League Championship Preview

We are now down to four. After the crazy start to the season, we have just four teams left standing. Winners go on to face off for the biggest prize in all of baseball. We're coming off two sweeps, a four game and a five game series in the divisional round. So here we now sit in the League Championship series. One team hasn't been here since 2001, another hasn't seen this series since 2008 and the other two seem to be here a lot in recent years. Lets get right into in. Here's how the league championships break down.

We start with the NLCS, which puts the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers taking on the NL East Champion Atlanta Braves. Atlanta got here by sweeping the Reds in the wild card round and the Marlins in the divisional round. This is the first time that the Braves have managed to reach the NLCS since 2001. This marks the 12 time ever that Atlanta has made the NLCS. As for the Dodgers, they had the best record in the NL, they got here by sweeping the Brewers in the Wild Card round and then the Padres in the divisional round. LA has made the NLCS for the 4th time in the last five years and 14th time overall. This also marks the first time since 2010 that an NL Central team isn't playing in the NLCS. This matchup marks the fourth time that we will see the Braves and Dodgers meeting in the playoffs. The previous three match-ups were the 1996 National League Division Series, 2013 National League Division Series, and 2018 National League Division Series, with Atlanta winning the former and Los Angeles winning the latter two.

Here's the dares and times for every game in this series:

October 12 Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Globe Life Field 8:08PM

October 13 Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Globe Life Field TBA

October 14 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Globe Life Field TBA

October 15 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Globe Life Field TBA

October 16 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Globe Life Field TBA

October 17 Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Globe Life Field TBA

October 18 Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Globe Life Field TBA

This is going to be a bit of a slugfest of a series. The only team in all of baseball this year, at least in the NL, that was able to outscore and out homer the Braves this year? Yep it was the Dodgers. As good as Atlanta's offense is, being led by Freeman and Acuna, as well as playoff step up Travis d'Arnaud, they can produce runs. So too can the Dodgers, with Seager, Turner, Muncy and a guy who has proven that he has been worth every cent they've paid him in Mookie Betts. Starting pitching is even, maybe slight edge to the Dodgers. Top has a slightly better edge to Kersahaw and Dustin May in LA compared to Max Fried and Ian Andersen in Atlanta. What has the edge for the Dodgers is the Pen, which had the best ERA in all of baseball this year. Atlanta has a good pen, not taking anything away from what they've done, but I have a little more faith in the Dodgers pen, at least on paper.

Yes, I know Atlanta shut out Miami in the final two games of the divisional round, but they aren't playing the Marlins now. They're facing off against the best team in all of baseball in the Dodgers. I feel the offenses can kind of balance out in this series. It'll come down to pitching and I have more faith in the Dodger staff then I do the Braves. Going to be a fun series, but pitching experience will win out here.

Pick: Dodgers in 7!

Now we look at the ALCS, which has the 2nd place in the West Houston Astros taking on the AL East Champion Tampa Bay Rays. Houston got here despite finishing with an under 500 record, are making its fourth straight ALCS appearance. They got here by sweeping the Twins in the Wild Card, and beat the Athletics in four in the divisional round. As for Tampa, they won the AL East for the 3rd time ever and first title since 2010. This marks the first ALCS appearance for the Rays since 2008 and their 2nd appearance here every. Tampa got here by by sweeping the Jays in the Wild Card, then beat the Yankees in five in the Divisional Round. This marls the second ever playoff meeting between the teams, with Houston winning in five games in last years divisional round.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:

October 11 Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays Petco Park 7:37PM

October 12 Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays Petco Park 4:07PM

October 13 Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Petco Park TBA

October 14 Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Petco Park TBA

October 15 Tampa Bay Rays vs. Houston Astros Petco Park TBA

October 16 Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays Petco Park TBA

October 17 Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays Petco Park TBA

Houston's hitters have woken up during the playoffs. Carlos Correa is hitting .500 in the playoffs. Kyle Tucker is hitting .400, while Brantley and Bregman are both hitting over .300. The offense found a way to make its mark during this playoffs, which was a down spot of the team during the season. Hitting has rolled up for the Astros over the last two weeks. Tampa can match the hitting, being powered by Austin Meadows, Brandon Lowe and Randy Arozarena. Power has been what's been getting Tampa going, leading baseball with 14 home runs in the playoffs. Pitching, much like in the NLCS, is going to be a big factor here. Starting depth is more in favor of the Rays here then Houston. Bullpen too for Tampa has been great. No Justin Verlander, due to Tommy John Surgery, has been tough for the Astros, giving Tampa yet another edge.

What's really been keeping Houston has been their hot bats. But look at what the Rays just did in the last round. They managed to not only hang with, but beat the high powered Yankees offense. And it was the pitching staff that did it in game five. Tampa has been the best team in the AL all year long and they keep that going now. Houston got hot at a good time, but at the end of the day, the better team will be the one that wins out.

Pick: Rays in 6!