2013 Playoff Preview- Round One
National League:
Jacoby vs.
Mamone- Team Mamone is my team’s kindred spirit this year. Together, we’ve
been battered, bruised, and ridiculed on the way to paltry 5-17 records. Now
it’s time for us to muster whatever is left of our confidence and try to pull
off an upset. It wouldn’t erase an entire season of losing, but it would be
worth something.
However, the chances of anything surprising
happening in this series are pretty slim. Jacoby has been on the fast track to
make the finals from Week one, and I don’t expect them to hit any speed bumps
quite yet.
Prediction: Jacoby in 2
Harris vs.
Randell- Winning last year’s championship and entering the playoffs on an 11-game winning streak must make
Harris feel that any decision he makes is the right one. Is it a sign of hubris
to pick Union Hill when he’s playing the league’s best Union Hill player? JZ
was so dominant at Union Hill two years ago that there were cries from captains
to remove Union Hill as a playoff option. Add James Dell’alba and Adam
Rothschild to the mix, and Team Randell certainly becomes a much bigger threat
on the friendly confines of UH.
And for Randell to have a chance, these
aforementioned players will have to hit. Two years ago, JZ was given a free pass
virtually every AB. We won because guys like me, Ross, Brock Hor, stepped up
around him. Team Harris may still be the better team, but Team Randell has a
better chance on Union Hill than they would have on any other.
Despite the favorable field choice, Harris remains
a better team. An 11 game winning streak does not happen accidentally. There
have been games in that bunch that could have gone the other way, but Team
Harris has had a determination that most teams lack. I think that determination
will be what leads them to pull out this series.
Prediction: Harris in 3
Feldman vs.
Granese- It’s been a long time since either of these captains have been in
a semi-finals. The good news is by playing each other in the first round, one
of them will only be one round away. These teams are equally matched, so I can
see it going either way. Before the season started, I thought Granese had the
better team. I’ve been surprised though by the offensive production Feldman has
shown, and I think if there’s a shocker that’s going to happen in the National
League, it could be a miracle run by the Feldmans.
Predictions: Feldman in 2
Applebaum
vs. Pollock- I’m not going to make my official pick for this series since
it involves me, but one team is 15-7 and the other is 5-17. That being said,
Team Pollock has some reason to feel like it has a chance to make things
interesting. In our last five games we’ve beaten Applebaum and Beilis, and lost
one run games to the very tough Team Jacoby and Team Harris.
Still, this is a 15-7 team playing a 5-17 team.
American
League:
Wallman vs.
Marrone- The pre-season favorites end the regular season as the favorites
to win it all. Just like I said for the breakdown of Pollock/Applebaum, this is
a team that dominated the regular season playing a team that was a major
disappointment. Nothing unexpected should happen here.
Prediction: Wallman in 2
Carlin vs.
Bykofsky- There was a point during the season when Team Bykofsky seemed on
the verge of breaking through. They end the season with just one win in their
last five including games where they’ve given up 22,19,22 runs. As I’ve said
before, defense hasn’t been as big of an indicator as one would expect, but you
can’t give up this many runs and win a playoff series.
The good news is they’re playing a Team Carlin who
once upon a time owned an 11-3 record before losing 7 out of their last 8.
Which of these reeling teams will pull it together to win the series? Carlin
has had the upper hand during the regular season and despite their abysmal
final 8 games, I think they’ll find a way to make it to the next round.
Prediction: Carlin in 3
Goldfarb
vs. Lapine- If any team got an unfortunate
first round matchup, it’s Goldfarb. Against most AL teams, I think
Goldfarb would have had a very good chance at advancing. Throughout various
points in the season I thought they were on the verge of joining the elite. Inconsistent
play, however, has kept them in the 4th spot and has them paired up
against the Sleeper Team of the league. As I’ve said in my last post, Lapine is
my pick to win the championship this year despite an 11-11 regular season
record. A team’s fate can turn on a single play though. Considering I think
this series should go three games, Goldfarb could very well get the right bounces
that will silence a could be giant in Team Lapine.
Prediction: Lapine in 3
Beilis vs.
Younger- If you’re looking for a possible week one upset, here is a good
place to look.
Team Beilis is another team who at one point
looked like a powerhouse, but now seems a lot more vulnerable. And while Beilis
goes into the playoffs on a three game losing streak, Younger goes into the
playoffs on a three game winning streak. If Jared Goldberg and Jason Younger
can carry their incredible offensive seasons into the playoffs, they should be
able to pull this one out.
Prediction: Younger in 3
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