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Alas, my perfect prediction record finally ended with an NLCS result that was nearly the complete opposite of what I had forecasted in the last round. Hey, but my ALCS prediction was right on, so that puts me at 7-1 this postseason with three series predicted in the correct number of games.
We've arrived at a finale that is the first World Series ever between two post-1960s expansion teams. Of course, the story all year long has been the possible Back to the Future correlation of 2015. With the Cubs now gone, we're looking at the team that possibly winning the Series being the team that last won it the year that film was released. The other outcome would be the team that hasn't won a Series since the following year.
Oddly enough, this series also beings on October 27—the exact same date that both of these teams last won those World Series in their respective years of 1985 and 1986. If this series goes the full seven games, the November 4 finale would match the record for latest closing act ever.
I don't really know what kind of TV ratings this World Series will garner (I mean, there is a New York team here), but I'm hopeful that we're going to get one really exciting finale.
It indeed seems like something of a rarity to be this far into the playoffs without a Yankees or Red Sox on one side of the bracket and a Cardinals or Giants on the other. Nope, this year we'll be getting a world champion that hasn't last won a Series in at least 22 years.
With these kinds of droughts, we should also get some pretty thrilling settings for the remaining games—seeing as the fans in attendance will be quite worked up. I expect a similar level of enthusiasm from most players too, especially now that Jose Bautista's celebratory bat flip in the last round got so many people worked up.
Anyway, I don't really have too much of an issue with any of the remaining teams (Toronto probably ranks lowest on teams I'd want to see win it all since their 1992 title came at the expense of my beloved Braves), but overall, these are all pretty likable clubs.
Now that we've eliminated the team with the second-best regular season record (yes, I'm still bitter even though I'm cheering for the Cubs to win the World Series within five games so I can see my father weep), we get to actual baseball series. Of course, I think a best-of-five doesn't always determine the best team, but it's certainly a whole helluva lot better than the single-game dumbfuckery.
I think all four series have the potential for some pretty tense and exciting games, but I'm guessing the series in the National League should probably slaughter the American League games in terms of TV ratings. I mean, on one side you have Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. On the other side, you have Kansas City, Texas, and Canada.
Of course, as has become evident in recent years, concerns about TV ratings are hopelessly misplaced. Even a Yankees-Cubs World Series would still get pounded by any NFL game.
Now that the Wild Card round is over, there's six other clubs that now get to show whether their regular season success carries over into the playoffs. Judging by the predictions I've seen thus far, Toronto is far and away the overwhelming favorite to win the whole damn thing (I have yet to see anybody picking the Rangers to get out of this round).
The fun part (or frustrating, depending on your perspective) though is that a team could get hot right now and suddenly become nearly unbeatable for the next three weeks. So I remain skeptical that the Blue Jays just waltz away with the Commissioner's Trophy in early November (or late October).
I'm happy that posting these predictions will knock my original season picks for the MLB season off the front page of this blog, as this year really bolsters that argument that I shouldn't bother trying to guess what teams will finish where for any sports. I don't know how this year's ineptitude compares to years past, but we'll just say this season was fucking awful.
For those keeping track at home, I got a mere two of the six division winners correct. Three for 10 on playoff teams and only seven of the 30 teams in their correct spots in the standings. Both predicted World Series participants failed to qualify.
So needless to say, you should probably take everything I say this postseason with enormous grain of salt. If you're going to use my predictions to put money down on a team, you might be better-served going with the opposite of everything I say.
If nothing else, we'll see a new champion being crowned this year. I guess it's mildly concerning for MLB that the top seeds in each league are teams from Missouri, but—with a few exceptions—I can't really see many of these teams driving big TV ratings.
I've long held that I despise the single-game Wild Card playoff idea (really loved what Cubs announcer Len Kasper suggested recently with a best-of-three using a doubleheader followed by a Game 3 if necessary), but this year is particularly frustrating because one of the top three teams in terms of regular season records is going to be eliminated by Thursday morning. After one game.
For now, we deal with the system that we have been given and hope for the best. And hopefully that includes some really riveting baseball. Because of the seeming openness of the field, I'm fairly optimistic.
Dammit, I had meant to type this up during one of my lunch breaks at work, but, well, you know. Been mighty quiet around these parts.
Anyway, I'm going to be limiting my comments to pretty much just the following intro. I had toyed with the picking the Cubs to win it all this year because of the Back to the Future 2 correlation, but it looks like Jesse Spector already beat me to that. I haven't looked for many of the predictions of others (we did get a copy of Sports Illustrated in which the magazine picked the Indians[!]), but I'm guessing that the Nationals have to be a pretty (deserving) popular favorite (once again).
Seeing as my predicted winner basically never wins the World Series, I went with the Dodgers last year and the logic paid off because Los Angeles did not win the World Series. I did get all five of the National League postseason teams correct, and I'm guessing most everybody has the same three division winners in that league again this year with the only variation being in the wild cards. The American League, on the other hand, is pretty up in the air.
I almost liked the idea of going with the Dodgers again just to jinx Hell-A. But if we're looking at recent history alternating Cardinals and Giants pennants, then this should be St. Louis going to the Series this year. So without any real explanation, here's my stabs at how each team is going to finish this year's baseball season:
