Baseball's final weekend not without some drama
The final weekend on the regular season schedule didn't look too exciting a week or so ago, but that was before the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers decided to make things interesting.
Ok, so it's not like watching some of the great pennant races in the past like the NL West in 1993 or the American League back in 1967. Hell, it's not even close to great playoff chases like those. Come to think of it, there really isn't much drama at all.
Still, there is still some key games and parts to be played out that will affect the playoffs. Though both teams have already clinched the series between the Dodgers and Rockies is a big one in the grand scheme. And of course there's still the AL Central up for grabs.
But what's really at stake this weekend for all of the teams left in the postseason hunt are the rotations and how they're set right now. The team that appears to be really screwed up if there is some Wild Card playoff on Monday are the Rockies and Tigers, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Yankees are playing in Tampa and playing for nothing with home field wrapped up in the AL. Despite clinching the earliest in the majors, Joe Girardi still appears a bit unset on how he'll stack his pitching rotation up and some of that is due to the Yankees also owning the privilege of choosing whether they want to play their first playoff game on Wednesday or Thursday.
By MLB rule, New York will have to notify everyone within an hour of their exact opponent being decided (Detroit or Minnesota). My guess is they will opt to play Game 1 on Wednesday, take Thursday off and come back with Game 2 on Friday. I'm also sure that CC Sabathia (who goes Friday at the Rays) gets the call in Game 1 regardless when it's pitched, and will surely be followed by Andy Pettitte then A.J. Burnett. Joba Chamberlain? No idea, but right now I can only guess he's headed to the pen.
Mike Scioscia's Angels are also in the course of deciding their order officially and being held in limbo on when they play until New York decides. But the rotation Scioscia is putting out this weekend in Oakland -- Jeff Weaver, Scott Kazmir, Joe Saunders -- is the way he will go against the Red Sox in their ALDS. Kazmir has some decent numbers and experience against against Boston and Saunders, with the exception of one bad start recently at Fenway, has pitched well there over his career.
Boston appears set up to go Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz, though Terry Francona could surprise us.
The Twins and Tigers are the true wildcards in the AL. Two out with three to play, Minnesota First there's the possibility the two teams meet Monday in a playoff; would Ron Gardenhire go with the veteran Carl Pavano or bring Scott Baker back for that on short rest (5 IP, 105 pitches in Thursday's 8-3 win)?
Believe it or not, Jim Leyland and Detroit are in worse shape despite owning a two-game lead. You figure they're good for at least one, right? They're at home and facing a so-so ChiSox club, what could go wrong? As one of my idols Justin Wilson would say right now, "Let me go on and told you."
The Tigers will face Jake Peavy, Freddy Garcia and John Danks in the three games to start with. If the Tigers have to win on Sunday, it means Justin Verlander will pitch, taking him not only out of consideration for any playoff game with Minnesota, but also probably out of consideration to be their Game 1 starter in the ALDS with the Yankees.
Over in the NL there won't be any playoffs for the Wild Card or Division titles. But boy howdy, there is one helluva' race to see who winds up with home field advantage.
It's very tough to call right now just how the pair of LDS series will go, and we have the Dodgers to thank for it as their recent stinky play has been the proverbial wrench in the works. How's this for a murky pit: The three eventual division winners could all be 94-68. Put that in your one-hitter and inhale.
That would mean St. Louis has to sweep the Brewers. Not likely, but then the Cards are at home and have won nine of their last 12 against Milwaukee after opening the year 0-3 vs. the Brew Crew.
Ton La Russa has set his St. Louis rotation up to start with with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright in the first two games of their NLDS, then bring either Kyle Lohse or Joel Pineiro for Game 3. The Phillies, who will likely meet the Rockies, are currently set up to go Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ. Interestingly enough, from what I can find Hamels is the only member of that quartet who has pitched at Coors, and that was one losing outing there earlier this season.
Colorado should counter with Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge de la Rosa in the first three games of their playoff series next week. Jason Hammel would be their fourth arm. Jimenez, de la Rosa and Hammel will pitch this weekend in LA where the Dodgers are a complete wreck.
With four straight losses going into their weekend series with the Rocks, Joe Torre's club would most likely open any playoffs with Chad Billingsley, though Jon Garland would be an option. Depending upon their opponents in the opening round, Torre could then go with Garland in Game 2 vs. the Cardinals or lefthander Randy Wolf if they're matched up opposite the Phillies. I suspect his decision to use Clayton Kershaw (vs. the Phils) or Hiroki Kuroda (vs. the Cards) as his fourth starter would also depend on the matchup.
Here are my picks for Game 1 matchups next week in the opening round of the 2009 MLB postseason:
Wednesday, Oct 7
NLDS: St. Louis (Chris Carpenter) at Los Angeles (Chad Billingsley)
NLDS: Colorado (Aaron Cook) at Philadelphia (Cliff Lee)
ALDS: Detroit (Justin Verlander) at New York (CC Sabathia)
Thursday, Oct 8
ALDS: Boston (Jon Lester) at LA/Anaheim (Jeff Weaver)
The final weekend on the regular season schedule didn't look too exciting a week or so ago, but that was before the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers decided to make things interesting.
