ALDS Preview

Here we go. Divisional round has arrived for the American League. After 162 regular season games and one wild card game, we're set with the final four teams standing in the American League. Both matchups in the American League Division Series are rematches of past series. Boston is facing Cleveland for the first time since the 2007 ALCS, a series in which Cleveland blew a 3-1 series lead. Then there's the bigger matchup of the two, at least as far as tension goes. Its rematch of last years ALDS as Texas battles Toronto. Both series are going to be highly entertaining and both are going to drew huge ratings on TV and radio. So lets not waste anymore time on the fluff and get right into it. Here's how the American League Divisional Series are going to play out.

First up its the American League West champions, the Texas Rangers, taking on the American League Wild Card winner, the Texas Rangers. Texas comes into this series having won the American League West with a 95-67 record. This marks the 2nd year in a row, and the seventh time in franchise history, that the Rangers have won the division. Texas is looking to win a playoff series for the first time since going all the way to the World Series in 2011. The Rangers have never won a World Series. Texas is 21-28 lifetime in post season play. Meanwhile, Toronto has gotten to the playoffs as the wild card team, finishing the regular season 2nd in the AL East with an 89-73 record. This marks the first back to back playoff appearance for the Jays since winning back to back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. To get to the Divisional Round, Toronto beat the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Game. Toronto has two World Titles to their credit and are 26-26 lifetime in the post season. This marks the 2nd ever meeting between the two teams in the playoffs, with the Blue Jays beating the Rangers in last years ALDS in five games.

Here are the date and times for every game in this series:
October 6 Toronto Blue Jays @ Texas Rangers Globe Life Park 4:38PM
October 7 Toronto Blue Jays @ Texas Rangers Globe Life Park 1:08PM
October 9 Texas Rangers @ Toronto Blue Jays Rogers Centre 7:38PM
October 10 Texas Rangers @ Toronto Blue Jays Rogers Centre TBD
October 12 Toronto Blue Jays @ Texas Rangers Globe Life Park TBD

You want to talk about a budding rivalry, you got one right here. Look no further then last year in this very same round, with the Jays walking away with the win. I think what set this whole thing off was the Jose Bautista bat flip in game five after hitting the series ending home run. Some feel that the teams got their feelings out when they got into a brawl on May 15th at Globe Life Park, but don't be surprised if there are a few more fireworks that go off in this series after last years events. Oh and if the regular season numbers mean anything, Toronto took four of the seven meetings between the teams this season. To look into those numbers a little deeper, Toronto outscored Texas 36-21 during those seven games, if that means anything. You know good and well that regular season numbers don't mean squat come playoff time.

These two teams haven't seen eachother since the brawl in Texas on May 15th, Texas has done a bit of retooling since then. Texas improved by the call-up of Matt Bush (he was summoned to the majors just in time for the second Jays-Rangers series) and the return to health of Tanner Scheppers. As far as the lineup goes, the pre-deadline additions of Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Beltran directly addressed to significant holes. Oh, and the surge that Carlos Gomez has enjoyed since being plucked from the scrap heap appears to be sustainable. In other words, this is a significantly better Texas roster than the Jays encountered during the regular season. Sure the Rangers got 95 wins this year, a very impressive number and the best mark in the American League. It is worth noting that, in order to do that, Texas finished with a run differential of eight. They scored eight more runs then they allowed.

Toronto, on the other hand, actually had a good run differential. Yes they won less games, finishing with 89 victories. But they also scored 93 more runs then they gave up. With a run differential like that, you'd think Toronto would have won more games. Toronto also had to do it against a slightly tougher schedule, with their opponents having a .506 winning percentage. Texas opponents had a .503 win percentage. The middle of Toronto's lineup, lead by Joey Bats, Tulo, Donaldson and Edwin, can hang, and even outslug, a lot of teams in this league. Sure Beltre, Odur and Desmond put up good offensive numbers for Texas, Toronto just had the better power and offensive pops.

Pitching may balance out, with a slight edge to Toronto, who had more guys hit double digits in wins and had starters with a lower ERA. Texas is a good team no doubt, They won more games then any other team in the American League. But Toronto just has the mojo working right now. Texas makes it a good series but it won't be enough.

Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays in 5!

