Go Tribe!
Today, the Minnesota Twins took advantage of a Tigers loss and clinched the central division for the 4th time since its inception. The playoffs start on Tuesday.
I will personally have no emotional vestment in the playoffs, because there will be no Tribe there this year.
However, after an atrocious first half, we went on to go 38-36 in the second half. Not great, but certainly respectable considering the futility of the first half.
So now that the Playoffs are upon us, I might as well right up some playoff predictions for this year.
2006 Baseball Playoff Predictions
American League
Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
This one is tricky. Justin Verlander is in his first playoff series, and there's no where tougher to pitch in the playoffs than at Yankee Stadium. And against this Yankee lineup, he's going to have his work cut out for him. The Yankees will be tossing Wang, Mussina, and Johnson in the first three games, and two of those games will be at home. I think the Big Unit brings his A-game, and the Yankees sweep.
Oakland A's vs. Minnesota Twins
Johan Santana's going to pitch twice? In a short series? I would have given the nod to the Twins over the Yankees in this series, they'll make short work of the A's. Twins in 4.
Twins vs. Yankees
This series was easier to judge in a 5 game series where Johan Santana was pitching twice. It was also easier to judge if Francisco Liriano was healthy and he and Santana were both pitching twice. However, in it's current form, it is a tougher judgement call. Johan Santana is the best pitcher in the game, so the Twins will win at least two games in this series.
However, the Yankees lineup is dangerous. Though I believe Joe Mauer could hit anyone, and Cuddyer, Hunter and Morneau are also excellent hitters, the Twins just don't have near the lineup that the Yankees have. And though the Twins have the best pitcher in the league, the Yankees have a solid rotation started off with Wang, Mussina, and Johnson.
It's going to be a close series, but it's going to be the Yankees in 7 games.
Tomorrow I'll do the national league and pick a World Series Winner.
Tschüs!
I will personally have no emotional vestment in the playoffs, because there will be no Tribe there this year.
However, after an atrocious first half, we went on to go 38-36 in the second half. Not great, but certainly respectable considering the futility of the first half.
So now that the Playoffs are upon us, I might as well right up some playoff predictions for this year.
2006 Baseball Playoff Predictions
American League
Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
This one is tricky. Justin Verlander is in his first playoff series, and there's no where tougher to pitch in the playoffs than at Yankee Stadium. And against this Yankee lineup, he's going to have his work cut out for him. The Yankees will be tossing Wang, Mussina, and Johnson in the first three games, and two of those games will be at home. I think the Big Unit brings his A-game, and the Yankees sweep.
Oakland A's vs. Minnesota Twins
Johan Santana's going to pitch twice? In a short series? I would have given the nod to the Twins over the Yankees in this series, they'll make short work of the A's. Twins in 4.
Twins vs. Yankees
This series was easier to judge in a 5 game series where Johan Santana was pitching twice. It was also easier to judge if Francisco Liriano was healthy and he and Santana were both pitching twice. However, in it's current form, it is a tougher judgement call. Johan Santana is the best pitcher in the game, so the Twins will win at least two games in this series.
However, the Yankees lineup is dangerous. Though I believe Joe Mauer could hit anyone, and Cuddyer, Hunter and Morneau are also excellent hitters, the Twins just don't have near the lineup that the Yankees have. And though the Twins have the best pitcher in the league, the Yankees have a solid rotation started off with Wang, Mussina, and Johnson.
It's going to be a close series, but it's going to be the Yankees in 7 games.
Tomorrow I'll do the national league and pick a World Series Winner.
Tschüs!