With the 2012 playoffs well underway, I thought it was time I say something about it. I have not been around for much of the season this year as I have moved to Budapest, Hungary and have not been able to watch very much baseball this year. First of all, I want to say that I like the new system with the second wild card team in each league. It adds a huge sense of excitement as if it were a game seven in the LCS or World Series with the win or go home mentality. That excitement should be a boost for the game in my opinion.
One thing that I don't like is that the team with the better record plays the first two games on the road. They have earned the right to home field advantage, and even though that ultimately means playing the majority of the games on their home field, it also should mean they get to begin a series at home and have the last game of the series at home if it gets to that point.
Now to get to each series, and I know I am a bit behind so we have already seen the Tigers and Giants advance to their respective LCS series, but we still have two left. I have been surprised at how poorly the Nationals have played this series so far. I do believe that it was a mistake to shut down Strasburg for the season. If anything, they should have had him skip a start occasionally throughout the season and had him on the roster for the playoffs. They are certainly a better team with Strasburg. I do believe they will pull this series out with Gio Gonzalez on the hill tonight.
The Orioles and Yankees also play their game 5 tonight. I believe the Yankees will pull this one out with the superior pitcher on the bump and the experience of having been here before and the Orioles just are not experienced enough, even though they have hung tough so far, I believe the Yankees just have too many weapons for the Orioles to handle.
With that being said, I am predicting a World Series of Tigers and Giants with the Giants winning it all. The Tigers beat the Yankees because they have a deeper pitching staff and they have an explosive offense that can show up at any time. Even though they have been on and off this season, I believe they will come through at the right time and they should be able to take advantage of the lack of pitching depth of the Yankees. I believe the Giants will win their LCS for the same reason, their pitching. They have many of the same pitchers from when they won it all in 2010 and they have experience and the talent to get to the World Series again this year with the Nationals not having the experience and the pitchers not having been extended much in the past.
I see the Giants taking the World Series from the Tigers. Their offense is not as good, but with Verlander the only playoffs tested pitcher I believe Fister and Sanchez will struggle and the Giants will be able to take advantage of that. With the pitching of Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, and Vogelsong, they have the deepest rotation in the playoffs. This depth and some timely hitting will be why they win the World Series.
What are your thoughts?
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