The other series pits the American League Central champions, the Cleveland Indians, taking on the American League East Champions, the Boston Red Sox. This marks the first playoff appearance for the Sox since winning the World Series in 2013. Boston won the East this year with a 94-69 record, making it the 15th division title the team has won. Boston has won three world titles in their last seven trips to the post season. The Sox are 90-77 lifetime in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Cleveland comes in with a 94-68 record, good enough to win the American League Central. This division title was the 11th in the teams history, its first since 2007. Cleveland is searching for its first playoff win since beating the Yankees in 2007's ALDS. The Indians have two World Series to their credit, but haven't made it to a Series since 1997. The Indians are 44-42 lifetime in the playoffs. This marks the 5th meeting between the teams in the playoffs. Cleveland won in 1995 and 1998, while the Red Sox claimed victory in 1999 and 2007. Boston won four of the six meetings between the teams this season.

Here are the dates and times for every game in this series:
October 6 Boston Red Sox @ Cleveland Indians Progressive Field 8:08PM
October 7 Boston Red Sox @ Cleveland Indians Progressive Field 4:08PM
October 9 Cleveland Indians @ Boston Red Sox Fenway Park 4:08PM
October 10 Cleveland Indians @ Boston Red Sox Fenway Park TBD
October 12 Boston Red Sox @ Cleveland Indians Progressive Field TBD

At various points this season both the Red Sox and Indians looked not only like the best team in the American League, but arguably the best non- Chicago Cubs team in all of baseball. The Indians had a franchise record 14-game winning streak back in June while the Red Sox had an 11-game winning streak in September. Interesting fact, there are only two players from the 2007 ALCS that are playing in this series, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. During the regular season, Boston won four of the six meetings, outscoring the Tribe 31-18. Now here's a surprising stat. The split between the two teams in home vs. road games. Cleveland won 52 home games and scored 105 more runs then they allowed. they won 41 road games and gave up four more runs then they scored. Boston on the other hand, was more balanced. Boston won 47 home games and scored 97 more runs then they allowed. On the road, Boston won 46 games and scored 87 more runs then they allowed. Pretty stark contrast I'd say.

Cleveland has home field advantage because they had the better record. All five of their starting pitchers had double digits in wins, but only Corey Kluber has an ERA under 3.30. The Indians have that flexibility with Andrew Miller, who's done a fine job since joining the Indians in a trade with the Yanks. He's done well, as has closer Cody Allen and primary setup man Bryan Shaw. On offense, Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana have been powering the Tribe, both hitting over 30 home runs on the year. Not only can the Indians hit, they can run too. They were fourth in baseball with 134 total steals. Cleveland can hit and run wild so it's something that the Red Sox are going to have to keep an eye on. Only down side is Cleveland. Thy're missing some key players. Michael Brantley has played only 11 games this year due to shoulder surgery and subsequent complications. Carlos Carrasco is out for the postseason after a comebacker broke a bone in his hand in mid September. And Danny Salazar is currently working his way back from a flexor muscle problem and could be on the ALDS roster as a reliever.

Don't count out the Red Sox, they are kinda good. David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts each hit over 30 home runs and drove in over 100 runs. Jackie Bradley and Xander Bogarts hit over twenty homers and drove in over 80 runs on the year. Boston is top heavy in their rotation. Rick Porcello went 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA. And there's David Price, who went 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA. Boston has solid starting pitching, but there leaves a few questions at the back of pitching staff. Sure Kimbrel saved 31 of his 33 chances. But he walked the bases loaded prior to Teixeira's grand slam, and in his final three regular season appearances, he walked six of the 13 batters he faced. He'd walked four of the previous 57 batters he faced prior to that. That's not so good. Koji Uehara and Brad Ziegler are good pitchers leading to Kimbrel, but they aren't as overpowering as Miller and Shaw in Cleveland's pen.

I'll come right out and say it I think the Indians have the slightly better pitching staff. But Boston's hitting is just going to be too much to deal with. There's a reason why the Red Sox have the balance scoring difference that they had during the regular season. Cleveland isn't as good on the road and if they go down early in this series, I can't see them overcoming the difference. Its been a fun ride for the Indians but this is where it comes to a close.

Predictions: Boston Red Sox in 4!