Projecting the Postseason Winners

 

After winning two straight AL Central Division titles, the Minnesota Twins flopped and failed a three-peat before things got off the ground. They’ll watch this Postseason from home, but there’s still plenty of exciting talent worth tuning into.

Running from the Wild Card round through the World Series, here’s who I’ve got and why:

AL Wild Card

Yankees over Red Sox

In a one game, winner take all, I don’t think you can bet against Gerrit Cole, and the lineup New York currently has clicking. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have carried this team for weeks. The club nearly gave it away on the final day, but I think they beat their biggest rival at home. Boston owned a 10-9 record with a +1 run differential over the Yankees this season. New York will attempt to even that out.

AL Division Series

Rays over Yankees

There’s no denying that New York has the better ace, but Tampa has owned this matchup all year. While New York is just 8-11 against the Rays in 2021, they have a -48 run differential. The Yankees do have some veteran leadership on their side, but I don’t know that Corey Kluber is a guy I want to hang my Postseason hopes on. The lineup is peaking, but it may have come a bit too soon. I think a very big X-factor here for Tampa Bay could be the usage of highly-touted prospect Shane Baz.

Astros over White Sox

A very small sample, sure, but Chicago was just 2-5 with a -12 run differential against Houston this season. Although the White Sox may have the better rotation, I’m not sure it’s that much of a discrepancy. Houston has largely flown under the radar this season, and the entire lineup is full of star power. Alex Bregman on a big stage always is must-see television.

AL Championship Series

Astros over Rays

These two clubs played each other just six times in 2021, and they nearly split the action with just three runs separating the contests. Both forward-thinking approaches to the game, this should be a fun series. Tampa Bay is looking for a return trip to the World Series, but Houston gets an opportunity to distance themselves from the cheating scandal.

NL Wild Card

Dodgers over Cardinals

Welcome to a year in which a team that won 106 games is playing in a one-game, winner-take-all, affair. The Dodgers have any number of arms to piece this one together, and their lineup should be expected to cause fits for whoever St. Louis puts on the bump. It’s a tough spot, but this is where’d you’d like to believe the best team shines.

NL Division Series

Dodgers over Giants

San Francisco has been the best story of the season in my mind. A team expected to do so little comes out and wins 107 games. These two clubs nearly split their 19 contests and Los Angeles held a +2 run differential. It’s a lot tighter of a matchup than it may seem, but I think this is a spot where the higher tiered talent rises to the occasion. Clayton Kershaw being out hurts Los Angeles, but if there’s an organization with starting arms to make up for it, they are it.

Braves over Brewers

Initially I wanted to ride with Milwaukee’s pitchers, but Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff can’t do it all. Behind them is a rotation leaving plenty to be desired, and the lineup is more name than it is substance. Atlanta will have to prove that they’re more than an 88-win team coming out of a very mediocre decision, but Freddie Freeman can carry this club. Atlanta seems like a strong flier team, and one worth taking a shot on.

NL Championship Series

Dodgers over Braves

If Los Angeles can get past the test that is their first two rounds, they should be looking at a trip to the World Series. Regardless of who comes out of the bottom half of the National League bracket, they should be facing an uphill battle. This is where Atlanta wears down and the Dodgers go back to seek a second-straight World Series.

World Series

The National League has won each of the past two World Series. No team has won back-to-back World Series since the New York Yankees ended their last three-peat in 2000. Houston and Los Angeles faced off during the 2017 World Series, which the Astros won over Dave Roberts. Dusty Baker is at the helm in Houston now and is looking for just the second pennant of his career, and first ring. Again, Houston’s ability has been overlooked much of the season and I think we see a replicated result from 2017. Your 2021 Major League Baseball Champions are the Houston Astros.

Astros over Dodgers

Who’s Winning the World Series?

Taking a view at the Major League Baseball Postseason there’s an incredible number of great storylines to follow. You have the lowest payroll in baseball making the field, a major league record setting home run lineup, and a handful of expected participants. For the next month we’ll be treated to the culmination of a 162-game schedule used to produce only the best of the best.

Looking back at how I saw things entering the year, I didn’t do too horribly. Looks like I’ll nail a couple of award winners, and four of the six division champs. From there things went downhill, but this is our chance to get it right in October. Let’s get into it.

