I can not believe that there is not a thread like this up yet.

The Major League Baseball Post Season will begin within the next week.

There are several teams that are in the post season this year for the first time in several years (or first time ever for the Nationals).

For that reason, it appears that the post season this year is wide open.

We get to experience what excitement the additional post season wild card spot will bring, since being added this year.

This thread is to post about who you think will win the World Series.

You can also predict how the team match ups will go, and which players on which teams will elevate their games to help their teams.

There are some early predictions, such as Miguel Cabrera and Josh Hamilton being the dominant players they are capable of.

It would also be a fair prediction to say the Texas Rangers will make the World Series for the third straight year.

But this is the post season, so anything can happen.

Who expected San Francisco to win the World Series two years ago.

Not to mention the amazing run St. Louis went on last year on route to a World Series of their own.

If I were to pick a team to win the World Series this year before this years post season begins, I would pick the Cincinnati Reds.

There isn't a thread like this yet, because so few people on this site care about baseball, which is freaking unfortunate. It's so bad there are only 3 vizzed members in our 6 man fantasy baseball league. Only half the people in the Vizzed Fantasy Baseball league are from Vizzed.

Well enough ranting...

"Starting in 2012, the winner of the Wild Card Showdown will play the best divisional champion even if those teams are from the same division."

So I guess here I'll outline the matchups that are "most likely" to happen as of now, with an update in 2 days if that has changed. (along with predictions)

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National League Matchups

WC - Braves vs Cardinals

With it being a one game matchup I have to favor the Atlanta Braves. They can turn to any of their dominant pitchers, it doesn't really make a difference. My best guess is Kris Medlen should start, as they have so much good luck in games he starts. The Cardinals offense is a little better than the Braves offense I think, but in the end it will come down to a pitcher's showdown. And I think the Braves just have better overall pitching for a one game series.

Braves win

NLDS - Braves vs Nationals/Reds (depending on how final two games play out)

I'm going to assume the Nationals win out and get home field throughout the playoffs. As such, it's a 5 game series between the Nationals at home against the Atlanta Braves. The Nationals are 10-8 against the Braves this season, so they have a slight edge. However, the Braves have been better as of late against them. So it's going to come down to two things. The first, is whether the Braves had a tough game against the Cardinals. The second is whether the Braves can shake their 4-5 record against the Nationals (when the Nats are the home team). I think the Nationals win this series in 4 games, but I wouldn't put it past the far more experience Braves to excel.

Nationals win

NLDS - Reds/Nationals (read above) vs Giants

I'm assuming the Reds get into this game. I think this is going to be a bit of a blowout for the Reds, despite Dusty Baker recently having health concerns. It's all going to come down to the same thing as every playoff series comes down to. Pitching. If this is 2 years ago, and Tim Lincecum is dominant, then the Giants are more reasonably in this, but their top pitchers are wonder boy Ryan Vogelsong (who has to be running out of magic), the young and lately inconsistent Madison Bumgarner, and Timmy. The Reds are 4-3 against the Giants and would have home field advantage as well. At home, the Reds are 2-1 against the G-men. I think it's pretty clear who wins.

Reds win

NLCS - Reds vs Nationals

THIS is going to be the best matchup of the playoffs in all likelihood. The Reds have a star studded offense, with the likes of Jay Bruce, Joey Votto, and Brandon Phillips. The Nationals have one of the best young stars in the game, Bryce Harper, and a rotation that is still one of the best, despite not having ace Stephen Strasburg. This playoff series is going to end up coming down to one x-factor. Bryce Harper. The Nationals and Reds are pretty evenly matched. Of all the games the Nationals and Reds played, only ONE of the game was even close to a blowout. A Nationals 7-3 victory against the Reds at Cincy. I think the Nationals are too good to wilt right now, even though the Reds are on fire. Home field is vital in this series.

Nationals win and advance to the World Series

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American League

WC - Orioles vs Athletics

It's a shame this series is only one game. I'd love to see a 5 or 7 game series between these two very unlikely teams. The Orioles are perhaps the most unlikely, having played their way into the playoffs despite having a run differential of only +11. The Athletics did it the same way they always made the playoffs in the past, through smart trades and intelligent free agent signings. This series will come down to who the starting pitcher for each team is.

