MLB Divisional Playoff Predictions

I sucked big time last year on my picks. Hopefully this time I can get at least one right. Doing Wednesday’s games first. Shooting bullets in this one!!

Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies 

• The pitching in Colorado is very under-rated, and is strong 1 – 4 with Francis, Cook,
  Jimenez & Morales.
• On the other side of the coin, Moyers is usually dependably in the playoffs and can make a solid #2 to Hamels. Rookie Kyle Kendrick finished the season with an ERA under 4 (3.87), no small feat in that ballpark. Loshe is a head scratchier. I’d expect the leash to be short on his outing.
• Both bullpens are suspect once one looks beyond the top two or three.
• One big factor on the side of Philly is their style of play. Manual has no problem
  being aggressive and letting his players run. The Rockies have only 31 steals less on
  the regular season, although with Taveras (33 steals) being a non-factor, the advantage clearly swings over to the Philles.
• Both are ranked 1 – 2 (Phillies first) in runs scored. The Phils have a clear power advantage, pacing the Rockies 231 – 171 in HR.
• Both are hot, so that’s out the window.
• The Rockies are under .500 on the road (39-42) this season, while the Phillies had a reverse road record (42 – 39).

Pick: Phillies in 5

LA Angels vs Boston Red Sox 

• The Angels are clearly built for post-season baseball (in terms of style). Still, the
  Red Sox are no slouches and the emergence of Ellsbury, along with Lugo & Crisp gives the Sox plenty of speed.
• Escobar, while still pitching, is a question mark. I think the same can be said about a healthy Dice-K. Beckett & Lackey cancel each other out.
• Both bullpens are stacked. No advantage for either one here.
• The power advantage has to go to the Red Sox.
• What it boils down to me is the road/home splits. LAA was dynamite at home (54-27) and pretty crappy on the road (40-41). The Sox won no matter where they played (although to be fair, they essentially had home games with the crowd support in Toronto, Tampa & Baltimore).
• Parity is the name of the game in the MLB in 2007. This series is no different. I hate
  to bet against Scioscia in the playoffs but I’m going with the Red Sox in five games that should take over 20 combined hours to play.

Pick: Red Sox in 5