It’s that time of the year again everybody. No, not football season?playoff baseball time. If you can’t get into this year’s playoffs, then I’m sorry ‘cause you just ain’t a true baseball fan. This year, more than any other in past memory, there is no clear favorite to win the title and there looks to be a lot of potential for upset. This article should sound a bit familiar to you if you have read the Voice over the past couple of years, because I am coming at you with a little playoff analysis so that when I’m right, as I usually am, I can rub it in the faces of all you non-believers.
What a season we had this year in the AL. First there were the comeback kids in Minnesota, who with their stellar play showed Bud Selig where he could stick his plan to eliminate the ball club. Then there was the near strike which once again highlighted the greed and structural problems that still affect baseball. And finally, there was the severe beating of a Royals’ first base coach which showed all of us just how intense the fans can be. While I don’t think any of you should jump out of the stands and beat up coaches just yet, I do think the now is the time to get wild because I can sense that this year’s playoffs are gonna be crazy.
In the AL East you have my favorite team, the perennial powerhouse Yankees, who are once again favorites to take home the title, except this time they are playing for redemption after last year’s heartbreaking loss in Game Seven in Arizona. With Mariano Rivera injured, the Yanks are definitely hurting in the bullpen, but due to the stellar play of second baseman Alfonso Soriano and the acquisition of slugger Jason Giambi, don’t expect the Bronx Bombers to go quietly into the cold night. They are still my favorite and “the” favorite to bring the title back to New York.
Elsewhere in the AL there are the three other teams waiting in the wings, each hoping to finally dethrone the Yankees and win the pennant for the first time in four years. These teams are Minnesota, Oakland and Anaheim, who are all but secured of a playoff birth as the White Sox and Red Sox won’t put together any late runs at the end of the season. Sorry Sox fans, get ready for spring training.
In terms of those three teams, the most noteworthy and the one that has the most potential to unseat the Yankees is the Twins. These guys have been playing great all season and have something to prove right now to baseball and to themselves. The Angels and Athletics both played really well this season but don’t have what it takes to go deep in to the post season. The Athletics, if they want to go anywhere, will have to face the Yankees who they have shown time and time again they can’t beat. This year they will have to face their former best player in Giambi rather than have him on the bench for the attack. As for the Angels, if you want to see them advance in the playoffs, get a copy of Angels in the Outfield from Movie Mayhem, ‘cause this year its not gonna happen. While their pitchers have a lower ERA than the Yankees and their players have faced better pitching in the AL West then the Yankees have in the East, they still lack the power or deep bench to beat the Yankees in a five- or seven game series. They need to use this year as a building block for a stronger team next year.
In conclusion, the AL Playoffs look exciting. While in my biased mind I have already placed the Yankees in the World Series, there is huge potential this year for my putting my foot in my mouth when they are dominated by a weaker team. However, all of my gut feelings, analysis and years of watching baseball tell me that the Yankees are the best bet to make it to the Fall Classic once again. So save your money and your pride and don’t call Ms. Cleo, ‘cause she’s gonna tell you the same thing that I did.
Stay tuned next week when I preview the National League aka the right to be runners up at the World Series.