Wild Card Round:

Rays over Athletics

Nationals over Brewers

We’ve got two intriguing matchups for a one-game situation here. In the American League Tampa Bay is probably the most welcoming team of needing to win a single game. They’ve pieced together nine inning affairs all season long and they still have frontline pitching in the rotation to come out firing. I like the Oakland lineup a good deal more than what Tampa brings to the table but believe that this game will be won on the bump.

In the National League we get two teams that got hot down the stretch. Milwaukee is without their MVP, and the pitching is a definite question mark there, but they’ve had some key contributors step up in big ways. I liked the Nationals as a World Series team before the season started, and I still wouldn’t be shocked if they made a run. Their rotation rivals that of the Houston Astros at the top, and the lineup is filled with guys that can burn you. There’s zero denying the bullpen is a complete mess, but if they could provide some room for the starting arms, they’ll ride them hard.

Divisional Round:

Twins over Yankees

Astros over Rays

Braves over Cardinals

Dodgers over Nationals

Arguably the greatest narrative going into the Postseason is the history Minnesota brings with it. They haven’t won a game in October since 2004, and they’ve been dominated by the New York Yankees. One thing about that rings certain though, it’s history and you can bet no one in that clubhouse gives a damn. The pitching matchups, rotation and bullpen, are relatively even. So, to are lineups that went one-two in home run production this season. James Paxton being a lefty against the powerful righty Twins lineup will set the stage in game one. If the Twins steal one in New York, and they’ve been great on the road, this series will get interesting quick.

I don’t think you can make much argument against Houston being the best team in baseball. They have the rotation, bullpen, and lineup to compete with anyone. Charlie Morton will do his best against his former team, but I’m not sure that Tampa has the lineup to hang with the Astros over the course of a five-game series. The pitching matchups with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow contributing are going to be great, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see this be a bit of a test for A.J. Hinch’s club.

If there’s a team that could surprise in the National League, I think it’s the Braves. They’re filled with youth that’s contributing in big ways, and their lineup is as potent as anyone. Josh Donaldson has re-emerged as a star, and his presence with Freddie Freeman should provide plenty of veteran leadership for Brian Snitker’s club. St. Louis performed admirably down the stretch to put themselves in this position, but I’m not sure they were tested in the NL Central. They’ll take a game or two, but just don’t see enough here for any real noise.

I’d still love to put the Nationals in a position to make the World Series, and while Los Angeles has some bullpen woes of their own, I just don’t trust Washington enough behind their three horses. Juan Soto is going to be fun on a big stage, but the Dodgers are littered with talent and they’ll pull the right strings to advance. Dave Roberts has been here plenty, and wanting to get over the hump, this is probably his best opportunity.

Championship Round:

Astros over Twins

Dodgers over Braves

There’s a significant amount of parallels between Houston and Minnesota. Similarly constructed organizations at this point, the Twins are still looking at the Astros in a light of what they aspire to be. In a seven-game series when Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke can all take the ball twice if need be, Rocco Baldelli’s piecemeal rotation is going to be up against it. Minnesota is going to need to blast their way to victories at the hitter friendly Minute Maid, but they’ll be doing it against arms that have no intention of giving up runs. It will be fun to see the Twins garner this experience, and while nothing is certain next year, there’s a good deal of returning youth that can use it as fuel to a fire propelling them to take the next step.

A toss up goes to the favorite here. If the Dodgers pen is going to be exposed before the World Series, this is the lineup capable of doing it. Atlanta is the real deal offensively, and while they’ll face Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, and Hyun-Jin Ryu, there’s no one they’re going to be afraid of. Cody Bellinger could have wrapped up an MVP when the regular season concluded, and though he slowed down some in stretches this year, elevating when the lights are brightest wouldn’t be unexpected for the young star.

Two top seeds matching up together, the two best teams in baseball for much of the year, let me have it.

World Series:

Astros over Dodgers

Just too good to get knocked off, and too hungry to be denied, Houston gets back to the top of the baseball world. Houston didn’t revamp their whole way of operating and develop this much talent to win one title. After falling short in 2018, they’ll get their second ring in three years. Alex Bregman looks like an MVP candidate, Yordan Alvarez is the unquestioned AL Rookie of the Year, and there’s a host of veterans that make this the most dangerous organization in the sport. I don’t expect a veteran club like the Dodgers to put up anything short of a difficult test, but Houston would need to get in their own way to come up empty handed here.