I give the edge to the Athletics though.

Athletics win

ALDS - Athletics vs Yankees/Rangers (depending on how the final two games play out)

I think the Yankees end up with the best record (unfortunately), and play into this 5 game series with the Athletics. However, I think the Athletics might be good enough to give the Yankees a serious scare. Both had decent Septembers, and both have strengths that the other will have trouble countering. It'll come down to whether the Yankees can rely on Andy Pettite, CC Sabathia, and Phillip Hughes in 3/5 of the games they play. And this is going to piss off Yankees fans... but I think they are pretty evenly matched, and honestly? I give the edge to the red hot A's. A's win. In 5.

Athletics win

ALDS - Rangers/Yankees (see above) vs Tigers

I think the Rangers play the Tigers, and I think it's a f***ing blowout. Miguel Cabrera has done a great job this year, and I think he honestly deserves the MVP... but I don't think they have much a chance against the Rangers OR the Yankees. The Tigers only have 2 reliable pitchers right now, and they can't pitch all 5 games. The Rangers on the other hand don't have to rely on pitching. They are playing at home, with all those bats. Here's some perspective, the Rangers are 7-3 against the Tigers this season.

Rangers win

AlCS - Rangers vs Athletics

This has the potential to rival a possible Reds/Nationals series... but with the added bonus of being a division matchup. As someone who has witnessed a few Red Sox/Yankees ALCS, let me say there is a LOT of fun to be had in a division rival being your ALCS opponent. The Rangers have the edge on offense, but the A's have the edge on the mound. What's the X-factor? Yu Darvish vs Yoenis Cespedes. Not in the literal sense, but more the fact both are rookies playing on the other team. Darvish is 1-2 against the A's and needs to get the monkey off his back. Cespedes however has eaten Texas up batting to the tune of .375/.417/.714. If Cespedes can keep this up, the Rangers might not have anyone to pitch to with the dynamic trio of Cespedes, Moss, and Reddick hiding in the lineup. This will go 7 games, and I am not confident in this prediction, but I'll guess the A's walk away with the win.

Athletics win and advance to the World Series

WORLD SERIES - Athletics vs Nationals

I'll be honest. I want this to happen badly. I like both teams, and I thought both would be pretty good this season. I predicted the Nats would win the division, although I thought the A's would NARROWLY miss the playoffs. Getting to the actual matchup... I'm not sure who wins. The A's have a better offense, and the Nationals have a better rotation. It'll boil down to who the playoffs have worn down the most I feel. The A's will have a harder road to the series, so I think the Nationals would capitalize and win this in 5.

Your WS champs? THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS.

AL Playoff MVP - Josh Reddick
NL Playoff MVP - Bryce Harper
WS MVP - Jordan Zimmermann

Honestly, I feel the Nationals are kinda lucky to even be making it to the playoffs this time around. I'd be shocked to seem them make it all the way to the World Series, much less win it. I really don't think they have that kind of dominant team yet. I don't really think a lot of their players even know what to do once they get to the playoffs. They may have had a successful regular season (thanks in large part to the rest of their division being crap this season), but the playoffs are a completely different level. Does Washington have what it takes the rise to that level? I'm skeptical.

The Braves are more the type of organization that I'd expect to dial it up a notch and play at a postseason level... though I'm a Giants fan if pressed to actually pick a team, so I'll be looking for another win out of them. I was amazed that they finally stopped sucking 2 years ago and got the job done. Another edge that the Giants have is that a lot of the players from that WS team are still there. This means you have people who for-sure know what it means to be in the playoffs and how to rise to that level. Sure, the pitching staff kind of flipped on its head this season... but what happened in the regular season is meaningless now. When push comes to shove, Lincecum might just return to his prime form and help propel the team to another set of rings.

As for the AL, I'm not too concerned what happens there as long as the Yankees don't end up going anywhere. They've won what? 27 championships by now? They've had more than enough... let's have other teams winning for a change. I'm tired of seeing success in New York. I'd really like to see the Rays get back to the playoffs in the near future and maybe actually win the World Series this time. As for this year, the A's or the Orioles would be interesting teams to see go.

