Just One Fan’s Postseason Predictions

All the teams are set, and we have a Postseason ready to be played. Don’t know who’s in and who’s not? Don’t worry, here’s a link to the bracket. Most of you know I do my own blogging on the side, so there must be a reason I’m putting my Postseason predictions on this site. It’s going to get a bit homer-y, but I should be allowed to do that, because hey, lots of Giants fans were right about 2010, am I right?!?? Everyone has a right to their own predictions and my picks are bound to be wrong here and there, but this should be all fun and games. We’ll go series-by-series, as opposed to league-by-league.

October 3, 2012; St. Louis, MO. USA; St. Louis Cardinals salute their fans after defeating the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

Wild Card Play-In Game

Cardinals @ Braves (Friday, 2:00PM PST, TBS): Kris Medlen has been incredibly dirty for the Braves and I’m going to go with the crowd that says he helps the Braves shut down the 2011 World Champs.

Orioles @ Rangers (Friday, 5:30PM PST, TBS): Yu Darvish hits the bump for the Rangers, and if he can hold the Orioles down, then not even Ian Kinsler‘s slumpy shoulders can keep the Rangers from moving on while playing in front of their home crowd! The fairy-tale season ends for Baltimore, though I will be rooting for them.

Oct 01, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals players Gio Gonzalez (left) and Bryce Harper (center) and Michael Morse (right) celebrate after clinching the National League east title at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-US PRESSWIRE

Division Series — One game on October 7th, and October 10th will be aired on MLB Network

Athletics @ Tigers (Begins Saturday, 3:30PM PST, TBS): The A’s will have to go against the powerful Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, and while they might be the ones to beat the A’s, they will be but assistants in help taking down Oakland and their recently highly-used bullpen. Tigers in 4.

Reds @ Giants (Begins Saturday, 6:30PM PST, TBS): Every postseason team is scary in its own right, and Cincy has the pitching and the offense to prove it. However, the Giants will have three guys that prove especially valuable for this series and they are: Matt Cain, Marco Scutaro, and Buster Posey. These will be the names you will read about most when the Giants outlast the Reds in 5.

Nationals @ Braves (Begins Sunday, time and network TBD): The Nationals beat the Braves 10-8 over the course of the season, and they are going to wish they had the availability of Stephen Strasburg, because the Bravo bats and their arsenal of arms in the bullpen will hold off the very powerful National bats and continue Chipper Jones‘ farewell tour. Braves in 4. The term “Natitude” finally dies.

Yankees @ Rangers (Begins Sunday, time and network TBD): A rematch of the 2010 ALCS that saw Texas prevail will have much of the former 2010 roster inspired to oust the back-to-back AL Champions to reach the pennant they feel they rightfully earned and paid for by the organization (obligatory Yankees payroll jab). Rangers run out of gas, have their worst postseason in the 2010’s, Yankees in 3.

Oct 3, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Ichiro Suzuki (31) and teammates celebrate winning the American League east championship after the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via US PRESSWIRE

Championship Series

Tigers @ Yankees (Begins Saturday, October 13th): The season series said the Yanks won 6 to 4, and this will be the more-watched series of the two CS. Alex Rodriguez will be the hero for the Yankees while Prince Fielder‘s short-comings in the final game will be put under a magnifying glass for about an hour until we move on to more AL MVP talk. Yankees in 7.

Braves @ Giants (Begins Sunday, October 14th): There may be no fanbase that tends to tick the them off more than Braves fans do to the Giants fans outside of the NL West, and it starts with the Chop, but I’ll leave that for someone else to talk about. This was the only season series the Giants won over an NL playoff team, and that will continue in the NLCS as the rotation gains its 2010 form, but will have to fight a solid pitching core from Atlanta in Kris Medlen, Mike Minor, and Tim Hudson. The Giants will also need 7 games to move on, but will do so decidedly as Pablo Sandoval wins the NLCS MVP.

Oct 1, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) is congratulated by first baseman Prince Fielder (28) after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

World Series

Yankees @ Giants (Begins Wednesday, October 24th, FOX): A rematch of the famed 1962 World Series that will forever be remembered by Willie McCovey‘s final out happens again 50 years later as if designed by the baseball gods because they like round numbers as much as we sports fans do. A World Series where endless trash will be talked about Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, and where people will make uncalled for jokes against Ken Rosenthal. C.C. Sabathia will prove why he’s one of the game’s best, but Matt Cain will be the leader in that dance, thank you very much. The Giants dominance over old friend Hiroki Kuroda will prove to be the difference as World Series MVP Sergio Romo and the Giants get ready for their second parade in three years.

October 2, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) reacts after left fielder Xavier Nady (not pictured) catches a fly ball against Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (not pictured) in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE