Divisional Roundtable

Both the American League and National League have started their respective divisional series, so it is officially playoff time!  Enough with this stupid one game wildcard stuff.  Real series, where the depth of the pitching staff is tested, rather than hoping your one ace can win a game for you.  We gathered the entire WeMakeItRain staff, plus our friend Tony to discuss our predictions for this round.  Our gathering took place last week, but I am just now getting around to putting our collective thoughts on screen.  Here are the predictions from WeMakeItRain to you ...


Pepster:  OK fellas.  It's playoff baseball time, a glorious time of year to be a sports fan.  Let's jump right into the series.  The marquis series features 100 win teams but since both of the historic rivals Boston and New York play in the same division, one - the Yankees - ended up the Wild Card.  Thus, they travel to Boston to start the series.  This is interesting here because Hopps is a lifelong Sox fan and Tony is a lifelong Yankees fan.  We will go with home-field advantage first, so Hopps?


Hopps:  Red Sox.  Best team in baseball. HARD STOP.


Tony:  Are you kidding me?  Yankees.  They may not have won 108 games, but they are better than the Red Sox, and I will rejoice when Fenway collapses on them.


Hopps:  I have glaucoma, and even I can see that isn't the case.  If we played just our "B" guys - Betts, Benintendi, Bogaerts and Bradley we win.


Tony:  Until we start a fight, and then Judge and Stanton pummel the entire Sox nation.


Pepster:  Woah, woah, woah, guys.  Let's not make this too personal. 


Hopps:  Red Sox/Yankees IS personal.

Tony:  Don't you mean Yankees/Red Sox.


Pepster:  Ok, moving along.  Sinickal?


Sinickal:  F'in Cubs. 


Pepster:  Great analysis there.  I guess that leaves me.  The Sox are thin in starting rotation, and even thinner in the bullpen.  If there "star"ters - Sale and Price - can get into the 7th or 8th innings, the Sox will win.  Only needs to happen twice, as the Sox can win one slugfest as they have bats all up and down the order.  As does New York.    I will go with Boston as 108 wins is 108 wins.  What did Bill Parcells use to say?  "You are what your record says you are".  So - Boston.  Next up - Houston and Cleveland.


Tony:  Indians. After Houston won the World Series last year, Cleveland just wants it more.


Hopps:  That is exactly why I am picking the Astros.  They are defending champs, and they defended their title with quite possibly the quietest 103 win team ever.  They keep rolling. 


Pepster:  I am with  you Hopps.  The pitching is phenomenal and Alex Bregman has joined Altuve, Correa and Springer as a top bat.  Tough to pitch to this lineup.


Sinickal:  (Mumbling) Up four, end up tied for the division.  Lose the play-in, then lose the wildcard.


Pepster:  Huh?


Sinickal:  F'in Cubs.


Pepster:  Speaking of the Cubs, let us turn to the National League where the surprising Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central to earn the home-field advantage against the Rockies.


Sinickal:  I hate you.


Pepster:  Hopps?


Hopps:  I hate you too!  Ha.  So I am going with Milwaukee.  Just a guess.

Tony:  Leave it to the Sox fan to "take a guess".  Take a stand you idiot.  I am picking Milwaukee because they are a great team and are hungry.


Pepster:  I get the hungry part.  Milwaukee was supposed to be a year away, from being a year away.Then, they go out and pick up Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and likely NL MVP Christian Yelich - man I wish the Marlins could get a player like Yelich.  So, I am taking Milwaukee.  F'in Marlins.


Sinickal:  Are the Marlins even a team?


Pepster:  Fair question.  Last series.  Dodgers hosting Atlanta.  Really good young talent in Acuna and Albies, and another team that is supposed to be a year away from being a year away.  But that Dodgers lineup - Wow.  They have guys on the bench that would be stars, not just starters, on any other club. Plus, they have two Cubans.  Dodgers in a walk.


Tony:  I also am picking the Dodgers; great team and they are hungry.


Hopps:  Are you sure it isn't YOU that is hungry?  Dodgers.  Atlanta still can't win in the post season.


Sinickal:  F'in Cubs.


Pepster:  And there you have it.  Our divisional series round-up.  Be back shortly for the ALCS and NLCS.