The Series, Awards, and the Best of 2019

As the 2019 Major League Baseball season quickly approaches, I find myself running out of time to get out ahead of the yearly prediction game. Looking at the key individual awards, as well as how the Postseason will shake out, there’s plenty of excitement to come in the year ahead. I am of the belief there’s a significant number of teams not currently trying, but there’s a good cluster that will battle against each other in both leagues this year.

Before we get to how I see the year going for teams, it’s worth looking at what the cream of the crop may look like individually. We don’t have the obvious Shohei Ohtani out of the gate, and we’ll need to see the emergence of the next Ronald Acuna or Juan Soto. Pitching awards are littered with favorites of guys that have done it all before, but there’s also some new names right on the cusp. Here’s who I see capturing individual recognition.

MVP: American League – Mike Trout (Dark Horse Carlos Correa) National League – Nolan Arenado (Dark Horse Cody Bellinger)

One guy is looking for his third MVP award while another is looking to get over the hump and capture his first. Mookie Betts jumped up and nabbed the title out from under Mike Trout last year, but the greatest player in the game is ready to take back his throne in 2019. On the flip side, Arenado came ever so close to his first MVP a season ago but fell just short. With the ink still drying on his newly signed contract extension, he should find the hardware as a nice reward for his efforts.

I’m not all in on either dark horse candidate here but think they both have some nice post-hype appeal. Correa hasn’t played a full season in two years, but flashed MVP caliber abilities at multiple points throughout his career. Bellinger ran away with the Rookie of the Year vote in 2017, and then slide backwards a bit in 2018. I’d think his true ability lies somewhere in between, but at just 23-years-old, there’s no reason to think that the ceiling may not be even higher.

Cy Young: American League – Justin Verlander (Dark Horse Jose Berrios) National League – Walker Buehler (Dark Horse German Marquez)

Outside of Verlander, this may be my favorite prediction of the offseason. I love how many new names are popping up on the elite pitching scene, and as baseball fans, we all stand to benefit from them. Verlander was right there a season ago and could be looking at his second victory (and first with the Astros). For the Dodgers it’s obviously disheartening seeing the decline of the great Clayton Kershaw, but what better way to mitigate that than to have Walker Buehler in tow. This kid is the real deal, and I wouldn’t be shocked if we’re talking about multiple victories a handful of years from now.

The dark horse candidates for the Cy Young are so fun. Jose Berrios is already a staff ace for the Minnesota Twins, and looks like a bit more refinement could have him making a significant leap forward. The breaking pitches are ridiculous and commanding them a bit better should do the trick. German Marquez may be the best under-the-radar hurler in the game right now, and he’s working to dispel the notion that pitchers can’t be great in Colorado (with teammate Kyle Freeland doing the same).

Rookie of the Year: American League – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dark Horse Forrest Whitley) National League – Victor Robles (Dark Horse Nick Senzel)

There’s no prospect that has been talked up more in baseball than Vlad Jr. Son of the recently inducted Hall of Famer, Guerrero Jr. wields a bat that is otherworldly. The Blue Jays have suppressed his service time all they can, and while he’ll need to wait a few more weeks before breaking into the big leagues, there’s no reason why the bat shouldn’t play. He’s not going to last at third base long, but if the OPS is north of .900 in his debut campaign, he’ll run away with this. Now that Bryce Harper is gone for the Nationals, Victor Robles finally has a clear path to playing time. Previously the best overall prospect in baseball, his breakout following teammate Juan Soto of a year ago would be a nice development for Washington.

It almost seems unfair that the Astros would be able to add another ace to their pitching staff, but Forrest Whitley could prove to be just that. The best pitching prospect in the game has looked great this spring, and he’d be a mid-season addition any team would love to have. He may not be up long enough to catch Vlad, but he should make this interesting. The Reds are going to give Nick Senzel a shot to stick in the outfield after coming through the system as an infielder. His bat should play for both average and power, while all early indications suggest he’s made a seamless position change.

Postseason:

American League - Yankees, Twins, Astros Wild Card – Red Sox, Angels

National League – Nationals, Brewers, Dodgers Wild Card – Phillies, Rockies

ALCS – Astros over Yankees

NLCS – Nationals over Dodgers

World Series – Astros over Nationals

A big believer in what the Nationals did this offseason, despite losing Bryce Harper, they’re going to be a tough team to beat. That rotation should be one of the best in baseball, and is Robles breaks out as expected, their outfield could challenge that title as well. Depth could be a concern in multiple places here, but I like what Dave Martinez must work with.

