Predicting the 2015 American League Playoffs

The stage has been set for the 2015 Major League Baseball Postseason with, in theory, the best 10 teams in the sport vying for the ultimate prize, the World Series title. This playoff format leaves much to be desired in my opinion with the one-game playoff but the game is between a rock and a hard place. Do you start the season earlier and worry about frigid temperatures and snow outs, do they shorten the season by six or so games or do they play well into the month of November if the World Series goes seven games? That’s a question for this winter and next winter with the new collective bargaining agreement set to expire and today will be better utilized in my opinion to pick my playoffs and AL pennant winners for this season now that the bracket is complete.

As far as the American League Wild Card goes I wouldn’t feel right, and I’d honestly be lying, if I picked against the Yankees. I like this team and I think this team is different and special although I’m not quite sure they realize it yet. I know the Yankees offense has struggled and the pitching has been suspect but I look at it this way, New York may be the best suited for a one-game playoff. With the day off on Monday and the day off on Wednesday the Yankees can leave it all out there on the field. If that means two innings from Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller then so be it. If the team needs Adam Warren for two or three innings then so be it as well. Masahiro Tanaka will be on the mound so I feel like if the Yankees get one or two runs it's "GG" ladies and gents. 

In the ALDS you would have the New York Yankees facing off against the Toronto Blue Jays while the Texas Rangers would fly to Kansas City for a showdown with the Royals. Kansas came into the playoffs scuffling a bit but this team proved time and time again in 2015 that they were built for the postseason and their players and coaching staff believe they can win in October. I’m not picking against the Royals until they give me a reason to and the same goes for the Blue Jays, especially against the Yankees. I truly and honestly believe that the New York Yankees could beat Toronto three times in a five game spread, I do, but I think the regular season will carry over into the playoffs and that mental aspect will come into play and haunt the Yankees later in games. Toronto had the Yankees number in the regular season and this isn’t Andy Pettitte’s, Jorge Posada’s, Mariano Rivera’s or Derek Jeter’s Yankees squad. Those thoughts are in their head and will ultimately cost them the series in my opinion.

In the ALCS I can't see this going any less than six games with the two top teams in the league facing off head-to-head. Kansas City is good but Johnny Cueto has not pitched well since his switch from the American League from the National League and David Price is pitching the best baseball of his life. I hate to say it as this is one of the Yankees division rivals but the Blue Jays, unless their inexperience in the postseason becomes a factor and they beat themselves because no other team is beating this team, are going to the World Series to represent the American League. Whether we like to admit it or not. 

Those are mine, what are yours? Leave them below in the comments section or drop me a line on Twitter by following or tweeting @GreedyStripes. Enjoy the rest of your day Yankees family.