The SeedSing 2019 MLB Playoff Preview

I think since SeedSing became a website I write 2 baseball pieces a year, give or take, and today, I have one of my usual baseball pieces.

The playoffs start soon, I think tomorrow, so I am going to give my predictions, and pick a World Series winner, and MVP. I'm going to start with the AL, and I am pretty sure that I picked Cleveland to be in the World Series, and they aren't even in the playoffs. (editor’s note: Ty picked the Yankees) Shockingly, especially to me because I just found out yesterday when preparing for this blog, the Rays and Athletics made the playoffs, and I cannot name single player on each team. But, if history has taught us anything about the A's in the playoffs, it is that they always blow it. Also, I think the Rays have solid pitching, so I am going to go with them to win the AL wild card game, and advance to getting their brains beat out by the Astros.

The Rays "gift" for beating the A's will be a sweep at the hands of Astros. The Astros, who have been quietly amazing for the past three years, including a World Series win, are a house of fire. They are so good at every position, on their pitching staff and their coaches. They may be the best team in baseball, and it may not be as close as some think. Yet no one really talks them up that much. That is because in the other division series in the AL we have the Yankees facing the Twins. The Twins aren't usually a team a lot of people talk about lately, but they lead the league in homeruns this year, and they won a shit ton of games. They are really good, and they are very well coached. But, they have a history like the A's in the playoffs, and usually, that history is against the Yankees. I so want to pick the Twins to win this series, and they can score with this Yankees team, but I just don't see it happening. Especially with the injury bug that hit the Yankees this year, and yet they still won over 100 games. They have mashers all over their lineup, and while their staff is questionable, if their starters can give them 5 or 6 quality innings, their bullpen can take over. I will be rooting, not watching though, for the Twins, but I think the Yankees will win the series in the end.

That gives us the Yankees and Astros in the ALCS. The separation is not much between these 2 teams, but the Astros pitching staff is light years ahead of the Yankees. The Yankees may not find it so easy to mash homers when they have to face 4 really, really good starting pitchers. And for that one reason, I am going with the Astros to win in 7 games. They are so good, and I think the Yankees lack of starting pitching will come to bite them in this series. so, I have the Astros representing the AL in the World Series.

The NL was a bit harder for me to figure out. The wild card game might be the best game of the whole MLB playoffs. The Brewers are currently on fire, all without Christian Yelich, but they have to go up against Max Scherzer, and a Nationals team that is putting Strasburg and their other starter in the bullpen for this game. It may be hard for them to come by hits. The Nationals starting pitching is really good. Their bullpen though, is really bad. I think that is why they have their other starters going to the bullpen for this game. Milwaukee's best shot, and I picked them to win the World Series before the year started by the way, is to find a way to get runs early. I feel like they have the lineup to do it, but it will be tough against Scherzer. I think this will be low scoring, but I think the Brewers can find a way to score 2 or 3 runs in the first 3 or 4 innings, and that will be enough. The Brewers will win, and they will then get to face the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have kind of quietly been a great team all year. They won over 100 games, they can pitch and they can hit. They have it all. But, they also seem to blow it in big time games, especially Clayton Kershaw. He has exercised some past playoff demons, but he isn't the dominate playoff pitcher that he is in the regular season. And, the Brewers are on fire, as I said earlier. I just think they have that "it" factor right now, and they can beat the Dodgers, in a hard fought 7 games, and advance to the NLCS.

The other divisional matchup features a super young, yet super talented Braves team facing off against my Cardinals. The Cardinals have been pretty good since the All Star break, but I don't like the fact that they needed until the last day to clinch the division. I'm also not a huge fan of their pitching staff. But, they have a good lineup, they have experience, and I look at the Braves like I do the Thunder when they have KD. Russ and Harden. They are good, and will be great, but not ready yet. But watch out for this Acuna kid. He is awesome. But I think the Cardinals will win the series, probably in 6 games, and advance to the NLCS.

That gives us a divisional matchup in the championship series. And while I have been doting on how hot the Brewers have been lately, there is one stat that I saw that has just stayed in my mind. When the Brewers were super duper hot, standing at 12-2 since the Yelich injury, the person who released the stat mentioned that the 2 were both against the Cardinals. And, my dad, who is the biggest Brewers fan I know, says that all the Cardinals need to do to get on a run is to play the Brewers. I think for these 2 reasons, the Cardinals will beat the Brewers, in 6 games, and advance to the World Series. They will represent the NL.

The 2019 World Series will be a blood bath like when the Red Sox destroyed the Cardinals in a 4 game sweep way back in the early 2000's. The Astros are better in every area of the game. They have a better lineup, better pitching staff and better coaching staff. They are a far better team where we sit today. I have the Astros winning the World Series in a clean and easy sweep. As for the MVP, I think it will be a pitcher because it always seems to be one, and I will go with Justin Verlander. He is the best pitcher on their team, and one of the best in the majors.

There you have it, my 2019 MLB playoff preview. Take this with a humongous grain of salt, but this is how I see it all playing out.

RD’s thoughts

First off, what was I wrong about in my 2019 season preview?

The Red Sox were not as great as last year.

Cleveland did not win the AL Central. It was never even close. Minnesota was ready this year.

The A’s proved me wrong again.

The Nationals were better without Bryce Harper.

The Reds were below average once again.

The Dodgers were way better than I gave them credit for and the Rockies were way worse.

Now, where was I right?

Tampa did make the playoffs, along with New York and Houston (three out of six right)

I did get five of the six NL playoff teams correct. Only miss was picking Colorado.

So, what does it all mean, who is going to win the 2019 World Series? I actually completely agree with Ty on all the series. Milwaukee will get hot, the Astros and Yankees are on a collision course, the Dodgers will choke, and St. Louis will emerge to take on Houston in the World Series.

And it will be a four game Astro’s sweep. Just like I predicted at the beginning of the season.

Ty & RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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