Houston came up just short last season losing to the Red Sox in five games. Boston has taken a step backwards, and the Astros are ready to make it two World Series victories in three years. This lineup is loaded, the pitching staff is for real, and A.J. Hinch has a group that knows how to win.

Bregman Hits Home For Twins

On Monday June 8, 2015 the Houston Astros franchise changed. Really, every franchise across Major League Baseball changed as they added an influx of new talent through the First-Year player draft. Houston though, selected a shortstop from LSU with the second overall pick, and Alex Bregman set forth on a path that would greatly enhance the Astros future.

In this same draft, the Twins would select 6th overall. Following the selections of three collegiate players and two high-schoolers, they chose left-handed pitcher Tyler Jay. While Jay had served only as a closer at the University of Illinois, the thought was that he could be developed into a top tier starter for Minnesota. It was considered somewhat of a puzzling pick at the time, and Jay has yet to bear fruit at the big league level. That said, the jury isn't out on him yet, but that also isn't the story here.

The 2015 draft had plenty of talent throughout that first round. Dansby Swanson led a strong Braves system for some time, Brendan Rodgers looks the part of a game-changer for the Rockies, and Andrew Benintendi would've been the American League Rookie of the Year had Aaron Judge not existed. All of those things are true, but the focus here is on Bregman, his position, and how he ties into the Minnesota Twins.

Drafted as a shortstop out of Louisiana State, Bregman entered an organization that employed a 20 year-old Rookie of the Year named Carlos Correa. While Correa is a bigger shortstop at 6'4" 215 lbs, he's handled the position just fine defensively, and his .863 OPS is an incredible asset at one of baseball's most demanding positions. The Astros though weren't only rich in terms of Correa up the middle, there was a glut of options. Jose Altuve is going to hold down second base until he retires, and the combination of Marwin Gonzalez and Jonathan Villar both looked more than capable for Houston.

In 2016, Bregman played in 49 games for Houston, spending just a total of 146 games on the farm. His .891 OPS at the minor league level was more than suggestive of a new challenge. At the big league level, Bregman debuted with a .791 OPS that was bolstered by strong slugging numbers. The K/BB ratio (52/15) left plenty to be desired, and both his average (.264) and OBP (.313) sagged because of it. With so much raw talent however, the belief was that 2017 could represent a breakout year.

After a spring training that included time with Team USA during the World Baseball Classic, Bregman was set to be the Astros every day third basemen. Recently acquired Yuli Gurriel would move to first, and the Houston infield was set. In 155 games this season, Bregman posted an .827 OPS and turned in a respectable 2:1 K/BB rate (97/55). His average and OBP jumped significantly, and he became yet another asset for the Astros. Drafted as a shortstop, he played third, short, and second base in Houston during 2017.

Looking at the Astros top 30 prospects as ranked by MLB.com currently, their 12th, 17th, and 24th best players are all shortstops. Despite having arguably the best infield in baseball, there's still talent behind them. This is where the Twins correlation comes into play.

With plenty of talk regarding the selection of Royce Lewis with the #1 overall pick this season, Minnesota now boasts shortstops with it's #1, 2, 5, and 26 best prospects per MLB.com. The idea that there is a need to figure out where the can all play becomes immediately laughable. What Bregman and the Astros have once again displayed, is that talent can slot in anywhere.

More often than not, shortstops and centerfielders are among the best players on a 25 man roster. Minnesota boasts an elite centerfielder in Byron Buxton, but there's plenty of room for a talent rich farm system to bear fruit at the next level. Lewis, Nick Gordon, Wander Javier, Jermaine Palacios, Luis Arraez, and Jelfry Marte all working out for the Twins would be among the best problems to have. Although there's only room for one person to play shortstop at a time, generating a 25 man roster with the best overall talent you possess is a great blueprint for success.

At some point, Minnesota will need to figure out how Jorge Polanco, Brian Dozier, Nick Gordon, and Royce Lewis can all coexist. There's a second wave of talent behind them that can factor in soon enough as well. While that is something Derek Falvey and Thad Levine will be tasked with deciphering, it's hardly a problem that the Twins would rather not have.

Entering the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, Alex Bregman probably had dreams of making a deep jump throw from the hole a la Derek Jeter. When he was taken by the Astros, he probably considered the current state of the infield being locked down up the middle for some time to come. On October 30th 2017 however, he's got dreams of two incredible throws to home from the hot corner, and a World Series ring well within his sights.

