Almanac Baseball: MLB Postseason Preview

This year’s MLB season, while affected by Covid at various points, had every team play 162 games as it would in a normal season. The postseason is planned to follow suit.

 

Three teams have made it through to the Divisional Series in each league. In the National League,  the Braves and Brewers will face off while the Giants await the winner of the wildcard game between the Dodgers and the Braves. In the American League, Astros v White Sox is locked in with the Rays awaiting the outcome of the first game of the postseason.

 

Countless hours could be spent dissecting the greatest rivalries in sport. With my Red Sox colours firmly pinned to the mast, I truly believe their ongoing feud with the Yankees is the pinnacle. At Fenway Park on Wednesday, they go at it again.

 

In the final inning of the regular season, the Boston superstar, Rafael Devers, clocked a two-run homer to secure the win that got them this shot at glory. No matter what happens for the rest of the postseason, this little black duck will be quacking if the Sox can beat the Evil Empire to advance to the ALDS.

 

The Rays have the measure of both the Sox and the Yankees so they are in the box seat to advance. The Astros/ White Sox matchup looks even. Perhaps the seasoned hard heads from Houston may prove the difference.

 

On the other side of the ledger, the Braves/ Brewers series should be as even as the Astros/ WS one. The Giants have had a stellar season winning 107 games. Written off at the start of the year, they have gotten lifts from pretty much every player on their roster. It has been one of the most impressive overall team performances in recent years. There are still a few faces from their era of dominance between 2010 and 2014 when they won three World Series.

 

The rivalry between the Giants and the Dodgers is probably the one people most often cite as the most intense after the Sox/ Yankees one. All season they have been vying for top dog in the NL West. The Dodgers finished just one game behind and will be itching to have a crack in the NLDS. To get there, they will have to beat St Louis.

 

The Cardinals had their best ever winning streak in September to clinch the wild card spot. The second most successful team in the history of the majors will fancy themselves to spoil the Dodgers party. I’ll drink to that!

 

Earlier this year I wrote a post about the freakish talent of Shohei Ohtani. For much of the season, he sat atop the home run table. Throughout August and September, Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Salvador Perez stepped up to the plate to try and match Shohei. In the end, they overhauled him and finished equal top with 48 big ones. It was a great year for sluggers.

 

A month of intriguing baseball is about to get underway. The Dodgers are favourites to go all the way despite having to win a wildcard. Giants, Rays and Astros follow in that order. That’s probably a fair reflection. If the Dodgers do get through to meet their arch enemies, the winner of that showdown will be in a very strong position. Then again, neither the Rays nor the Brewers have ever won a World Series, so a Fall Classic featuring them would be a great story.

 

It all begins at Fenway so it already has a magical feel.

 

 

The Tigers (Covid) Almanac 2020 will be published in 2021 – as will the 2021 edition to celebrate the Dees’ magnificent premiership season.
It will have all the usual features – a game by game account of the Demons season – and will also include some of the best Almanac writing from the Covid winter.
Pre-order  HERE

 

More poetry from Almanac Poetry can be read HERE

 

Read more stories from Almanac Music  HERE

 

If you would like to receive the Almanac Music and Poetry newsletter we will add you to the list. Please email us: [email protected]

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE
One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE
Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE

 

 

 

About

Grew up playing the rugby codes in suburban Sydney. Moved to Melbourne during the Carey era so becoming a Shinboner was the natural call. Still love the game they play in heaven. Took an interest in MLB a few years back and have become infatuated with America's pastime.

Comments

  1. Love a good rivalry. Interested to hear the commentators. Does it automatically form the basis of the coverage?

  2. Happy days Ruminator. Your Red Sox took down the Evil Empire.
    Thanks for the reminder that baseball’s golden month is with us. Just when I was thinking there was no sport worth watching.
    Footy is finished. Cricket veers between oversaturated and locked down. Golf’s majors are finished and the northern hemisphere is chilling into winter. Racing is legal fraud. Champions League Soccer has moved to another streaming service and I refuse to subscribe to a sixth. Bye bye Messi. The last 5 minutes of NFL games has the length and drama of a Budget speech.
    But baseball is what cricket once was. Go Dodgers.

  3. As most Almanacas should know by now, I am a big baseball fan and am looking forward to the MBL World Series. I took great pleasure seeing Redsox eliminate those “Dam Yankies” in the Wild Card and hoping the Dodgers make it through. No matter, I’m sure there is much excitement on the way..

  4. Kevin Densley says

    Always good to get your MLB appraisal, B the R.!

    Just for something a little different … Go Rays!

  5. WhoRays.

  6. Kevin Densley says

    I’ve always felt that the Rays had one of the most distinctive MLB home grounds, Tropicana Field.

  7. With the Dodgers eliminating the Cardinals, us baseball fans should be in for a treat with Dodgers v Giants and Redsox v the Rays – bring it on.

  8. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    I’ve printed off the post season brackets and will be following closely for the next month. If only Nick Swisher was still playing.

  9. Gee I’ll have to try and get into this. At least it’s on Fox.

Leave a Comment

*