The Madisonian’s Major League Playoff Predictions

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Collin Birge, Staff Writer

As the season winds down in Major League Baseball the two best teams look to be the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cleveland Indians. The final 10 teams that qualified for the playoffs are the Dodgers, Indians, Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, and the Colorado Rockies. Here are some predictions:

First,  the American League wild card game will feature the 27-time world champion New Yankees and the Minnesota Twins who made a big turnaround after posting the worst record in the MLB last year at 59-103. Yankee rookie right fielder Aaron Judge has had a historic season becoming the first rookie since Mark McGwire to hit 50 home runs while batting .283. The Yankees win this wild card game due to the fact that they have so many weapons in the batting order and the depth of their starting pitchers. Plus, their bullpen I think will be to tough for the Twins to handle.

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In the National League Wild Card game, the Arizona Diamondbacks will play the Colorado Rockies. It would have been difficult to see either of these teams in the playoffs in early April at the start of the season. We predict the upset by picking the Rockies in this one. They just seem destined to reach at least the NLDS (National League Division Series) after just missing out on the playoffs last year.

In the American League Division Series the top seeded Cleveland Indians will be playing the New York Yankees. It’s easy to see this series going to game five with the Indians pulling it out. Their 22 game win streak was enough to sell me that they could be the world champs this year.

In the other ALDS matchup, the Boston Red Sox will play the Houston Astros. We have the Astros winning in four due to how well they have played the last two weeks The starting pitchers for Houston will be too much for Boston to handle.

In the first National League Division Series matchup, the top seed and the team with best record in the baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing the Colorado Rockies. We have the Dodgers sweeping the Rockies in three games. When the Dodgers are healthy, they seem unstoppable.

The second seed Washington Nationals will take on the defending World Series Champion Cubs, and we like the way the Astros have been playing. The Cubs have been similar compared to last year, and we have them winning this series in four. Plus the Nationals have not won a playoff series since moving the team from Montreal to D.C.

If this all shakes out, the ALCS will see the Indians take on the Astros. We predict the Indians are going to return to the World Series for the second year in a row winning this series in six games. The Indians are just too good for Houston to keep up with them in this series.

In the NLCS we have the Dodgers getting revenge on the Cubs from a year ago in seven games. There’s one thing that is going to help L.A. win this series: pitching. The Dodgers’ pitching will be too much for Chicago to handle.

The 2017 World Series will pit the top two seeds from both leagues against each other. These two teams have been amazing all season long. With a 22-game win streak, going 29-4 since August 23rd, and losing in game seven last year on their home field to the Chicago Cubs, and their 69 year World Series Champion drought, look for the Cleveland Indians to end that drought and walk away the 2017 MLB World Series Champions in seven games.

The Indians’ roster is more deeper than last year, and their pitchers grooving. Projected Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber has pitched nearly 200 innings while only allowing 135 hits, 55 runs scored, and posting a career low 2.27 ERA.

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The Dodgers have had a great season, but the Indians look destined especially after the way things ended for them last year.

Predictions

N.L. Wild Card Game

Colorado Rockies 6 (Final Score)

Arizona Diamondbacks 4

 

A.L. Wild Card Game

New York Yankees 4 (Final Score)

Minnesota Twins 1

 

NLDS

Chicago Cubs 3

Washington Nationals 1

 

LA Dodgers 3

Colorado Rockies 0

 

ALDS

Cleveland Indians 3

New York Yankees 2

 

Houston Astros 3

Boston Red Sox 1

 

NLCS

LA Dodgers 4

Chicago Cubs 3

 

ALCS
Cleveland Indians 4

Houston Astros 2

 

2017 World Series

Cleveland Indians 4

LA Dodgers 3