Drafting for talent will never hurt you in baseball, and both the Astros and Twins would love to have a plethora of Alex Bregman's lined up to fill a spot.

Two Ex-Twins Eyeing A Ring

After an exciting American League Championship Series, the Houston Astros are headed to the 2017 World Series. In an event that was determined destiny three years ago by Sports Illustrated, this home grown group is looking to knock off a very good Los Angeles Dodgers team. While the hometown nine has been eliminated, two former Minnesota Twins could be eyeing their first rings. If you need a local connection, both Francisco Liriano and Juan Centeno may provide it.

Playing in 55 games for the Twins a season ago, Centeno was cast off as Minnesota looked to improve their position group behind the plate. He own a career best .704 OPS and hit three homers for the Twinkies. However, he threw out just 14% of base stealers, and provided little value for a guy that needed to be defense first.

This season in Houston, Centeno has seen somewhat of a different path. 65 games this season were played with the Triple-A PCL team in Franco, where Centeno surprisingly batted .311 en route to a .737 OPS. Earning a big league promotion, he contributed across 22 contests for Houston, owning a .632 OPS on the year. He was actually worse behind the plate in the running game, throwing out just 8% (1-12) of base stealers.

Although Houston will likely wait til the final moment to set their World Series roster, Centeno figures to be on it. The club carried three backstops in the ALCS, as Evan Gattis serves often as the DH. Despite the possibility of four non-DH games, having three catchers at his disposal allows for A.J. Hinch to maneuver bats in key pinch hit scenarios.

In the bullpen, the Astros employ another former Twin, and it's again a player that didn't spend the bulk of the season with this club. Now pitching in relief, Francisco Liriano would be classified as the long men out of the pen. In a seven game do-or-die series, that's an arm you'd probably rather not need to use. With a long man filling in during a short start or blowout, Houston would likely prefer to keep Liriano from toeing the rubber through the rest of the season.

That being said, he made 18 starts for the Blue Jays prior to coming over to Houston. A 5.88 ERA and 4.73 FIP was hardly something to get excited about, but the 8.1 K/9 could play, and the hope was that some command issues could be resolved. Down the stretch for the Stros, Liriano worked 14.1 IP across 20 appearances. His 4.40 ERA was better, but the biggest issue remained the free passes (an ugly 6.3 BB/9).

Liriano too was included on the club's ALCS roster, and should be an expected name to be taken to the World Series. Despite the lackluster pen that the Astros employ, one can guess that A.J. Hinch will be relying heavily upon names like Musgrove, Devenski, Peackock, and Giles to get Houston to the finish line.

In the World Series, Houston is absolutely going to need to hit their way to a title. Yes, both Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander can twirl gems, but Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers remain relative wild cards behind them. As the Dodgers have one of the best bullpens in baseball, it will be on the Houston bats to continue the hot streak they started at the tail end of the ALCS. That plan of attack doesn't leave much room for contributions from the two former Twins, but that doesn't water down their part in all of this.

At the end of the day, both Juan Centeno and Francisco Liriano have an opportunity to win a World Series ring, and that's something so few players ever get to experience. For the sake of the Astros representing the American League, and both former Twins representing all of Twins Territory, here's to hoping the Lunhow's organization can in fact #EarnHistory.

Sorting Out The Postseason

The Minnesota Twins have made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. While this season doesn't guarantee they play home games at Target Field, this team reversed course on a dismal 103 loss season, to surprise even the most hopeful fans. While they travel to New York to face off against a tough Yankees club, there's more than a handful of good matchups slates for October.

Whether it be in the American or National League, there's no layup among any of the 10 teams involved in postseason baseball this year. The one-game Wild Card is going to eliminate to good teams, and the World Series winner is going to have to navigate quite the gauntlet. Taking a stab at what it all looks like, let's get into it.

American League Wild Card- New York Yankees

There isn't a better situation for Minnesota to be in. Playing with house money, and negating a large weakness in pitching thanks to a one-game scenario, the Yankees should be doing anything but overlooking the AL Central foe. With a 23 year-old Luis Severino on the mound in a big stage game, it'd hardly be surprising if the moment was too large. That being said, I just don't see the Twins doing enough here.

This New York bullpen is very, very good, and unless Minnesota gets to Severino early, Joe Girardi can shorten the game. While the Twins lineup has plenty of run producing capabilities of its own, the Yankees hit the long ball all over the place. Aaron Judge ran away with the 2017 Rookie of the Year, and I'd imagine he'll continue to flash on this stage.

