MLB Playoffs 2017: Five bold playoff predictions

2. The Diamondbacks defeat the Dodgers in the NLDS in five games

This is probably the one single team the Dodgers don’t want to a match up. The D-backs matchup well with the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, and Rich Hill? JD Martinez says bring it on. The Diamondbacks have a clear advantage at first base, with perennial MVP candidate Paul Goldschmidt.

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The bullpens are a push here…until the later innings when the Dodgers have Kenley Jansen, and Arizona has the arrow-shooting, former Cub, Fernando Rodney. The outfields are a stretch, as well. David Peralta, AJ Pollock, and JD Martinez vs Chris Taylor, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig, and sometimes Cody Bellinger out there. The underlying point is that the Diamondbacks can score with the Dodgers, and may even be able to pitch with them, too. That should be a fun series…..that is, of course, if Arizona wins the National League Wild Card game.

Let’s just assume this series happens; it may be the most entertaining of all of the division series’. Zack Greinke, Patrick Corbin, Taijuan Walker, and Robbie Ray should make up their playoff rotation. Los Angeles has Clayton Kershaw, Yu Darvish, Alex Wood, and Rich Hill or Kenta Maeda should make up their postseason rotation.

3. The Twins reach the ALCS

It’s called a bold prediction, right? The Twins have made this run in the second half without their big young bopper, Miguel Sano. Rumors today are swirling that the Twins may get him back for the Wild Card game, and that is huge. Sano had already set career highs in home runs, and tied his career high in walks while posting a .870 OPS, while making his first all-star team. Long story short, Sano was having a career year, and really gives the Twins an imposing presence in the lineup.

Couple that in with Eddie Rosario having a breakout year, and Byron Buxton slowly becoming the player everybody expected him to be, makes for a dangerous lineup. Jorge Polanco had a dynamite second half as well, picking up the slack when Sano went down. The pitching is suspect, but if you just slug your whole way through, the pitching only needs to keep you in the game, at best. If Rosario and Buxton keep hitting, and Sano comes back, this team can make a run.

It certainly won’t be easy, though, as the wild card game is going to be at Yankee Stadium, where the Yankees are tough to beat. The Twins, though, will go all out, and give it everything they have, because what else do they have to lose? After all, this team did lose over 100 games last year.

4. The Red Sox make the World Series

This is the one team in the American League that’s not being talked about. How? Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Hanley Ramirez lead a loaded lineup. The rotation is very underrated. Chris Sale has struck out over 300 hitters and is an easy finalist for the Cy Young award. Drew Pomeranz has been quietly very good, Rick Porcello won the Cy Young in 2016, so he has stuff, and Eduardo Rodriguez seems to have found himself.

Oh, and they still have David Price who may be coming out of the bullpen. Craig Kimbrel has been the best reliever in the American League, with a 3.4 fWAR, just 0.1 behind Kenley Jansen, and is striking out almost 17 hitters per 9 innings. The dude is ridiculous, and a nice safety blanket to go to for multiple innings.

On the defensive side of things, the Red Sox are very sound. Not too flashy, but make most plays, including two catchers who can shut any running game down. Mookie Betts is the best defensive right fielder in baseball, maybe the best outfielder in baseball, which is debatable. Jackie Bradley will get to any ball in the outfield, and it’s a shame he doesn’t have a gold glove yet. Oh, he has a little pop too, delivering 17 home runs, from the bottom of the order. This team is loaded, and they will not be an easy out for any team they face.

5. The Cubs will repeat as World Series Champions.

You had to know this one was coming, right? If you asked around baseball, I’m not sure anybody would be actually surprised if the Cubs repeated. They have the experience; they have the same team as last year. And the pitching is coming around at the right time, not to mention a lockdown bullpen.

Carl Edwards, Jr, Pedro Strop, and Wade Davis deliver a dynamite back end of a bullpen, while Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, Jake Arrieta, and Kyle Hendricks is a more than serviceable rotation. The Cubs have a 46-24 record in the second half and lead the major leagues in average, runs, runs per game, and on-base percentage. They look like the 2016 team that won the World Series again.

Speaking of offense, does this offense really need to be talked about? It’s methodical. They will take their walks, they will slug, and will just keep coming at their opponent. It’s the same offense as last year, and add in a healthy Kyle Schwarber, and better versions of Javier Baez, Jason Heyward, and Willson Contreras. With the way the Cubs are playing, they may be a tougher out than they were last year when they won the World Series. People forget that.