
And this road starts with what looks like the mildest possible opponent of the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers open at home, will throw a pair of left-handers on Freddie Freeman at Hyun-jin Ryu and former ace Clayton Kershaw and seem to have the best start to the Newfoundland championship in rookie Walker Buehler. Also, shopping at home.
It's not hard to imagine the Dodgers working quickly with the Braves and waiting for the survivor of what could be a winner of a five-game series between the Rockies and the Brewers.
Of course, they would be overlooked by their AL opponent in the World Series, but in this game, access is paramount.
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2. Astros
The good news for Houston is that it only has to beat two of the Indians, the Red Sox and the Yankees. The bad news is that Indians have a significant twinning problem in the Division Series. They will stack powerful weapons against them to start and relieve, with Trevor Bauer a particularly daunting multi-handle option early in the ALDS. And the Astros, strangely enough, can not hit home – an average of .248 at Minute Maid Park and more circuits on the road (113) than their own cozy baseball field (92).
Yet the Astros are so good, so young, so powerful and so versatile. They can beat you in the traditional way (give the ball to Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Keuchel Dallas, Charlie Morton) or otherwise (good luck through Hector Rondon, Ryan Pressly and Roberto Osuna whenever they choose to do them enter). They are the best-aligned champions to repeat since probably the 2008-2009 Phillies.
3. Red Sox
Yes, 108 wins do not buy much anymore. Do not get me wrong: the Red Sox could very well force all their opponents to submit and compete for a championship behind an attack that led the AL in everything but home runs.
They will also face 100 consecutive teams in the playoffs of the American League, starting with the Yankees. And there are questions.
Will Chris Sale find his missing speed? Can David Price and Rick Porcello really punch them 1-2-3? Relatively anonymous lifters like Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes will they be folk heroes or goats at the end of October?
4. brewers
After a 20-7 coup de grace, they are officially part of the team No one wants to play. You've seen their micro-sense formula in this 163 game against the Cubs: a lot of Christian Yelich, a pinch of proficient pitcher, a deadly corrector.
They are trying a nice break in the LNDS by avoiding the two best Colorado starters. They will enjoy a significant advantage in the field at Miller Park. Yet, if they reach the World Series, a starting rotation ranked 12th in the American NHL may be assaulted by the champion of the American League, which is probably too much to stretch his pen.
5. Indians
If you are a betting man or woman, Indians are the best value choice of the World Series (currently 8 to 1). According to the theory, the AL field is a game of chance and the survivor will overthrow his enemy from Newfoundland. Oh, they are very good on paper, too.
MVP candidates Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor are exactly what you want in the playoffs: the batters who put the ball in play. Josh Donaldson is a staggering X-factor. There are questions regarding the performance and health of Cody Allen and Andrew Miller, but there are many weapons to understand it.
And who do you prefer to have at the helm that Terry Francona, who is sure to face a new director of ALCS if the Indians advance?
6. Rockies
A little feels the Rocktober, right? These Rockies have not yet fully replicated the 21-1 edition of their 2007 edition, but after surviving a three-day, three-zone odyssey to land in the NHDS, they will not be afraid.
In terms of the situation, however, it is a difficult point. Ace Kyle Freeland will not be available until the third match of the LNDS. They will not have the advantage of the field and have only been 3 to 7 at Dodger Stadium this year and have lost five of their total seven goals against Milwaukee.
7. Yankees
They are suddenly a very chic choice after exploding the A in the game of wild cards, and for good reason. The gradual recovery of Aaron Judge seems complete. Dellin Betances is still a late guy. They won 100 games, for the sake of Pete.
Yet, it is impossible to get around the amazing test that announces: we must crush the Red Sox and probably the Astros with a rotation that can sometimes be tenuous. They can certainly play powerball with the Red Sox, the Astros or the Indians. Can they denounce them?
8. Braves
The big unknown. It is not difficult to imagine a quick exit for Atlanta, certainly ahead of schedule with its reconstruction. Mike Foltyniewicz provides them with a legitimate starter in the first match and Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuña Jr. are both capable of carrying an offense. Yet, when your number 2 runner calls Anibal Sanchez and your scorer ranks 10th in the Netherlands in ERA and 8th in the playoffs, these problems can only be solved when they are in the same position. in winter.
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