I'd be far from shocked if the Twins win, and feel comfortable enough to bet on them, but think that's a bit more heart than head talking.

National League Wild Card- Colorado Rockies

Going into 2017, I wondered if the Rockies weren't a dark horse team to make a run at the World Series. They have young talent, they have veterans, and for the first time in a while, they have more than just patchwork pitching. It didn't help that the NL West was among the best divisions in baseball this year, but if the Rockies are going to advance, they'll have to earn it.

Zack Greinke is going to take the ball for the Diamondbacks, and while he's definitely one of the game's top pitchers, he's far from a sure thing. I like Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado to get to him early, and that gives Jon Gray an opportunity to settle in. Arizona owns the season series, but the Rockies played just above .500 on the road.

If there's an upset brewing in the Wild Card round, I think it's more likely that the Rockies make it happen.

American League Division Series- Houston Astros & Cleveland Indians

This is where the cream rises to the top. While the two top teams from the AL East are plenty imposing, the best of the American League in 2017 has been the Astros and the Indians. I'm not sure the Red Sox have enough to match up with Houston over the course of a five game series, and the Astros have so many different ways they can beat you. With a powerful lineup, and a one-two punch of Verlander and Kuechel, they should advance here.

For the World Series runner-up from a year ago, Terry Francona's team is simply too battle tested to go out this early. While the Yankees have plenty of young guns at their disposal, it's the Indians that have experience on their side. Jose Ramirez may still be the most underrated player in the game, and that pitching staff is good enough to shut the best lineups in the game down.

With two juggernauts advancing, the ALCS should be a doozy.

National League Division Series- Chicago Cubs & Los Angeles Dodgers

Although the coasted most of the year, there wasn't really ever doubt that it would be the Cubs hoisting the NL Central crown. They had rough patches and went through ups and downs, but Joe Maddon knows how to get the most out of his guys. Coming off a World Series victory, the experience should prove invaluable this season. There's a lot of pressure on the Nationals with the impending free agency of Bryce Harper, and nothing yet to show for Max Scherzer's monster deal. That isn't going to help them stay loose, and a good team can expose that weakness.

Over the full course of the season, there hasn't been a better team in baseball than the Dodgers. They went in a massive funk, and still were able to blindly cruise to both the best record in the game as well as a division title. No matter how good of a story the Rockies may be, expecting them to compete with a rotation that has too many good arms, and a lineup that has zero holes, is just too much to ask.

Like the American League, we'll be treated to one heck of a Championship series in the NL as well.

American League Championship Series- Houston Astros

Right now, there may be no pitcher in baseball going better than Justin Verlander. In a seven game series, he may be capable of getting the Astros three wins on his own. While the Indians have a pitching staff more than capable of going toe-to-toe with Houston, I think it's in the offense that we see separation.

The Astros scored more runs than anybody in baseball, and it wasn't particularly close. They can beat you on the mound or at the plate, and when you have the ability to bat studs like Alex Bregman in the bottom third of the order, it says something about your overall quality. I tend to think this Indians team may be better than the one that went to the World Series a year ago, but their running into a buzzsaw here, and I like Houston to advance.

National League Championship Series- Los Angeles Dodgers

That whole best team in baseball once again rears its head. The Dodgers are just loaded everywhere you look, and while the Cubs put it on cruise control at times this season, they'll need everything to break right for an opening at what's next. Chicago can't match up consistently on the mound and I think that's where the deficiency lies.

Having to face off against Clayton Kershaw, Yu Darvish, Alex Wood, and Rich Hill doesn't bode well for any club on a nightly basis. The Cubs put up more runs the LA during the regular season, but that offense should find it tough sledding to push runs across in bunches against this group. While Cody Bellinger has gotten (and deservedly so) all of the accolades this season, I think there's room for rookie Walker Buehler to shine in the postseason.

World Series- Houston Astros

Seven games pitting the Dodgers and Astros against each other for all the marbles sounds like a baseball fan's dream. This is a series that features everything, and there's plenty of young stars on both sides of the diamond. While neither of these teams have glaring flaws, I think it's the Dodgers that have shown a funk can derail them just a bit more.

The narrative of the Astros bringing a World Series home following Hurricane Harvey would be one for the storybooks, and I'm sure that's already being contemplated. Extra motivation or not, I think this group is just too well assembled and too talented to let this opportunity slip through their grasp. Your 2017 World Series champions are the Houston Astros.