AL Wild Card Preview

The time has arrived  Postseason baseball is finally here for all to enjoy. After 162 games of battle, there are ten teams left standing. For the American League Wild Card, its the young guns taking on the old guard. A team that has won 27 world titles taking on a team that has never won a world series. The American League Wild Card Game pits the Houston Astros going against the New York Yankees, from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.Winner of this one game get to move on to the divisional round where they will take on the Kansas City Royals. Before we get into the meat and potatoes of the Wild Card game, lets take a look at how the two teams got to where they are today.

Its been a long time coming for the Houston Astros getting into the playoffs. The team hasn't seen postseason baseball since getting swept by the White Sox in the 2005 World Series. In fact, the Astros had a winning record this year for the first time since 2008. They finished this year 86-76, almost the exact same record they had in 2008 (they finished 86-75 in 2008). Houston's 2nd place finish this season was the highest they have finished in the division since a 2nd place finish in 2006. It took until the final day of the regular season for the Astros to clinch the final wild card spot.

Meanwhile, this wild card game also marks a return to the playoffs for the Yankees. New York has 27 World Titles to its credit, winning its last title in 2009. This marks the 52nd time that the Yanks are playing in the post season, its first playoff apperance since losing to the Tigers in the 2012 ALCS. New York finished the regular season with an 87-75 record, the lowest win total for a Yankees playoff team since the 1995 Yankees won 75 games.

Houston won the season series against New York, winning four of the seven meetings. First, the two teams split the four-game set at Minute Maid Park in June. Houston followed it up by taking two of three at the Yankee Stadium in late August. This will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams in the post season.

So now, lets take a look at how these teams stack up against eachother. Masahiro Tanaka gets the ball for the Yankees tonight, as he has been the most consistent pitcher for the team this year. Tanaka hasn't had much success against Houston. In fact, Jason Castro (0-for-2, 2 SO), Evan Gattis (0-for-3)and Colby Rasmus (0-for-3, 1 SO) are the only projected Houston Starters who haven't had success against Tanaka in their careers. Everybody else has at least one hit off Tanaka in their careers, with Luis Valbuena (3-for-9, 2 2B, 2 SO) having faced him the most. Meanwhile, Dallas Keuchel is taking the mound for the Astros at the stadium and has been in control of the Yankees. Brian McCann is the only projected Yankee starter who has never faced Keuchel in their career. In fact, the only Yankee who has decent to good numbers against Keuchel in his career is Carlos Beltran, who is four for nine, with a double, a home run and 2 RBI. If you base this off pure pitching, then the edge goes to the Astros.

Don't believe me? here's further proof. Just look at the bullpen numbers for the two clubs. Houston has a lower ERA (3.27 as compared to the Yankees 3.70).New York does have the advantage in innings pitched, and strikeouts, but Houston has walked fewer, allowed less hits, and has a lower opponents batting average. What the Yankees do have an advantage in is the back end of the pen. Sure Luke Gregerson had a good year for the Astros, converting 31 of 36 saves this season. But I'd feel a lot more comfortable with the tandom of setup man Dellin Betances and closer Andrew Miller. If you get a lead, get me to the 8th to give the ball of Betances and Miller, otherwise I'll take the Astros pen. Looking at the benches, its about even with who could make an impact off the bench. Both teams have guys who can come up with a clutch hit at the right time.

Home field advantage could play a factor in the Yankees favor. Houston hasn't played very well away from Minute Made Park this season, as they are 33-48 on the road this year. New York is 45-36 at home this year, in a very hitter friendly park. Houston also has a younger, less experienced roster than that of the Yankees. Dallas Keuchel has dominated the Yankees this season, not once, but twice. Meanwhile Tanaka was dinged by Houston in June and looked rusty coming off his hamstring injury. Plus, Yankee Stadium's cozy dimensions play to the Astros' home run-happy ways. Houston has hit the 2nd most homeruns in baseball this year (Toronto hit more with 232, compared to the 230 that the Astros hit). Houston will have to get to Tanaka early, plating some runs in the first few frames to take the pressure off themselves and put it on the Yankees' bullpen, which can be shaky before the late-inning stoppers come into play. Pair a well-timed dinger or two and a little disruption on the base paths with a sparkling Keuchel start and we'll hand this one to the upstart 'Stros. Though, truly, it could go either way.

Pick: Houston Astros!