Ok, so it's not like watching some of the great pennant races in the past like the NL West in 1993 or the American League back in 1967. Hell, it's not even close to great playoff chases like those. Come to think of it, there really isn't much drama at all.
Still, there is still some key games and parts to be played out that will affect the playoffs. Though both teams have already clinched the series between the Dodgers and Rockies is a big one in the grand scheme. And of course there's still the AL Central up for grabs.
But what's really at stake this weekend for all of the teams left in the postseason hunt are the rotations and how they're set right now. The team that appears to be really screwed up if there is some Wild Card playoff on Monday are the Rockies and Tigers, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Yankees are playing in Tampa and playing for nothing with home field wrapped up in the AL. Despite clinching the earliest in the majors, Joe Girardi still appears a bit unset on how he'll stack his pitching rotation up and some of that is due to the Yankees also owning the privilege of choosing whether they want to play their first playoff game on Wednesday or Thursday.
By MLB rule, New York will have to notify everyone within an hour of their exact opponent being decided (Detroit or Minnesota). My guess is they will opt to play Game 1 on Wednesday, take Thursday off and come back with Game 2 on Friday. I'm also sure that CC Sabathia (who goes Friday at the Rays) gets the call in Game 1 regardless when it's pitched, and will surely be followed by Andy Pettitte then A.J. Burnett. Joba Chamberlain? No idea, but right now I can only guess he's headed to the pen.
Mike Scioscia's Angels are also in the course of deciding their order officially and being held in limbo on when they play until New York decides. But the rotation Scioscia is putting out this weekend in Oakland -- Jeff Weaver, Scott Kazmir, Joe Saunders -- is the way he will go against the Red Sox in their ALDS. Kazmir has some decent numbers and experience against against Boston and Saunders, with the exception of one bad start recently at Fenway, has pitched well there over his career.
Boston appears set up to go Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz, though Terry Francona could surprise us.
The Twins and Tigers are the true wildcards in the AL. Two out with three to play, Minnesota First there's the possibility the two teams meet Monday in a playoff; would Ron Gardenhire go with the veteran Carl Pavano or bring Scott Baker back for that on short rest (5 IP, 105 pitches in Thursday's 8-3 win)?
Believe it or not, Jim Leyland and Detroit are in worse shape despite owning a two-game lead. You figure they're good for at least one, right? They're at home and facing a so-so ChiSox club, what could go wrong? As one of my idols Justin Wilson would say right now, "Let me go on and told you."
The Tigers will face Jake Peavy, Freddy Garcia and John Danks in the three games to start with. If the Tigers have to win on Sunday, it means Justin Verlander will pitch, taking him not only out of consideration for any playoff game with Minnesota, but also probably out of consideration to be their Game 1 starter in the ALDS with the Yankees.
Over in the NL there won't be any playoffs for the Wild Card or Division titles. But boy howdy, there is one helluva' race to see who winds up with home field advantage.
It's very tough to call right now just how the pair of LDS series will go, and we have the Dodgers to thank for it as their recent stinky play has been the proverbial wrench in the works. How's this for a murky pit: The three eventual division winners could all be 94-68. Put that in your one-hitter and inhale.
That would mean St. Louis has to sweep the Brewers. Not likely, but then the Cards are at home and have won nine of their last 12 against Milwaukee after opening the year 0-3 vs. the Brew Crew.
Ton La Russa has set his St. Louis rotation up to start with with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright in the first two games of their NLDS, then bring either Kyle Lohse or Joel Pineiro for Game 3. The Phillies, who will likely meet the Rockies, are currently set up to go Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels and J.A. Happ. Interestingly enough, from what I can find Hamels is the only member of that quartet who has pitched at Coors, and that was one losing outing there earlier this season.
Colorado should counter with Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jorge de la Rosa in the first three games of their playoff series next week. Jason Hammel would be their fourth arm. Jimenez, de la Rosa and Hammel will pitch this weekend in LA where the Dodgers are a complete wreck.
With four straight losses going into their weekend series with the Rocks, Joe Torre's club would most likely open any playoffs with Chad Billingsley, though Jon Garland would be an option. Depending upon their opponents in the opening round, Torre could then go with Garland in Game 2 vs. the Cardinals or lefthander Randy Wolf if they're matched up opposite the Phillies. I suspect his decision to use Clayton Kershaw (vs. the Phils) or Hiroki Kuroda (vs. the Cards) as his fourth starter would also depend on the matchup.
Here are my picks for Game 1 matchups next week in the opening round of the 2009 MLB postseason:
Wednesday, Oct 7
NLDS: St. Louis (Chris Carpenter) at Los Angeles (Chad Billingsley)
NLDS: Colorado (Aaron Cook) at Philadelphia (Cliff Lee)
ALDS: Detroit (Justin Verlander) at New York (CC Sabathia)
Thursday, Oct 8
ALDS: Boston (Jon Lester) at LA/Anaheim (Jeff Weaver)