Crazy Li :

I won't debate the National League with you, as I think we just have a difference of opinion on the Nationals. They are inexperienced, but they wouldn't be the first inexperienced team to succeed.

However, in the AL, I have to disagree... I'd hate to see the Rays win a World Series.

I'm a Red Sox fan. And I'd say the Rays are about as bad as the Yankees are. Hell, the Rays fanbase is one of the worst I've ever seen. (apologies to any Rays fans who don't suck. I've just run into a lot of you, and the majority of them have given a rather poor example for your fanbase) I'm not normally one for rooting against a team for such a silly reason, but that fanbase put simply doesn't deserve a playoff berth, let alone a title. There are 12 other teams in the American League I'd rather root for (yes, the other I wouldn't is the Yankees).

The Yankees have won 28 titles I think, and I'd rather they didn't get a 29th. Fortunately, the NL champ figures to be the favorite this year. Whether it's the Nationals, Reds, Braves, or Giants. (The Cardinals are about the only team in the NL I can't see making it to the series.)

I'm going to be rooting for the A's and Nationals personally, just because they aren't the Rays or Yankees, and they both play a style of baseball I rather enjoy watching.

I can't say I know anything about the Rays fans... other than they never attended the team's ballgames back when they were still the Devil Rays. I'm pretty sure I heard once that minor league teams in the area routinely had higher attendances than them. I'm sure their 2008 season changed that... if only temporarily, but still, it doesn't sound like they have fans that are very loyal. I can't say anything about how things are now, because again, I don't know squat about other team's fans.

I'm also not saying the Nationals CAN'T do it... I'm just saying not to expect the really great story of the team that suddenly becomes awesome and wins it all to come true. It doesn't really happen that often. When it comes down to it, sometimes the teams that look good on paper, tend to fall apart when it really counts and give way to the gritty, hardened guys who fight against all the hype for the other guys. But anything can happen. Sometimes it goes just the way you expect it, other times the exact opposite, and other still, some shade in-between.

Um... the Athletics aren't in the NL... that's an AL team. Did you mean something else when you said that?

And as interesting as it would be for the Orioles to go to the WS (especially something like Orioles vs. Nationals), I do feel like they have a slim chance to make it very far against all the tough competition in the AL.

I agree with the statement that the Washington Nationals are too inexperienced to win a championship, and for that reason, I have them as getting knocked out in their first playoff series. Based on how things are going, it seems that the Reds will face off against the Giants. I know that the Giants have a recent championship under their belt, as does the Cardinals. However, I don't see either of those teams having the same fire power that they did when they went all the way. For that reason, I see the Braves matching up against the Reds in the NLCS. This is a very intriguing match up. The braves have good hitting and good pitching. However, I beleive that the Reds are a much more well rounded team than the braves, and therefore, I see the Reds making the World Series.

Who will the Reds face off with in the World Series? I agree that I do not see Baltimore making it past the wild card match up. That leads me to believe that Oakland will face off against the Yankees. This will be a very interesting series for sure. I agree that the Yankees will have their hands full with Cespedes, as he is the best looking first year player to break into the big leagues in a few years (better than Harper). I see this series being a grind for both teams and I expect many 1 or 2 run differences in the scores. I believe this series will go the distance, but I see Oakland's hot streak slipping by the Yankees just barely. As good as Detroit is with their 1-2 punch of Cabrera and Fielder and their former Cy Young winner Verlander, I can't see Texas losing. Texas is just too deep in their offense to lose out to a Tigers team that only made it because the White Sox fell apart. For that reason, I see Oakland and Texas matching up in the ALCS. Facing Texas will bring out the best in Oakland, and will cause them to elevate their games, but I feel that the grind Oakland expierenced in the Yankees series will prove to be too much to overcome against a stacked Rangers team. For that reason, I see a Reds - Rangers World Series.

This world series will be a coin flip, similar to the Athletics - Yankees series. I see both teams grinding deep to perform gracefully when called upon. I just feel that the Reds starting pitching will be able to keep the Rangers line up in check for just long enough to allow the Reds offense slip by with a couple 1 run games. Those game will be the difference in the series that will go the distance. Reds in 7.

