The 2010 Major League Baseball (MLB) season is winding down. After a grueling 162-game marathon, eight out of the 30 baseball teams will advance to the playoffs, the event that attracts most baseball and non-baseball fans. Here is a look at the four National League teams that will advance to the postseason, how they will get there, and how far they will go. To check the American League playoff predictions, click here.
2010 National League Divisional Predictions
National League East
The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies will provide the closest race in major league baseball this season. Their last six games in the final stretch will be thrilling and anguishing for both teams. First, they will meet at Philadelphia, on September 20, 21, and 22, and later in Atlanta, in the last three games of the season, on October 1, 2, and 3.
Although the Florida Marlins will attempt to make it a three-team race, they will fall of the wagon in the first half of September, letting the stage set for the showdown between the Phillies, the team that has won the NL East title in the last three years, and Atlanta, the team that won it 11 consecutive times between 1995 and 2005.
The Atlanta Braves would love nothing more than bidding farewell to Bobby Cox with a trip to the playoffs and maybe a World Series appearance. Cox, now in his 25th year managing the team, will retire after the season. The Phillies, however, don't care for sentimentality, and are set to recover the first place spot they lost back in May. They will do so behind the solid pitching of Roy Halladay and a motivated Roy Oswalt, trying to reconnect with his glory-days in Houston. The fireworks will be furnished by the duo of Jason Werth and Shane Victorino, who will win it for Philadelphia in the last weekend of the season, while Atlanta takes the wild card.
National League Central
The Saint Louis Cardinals are really worried. The Cinderella story of the Cincinnati Reds was supposed to be over by early September, but it has gone on, and on, and on. Will it become the tale of the year? Yes, it will. Reigning NL MVP Albert Pujols won't be able to stop it. The conclusive signs will come during the teams' final series at Saint Louis on the weekend of September 3, 4, and 5.
How did the Reds go from a fourth place finish last season to title contenders? Through the consistent performance of first baseman Joey Votto and the effective leadership of veteran Scott Rolen, aided by the surprising pitching of Bronson Arroyo and Johnny Cueto (no, they're not salsa stars).
The Cardinals will give it a shot in September because of the experience factor coming from players like Pujols, outfielder Matt Holliday, and pitchers Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, combined with the young arm of Jaime Garcia. Will they succeed and grab the wild card spot? No. They will react too late.
National League West
Another surprise here. The San Diego Padres finished 20 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2009 and sank into fourth place in the division. In 2010, they're on the way to become the first National League team to clinch its division while the Dodgers now occupy fourth place. According to AP reports, the future of Joe Torre is suddenly uncertain in L.A.
The Padres' power has been supplied almost exclusively by first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. The pitching has been provided by Clayton Richard, former Dodger Jon Garland, and 22-year old Mat Latos.
The San Francisco Giants have been the ones chasing the Padres this year. Their starting pitchers look as if they have overcome the funk of the second half of the season and look poised for a late takeover. However, right-hander Tim Lincecum will need more than a haircut these days, along with veteran Barry Zito. They will fall short at the end.
2010 National League Divisional and Championship Series Predictions
The amazing Reds, champions of the NL Central, will continue to astonish with a convincing dismissal of the Atlanta Braves. Arroyo and Cueto will come through for Cincinnati again, with help from the 100 mile per hour fastballs of phenom rookie Aroldis Chapman, and closer Francisco Cordero. The only Braves' highlights will come from a solitary strong performance by pitcher Tim Hudson. Atlanta's batters will stutter at the worst possible time.
In what could be the best of the four Divisional Series in baseball, the Phillies will battle the San Diego Padres to the last out and will come out on top. Ryan Howard will put his injury behind and will shake off his postseason shyness to rescue the series for the reigning NL Champions. He should get support from workhorses Halladay and Oswalt, while lefty Cole Hamels provides the extra help. Adrian Gonzalez will go down fighting. He will have a great series, leading San Diego's offense with at least three homers and double-digit RBIs.
The National League Championship Series will see a young and confident Cincinnati team versus a tired but lucid Philadelphia team. The Cinderella story will end here. Manager Dusty Baker will see his Reds finally succumb to the pressure and postseason inexperience. His starting pitchers will get mauled by Verth, Victorino, Ibanez, and Howard, with veteran SS Jimmy Rollins playing his best series from the bench.
2010 World Series Predictions
Predicting this far is as pretentious as coming up with the entire set of NFL 2010 predictions or NBA 2010-2011 predictions, but aren't all predictions daring in nature?
The 2010 Word Series will be played between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies. A rematch of the 2008 World Series, which the Phillies won in five games. Will Philadelphia repeat or the Rays' momentum will prove indomitable? The outcome will be close, but in the end Tampa Bay' s power pitching will make the difference. Ultimately, the Phillies will miss the brains and skills of Cliff Lee.
If all the predictions come through and this match up indeed materializes, this World Series will go down as one of the best in recent memory, comparable in thrills to the 1991 World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins.
Offensively, the public will confirm their admiration for new generation players like the Rays' Evan Longoria while enjoying the late stardom of players like first baseman Carlos Peña. Both will prove invaluable in Tampa Bay's first World Series triumph. Also, the series will showcase the talent of young throwers like lefty David Price, a 25-year old gem with at least ten years of prime time baseball ahead of him.
The city of brotherly love will be proud of its team. The Phillies will demonstrate why they're in the World Series for the third year in a row. Skipper Charlie Manuel will shuffle all his cards correctly and fans will be treated to strategic competition of the highest quality. Unfortunately for the Phillies, their pitching will wear out at the end of the series and Brad Lidge and the rest of the bullpen won't contain the damage. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard will both have very good performances, along with lesser efforts by Werth, Ibanez, and Victorino, but the World Series will go to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Sources:
Baseball Almanac. (accessed August 28, 2010).
Major League Baseball. (accessed August 28, 2010).
Roberto Porta - My penchant for writing began at an early age. At 8, I already entertained my older siblings with full adventure, action, and other ...
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