Thanks to Hurricane Helene and a playoff altering double-header yesterday, this post is a day later than I actually intended! That's OK though, because the playoffs start today! It's become a little too commonplace for me theses past few years, but once again my team has failed to make the playoffs. With no Red Sox in October, who am I going to root for? I tend to favor any team that has gone a long stretch without a championship, and this year half of the playoff teams have over 30 years of waiting! I'll be the first to admit however - there's no real powerhouses this year, and I struggled making my predictions. That's good if it means exciting baseball, right? So here's how my fandom lies...
1. Baltimore Orioles - AL Wild Card (40 year drought)
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1984 Fleer #644 Rick Dempsey (WS) |
There are a few teams here that not only have had longer droughts than
Baltimore, but haven't ever won a Championship either. Still, I'm rooting
100% for my team's AL East rival. Why? You obviously know I'm a Red Sox fan,
but did you know I..ahem...married a Yankees fan? It's true, and as a
compromise we agreed our children would be raised as Orioles fans! Sadly, my
daughters haven't grown to enjoy baseball as much as dear old dad, so maybe
a World Series Title will help jump start their fandom anew!
2. Cleveland Guardians - AL Central Champions (75 year drought)
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| 1967 Laughlin World Series #45 1948 Braves vs Indians |
My team had a long 86 year gap between World Series championships, so I have
great empathy for the fans in Cleveland. Jose Ramirez is one of the most
underrated superstars in baseball, and their bullpen is possibly the best of
all the playoff teams. Will it be enough to end their streak? Anything can
happen!
3. Milwaukee Brewers - NL Central Champions (55 year drought - Never won a World Series)
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2023 Topps #533 Milwaukee Brewers (TC) |
The next two teams could probably be tied, as they both share the
distinction of never winning a World Series in 55 years of existence. I'm
giving a slight nod to the Brewers only because they were an AL team when I
was growing up, and they have arguably the best logo in all of sports. I'll
be the first to admit that after all the turnover their starting rotation
had this past off-season, I didn't think they would win the division.
4. San Diego Padres - NL Wild Card (55 year drought - Never won a World Series)
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2024 Topps #2 San Diego Padres (TC) |
Remember when the Padres traded 2/3 of their starting outfield and
everyone was wondering how they were going to find enough live bodies
to join Fernando Tatis Jr? Who knew that Jurickson Profar would find another
gear in his 30's and Jackson Merrill would turn into one of the most
exciting players in all of baseball?
5. Detroit Tigers - AL Wild Card (39 year drought)
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1985 Topps Stickers #21 1984 World Series (WS) |
Momentum can be a powerful thing, and no other team has been on quite the tear that the Tigers have been. Trading Jack Flaherty was the right call at the time, but can you imagine what this team could have done with him and Tarik Skubal in the post season? Beware of Riley Greene - If you don't know who he is now, you will...
Prediction: Lose to the Astros in the AL Wild Card game
6. New York Mets - NL Wild Card (37 year drought)
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1987 Topps Woolworth Baseball Highlights #32 World Series Game #7 |
It's the curse of Billy Buckner! That's right, I said it! That magical Game 6 victory came with a cost, and baseball gods have been collecting interest ever since!
7. Philadelphia Phillies - NL East Champions (15 year drought)
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| 2009 Topps Heritage #391 The Champs Celebrate (WS) |
Harper and Schwarber were built for the October limelight, and Zack Wheeler is one of the few true aces in this postseason. They've come up short the past two years, is this the year they finally win it?
Prediction: Win the World Series!
8. Kansas City Royals - AL Wild Card (8 year drought)
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| 2016 Topps #56 Salvador Perez (WSHL) |
If I had to pick a surprise Cinderella team to go on a deep run, I'd pick the Royals. They have the starters to make a run, and the bullpen could be a unexpected strength. Someone besides Bobby Witt Jr. is going to have to step up on offense though..
Prediction: Lose to the Astros in the AL Championship Series
9. Los Angeles Dodgers - NL West Champions (3 year drought)
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| 2021 Topps Heritage #1 Los Angeles Dodgers (WS) |
We'll finally get to see what Shohei Ohtani can do in the postseason, and I can't help but think he'll make history somehow! The
Dodgers need to slug their way through the post season, as their pitching
staff has been decimated by injuries and ineffectiveness.
Prediction: Lose to the Phillies in the NL Championship series
10. Atlanta Braves - NL Wild Card (2 year drought)
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2022 Topps Heritage #210 Freddie Freeman (WS) |
The mere fact that they made it this far with all the injuries they suffered is nothing short of amazing. I fear Sale's back spasms and yesterday's double header may come back to haunt them.
Prediction: Lose to the Padres in the NL Wild Card series
11. Houston Astros - AL West Champions (1 year drought)
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2023 Topps Heritage #475 '22 World Series Game 4 (WS, SP) |
They've
made it to the AL Championship Series 7 years running, and the World Series
in 4 of those years. I'm ready for this dynasty to conclude, aren't you? All that postseason experience is going to come up big unfortunately.
Prediction: Lose to the Phillies in the World Series
12. New York Yankees - AL East Champions (Not a long enough drought)
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2010 Topps - History of the World Series #HWS25 Yankees |
After a brief one year respite, the Yankees take their rightful place at the
bottom of my rankings. They got to the playoff on the strength of their
Judge and Soto tandem, but I think that lack of depth beyond those two will
be their undoing this year.
Prediction: Lose to the Royals in the AL Division Series (Big upset I know, but I keep thinking that 1-2 punch of Ragans and Lugo might be a big factor...)
To summarize my predictions:
AL Wild Card
Royals over Orioles
Astros over Tigers
NL Wild Card
Brewers over Mets
Padres over Braves
ALDS
Royals over Yankees
Astros over Guardians
NLDS
Phillies over Brewers
Dodgers over Padres
ALCS
Astros over Royals
NLCS
Phillies over Dodgers
World Series
Phillies over Astros
Hate to say it but you're probably right about the Yankees. Too many holes in the lineup and rotation, and the bullpen is pretty much just one big hole.
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