Perhaps. But I believe that whoever eventually comes out of that wild card NL match up will beat the Nationals. I just don't see the Nationals making it past the first series. They are too inexperienced. Maybe next year things will be different though

I understand why you think Baltimore will be a great series against the Yankees. I just feel that Oakland is playing far too well to fall to the Oriels. I would love to see the Yankees have to play in the wild card game. I just don't see them losing the division lead though. Regardless of what happens in the wild card series. I see the Reds beating Atlanta/ St Louis and I see Texas beating New York/ Oakland.

I can't see Washington or Baltimore going very far, due to inexperience.

bobq :

I think you are putting far too much store in experience.

Playoff baseball may mean more, and have a bit of a different format from regular season baseball, but when you get down to brass tacks, it's still baseball. A game largely dependent on skill.

And I'd argue there's only one team in the NL with even close to equal skill. The Reds. Who they wouldn't meet until the NLCS.

And in a 7 game series, you can say all you want about experience, and how it'll play a big factor. It will matter, but it won't mean everything. Here are some recent "inexperienced" teams to win the World Series.

The 2011 St. Louis Cardinals - Aside from Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter, and Lance Berkman, who had significant playoff experience on that roster?

The 2010 San Francisco Giants - Probably the epitome of an inexperienced team winning a World Series. A young talented team led by young and talented players who hadn't sniffed a post season in years. "Oh, but they acquired veteran Cody Ross who led them on a tear!". Well guess what? The Nationals went out of their way to acquire Kurt Suzuki who has done something more important than hitting the ball hard. Leading a young talented pitching staff to new heights.

The 2003 Florida Marlins - Don't even try to argue this.

The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks - likewise.

Experience may help, but in this day and age, inexperienced teams can and do win playoff games and World Series. They "can" conceivably flop in the playoffs, but if they do it'll be because of poor pitching. Not because they didn't have experience in the playoffs.

I actually watched all 4 of those world series match ups you mentioned. Of course there are exceptions to an inexperienced team outperforming a large favourite, such as the Giants knocking off Philadelphia's stacked starting rotation on route to a World Series championship. That caught a lot of people off guard because the Phillies has made the World Series two years in a row previous to that series.

Yes, I believe there will be upsets, there always seems to be. But I still believe that even if the Nationals do make it past their first series, they will not make it past that. I can see the Nationals winning it in a couple more years when Harper and Strasburg grow and develop further. I just don't think they will do it this year.

Yes, there are sometimes major underdogs that win it all. I just don't think it will be one of those years. If an underdog were to win it this year, I would say the team with the best chance is Oakland. They are hot right now, and capable of knocking off Baltimore, the Yankees, Texas and Detroit.

I am not saying that I will not be cheering for the former Montreal Expos, because they are my second favourite team in this years NL post season. I just think that this year will be a learning process to prepare them for future post season appearances, such as what 2010 was for the Reds.

 I can't wait to watch the wild card match ups. Those post season tie breakers I watched between the Rockies and Padres a few years back, and the Twins against the White Sox and Tigers the following years, were possibly the best baseball I have ever seen. Although the Cardinals with their ridiculous comeback in game 6 of last years World Series was pretty amazing to.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_tiebreakers.jsp

This link is what happened in the past.

I found this link to help answer your question.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb-division-tiebreaker-rules-2012-171700829--mlb.html

There has never been 2 playoff wild card spots before this year. It would be interesting if the Oriels or Yankees would have to play 2 tie breaker games to make the ALDS and how that would affect their performance based on fatigue or which pitcher will start which game.

Dude I am so happy that the Oakland Athletics is going to the play-offs this year. Now I want the Oakland Athletics to take the title for the West, and sweep the Rangers.

I do love a good game of baseball.  I will probably watch the games.  I won't watch much of it though.  I tend to stick the Braves games.

Hey pace, nice layout.

I believe that the Oakland Athletics have a very respectable chance at making it to the World Series.

I believe that of the AL teams, Detroit and Baltimore have the worst chances of advancing to the championship series.