And, so, the silly season begins in baseball.
The 2023 playoffs begin tomorrow with the wild card round. The top 2 seeds in each league get a 1st round bye, and will begin division round play next week.
#5 Texas @ #4 Tampa Bay:
To think these two teams were actually division leaders earlier this season, only to tumble in the season's final days. Tampa Bay was lapped for the AL East title by Baltimore, and, should they dispose of Texas, the Rays can gain a measure of revenge on the top seeded Orioles.
The Rangers had spent tons of money to build a championship caliber starting rotation, but, as of now, most of that investment is on the injured list, including Max Scherzer, who came over from the Mets at the trade deadline. For Texas, that's not good at all.
Pick: Tampa Bay.
#6 Toronto @ #3 Minnesota:
Everyone assumed there would be three teams coming out of the East. It's just that Baltimore is subbing for the underachieving Yankees. Toronto has had to look up at both Tampa & Baltimore for much of the second half, and now has a chance to do something about it. Problem is, Minnesota, thankful they were able to keep Carlos Correa, despite his issues, have a lot more to prove.
Pick: Minnesota.
NL:
#6 Arizona @ #3 Milwaukee:
Brewers manager Craig Counsell is in his walk year, and there are fans who think he'll follow former team executive David Stearns to New York (Mets). After the Brewers are eliminated. I don't think so. Why would he walk away after turning the Brew Crew into a perennial contender the last few years?
Arizona is another team that was a division leader earlier this season, but got lapped by perennial champion Los Angeles. The D-Backs heisted outfielder Tommy Pham from the Mets at the deadline, and he has helped the offense, but it seems the Brewers want to win a title for Counsell, to perhaps convince him to stay.
Pick: Milwaukee.
#5 Miami @ #4 Philadelphia:
Miami won 7 of 13 from the Phils, but it was the other teams in the NL East that kept them further from the title, like the Braves & Mets, for example. Philadelphia shocked everyone by reaching the World Series last year, only to fall to Houston, and they'd like to make it a sequel.
Pick: Philadelphia.
Next week: Philadelphia vs. Atlanta, Milwaukee vs. Los Angeles, Minnesota vs. Houston, Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore.
Of course, I could be wrong.
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