The strange world of baseball. When the Miami Marlins tested positive at the beginning of the shortened season, I doubted MLB would get through 60 games. But here we are. Postseason baseball.
There are plenty of question marks. How do the New York Yankees and Houston Astros do? Not exactly the hottest in batting and pitching. Plenty of injuries. The monkey is still on the Tampa Bay Rays to win a World Series. What will the playoffs taste like for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. Some of the veterans will have to guide both teams through postseason play. Particularly Chicago, having not been in contention since 2008. Oakland gets another crack, but it may be another case of moneyball not working yet again. Same with Minnesota. At least they don't face the Yankees. Or will they? Toronto is back in it for the first time in four years, but some of it will be training wheels for this crew.
Half the NL playoff teams from last year are back. Atlanta, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Milwaukee get their stab at a trophy. Atlanta and St. Louis have some hot bats. I just wonder about the pitching. The Braves have lost some good talent. Can it sustain itself? Like Tampa, the monkey is on the Dodgers to win the World Series. A whole lot of nothing in the last decade. Kershaw's last stand? Probably, but maybe another year or two. The Brewers need to just survive and hope everything clicks. The Chicago Cubs got experience of the postseason. Will some of it rub onto the newcomers as the vets of the 2016 championship go for their second? San Diego may be a dark horse favorite. Let it loose and they could get to the pennant for the first time since 1998. A team just as long is the Miami Marlins, going to the postseason for the first time since 2003. Only their third postseason appearance, this should be a learning lesson. I'm not expecting to go far, but some of it will feel nerve racking. And there's veteran talent on the Cincinnati Reds. Some might consider them a favorite. I'm not sure. But they could play spoiler.
This year might be the World Series year for Minnesota or Oakland. Even with the success, I'm hesitant on saying Tampa gets in. The White Sox could be the one that spoils it for the American League. My National League choices come down to the LA Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, or the dark horse San Diego Padres. If health wasn't a factor, I'd say Atlanta. An interesting year, this will be a very interesting postseason to watch.
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