MLB 2020 LDS Preview and Predictions

         

            Here are My MLB 2020 LDS Preview and Predictions 

            American League Division Series              Best 3 out of 5 

            [5] New York Yankees vs [1] Tampa Bay Rays in San Diego, CA 

            TV: All Games on TBS 

            Thoughts: This is the 1st ever playoff meeting between these two teams. The Rays went 8-2 vs the Yankees in the Regular Season. The Rays got to the ALDS by sweeping the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Round. The Yankees got to the ALDS by sweeping the Indians in the Wild Card Round. The Rays pitching has been great all year. They were 3rd in baseball with an 3.56 era and allowed just 3 runs in 2 games against the Blue Jays in the Wild Card Round. The Yankees scored 20 runs in their series sweep against the Indians. The Rays pitching dominated the Yankees lineup as they allowed just 3.2 runs per game in the Regular Season series.  

          Prediction: Rays win series 3-1 

         [6] Houston Astros vs [2] Oakland Athletics in Los Angeles, CA 

          

         TV: All Games on TBS 

         Thoughts: This is the 1st ever playoff meeting between these two teams. The Athletics are the better team on paper, but were 25th in baseball in batting average and that's why their series went 3 against the White Sox. The Astros pulled an upset in the Wild Card Round against the Twins by sweeping them. The Athletics won a tough Wild Card Series against the White Sox. I think the Astros are playing with house-money at this point and pull another upset. 

 

         Upset: Astros win series 3-2

         National League Division Series                  Best 3 out of 5 

         [4] San Diego Padres vs [1] Los Angeles Dodgers in Arlington, TX  

        

         Thoughts: This is the 1st ever playoff series meeting between these two teams. These are the 2 best teams in baseball and they are playing each other in the NLDS. The Padres got to the NLDS by winning a tough 3-game series against the Cardinals. The Dodgers got to the NLDS by sweeping the Brewers. Both of these teams can hit and pitch. The Padres were 8th in baseball in era while the Dodgers were 1st. The Padres were 10th in batting average while the Dodgers were 11th. This series is really close and will go the distance. I like the Padres to win the series because they don't have the pressure on them like the Dodgers do. 

        Upset: Padres win series 3-2 

        [6] Miami Marlins vs [2] Atlanta Braves in Houston, TX 

        TV: 4 Games on FS1 and Wednesday on MLB Network 

       Thoughts: This is the 1st playoff meeting between these two teams since the 1997 NLCS. The Braves went 6-4 against the Marlins in the Regular Season. They dominated the Marlins pitching staff scoring 6.8 runs per game and if you take away that 29-run game they still would had averaged 4.3 runs per game against the Marlins. Max Fried, Ian Anderson and the Bullpen were dominant against the Reds in the Wild Card Round as they had back-to-back shutouts. The Marlins allowed just 1 run in their series sweep against the Cubs. I believe the Braves will sweep the Marlins because Kyle Wright found his groove down the stretch as he went 2-0 with an era of 2.32.  

         Prediction: Braves sweep series 3-0 

         Overview: The best series in this round is the Padres-Dodgers series. Either team can win that series. I believe the Astros will pull another upset against the Athletics. The other 2 series I believe are mismatches are the Yankees-Rays and Marlins-Braves. The Rays just own the Yankees in the Regular Season just like the Braves just owned the Marlins. I predict the ALCS will be the Astros vs Rays while the NLCS will be the Padres vs Braves. I've been wrong before as I wrong in the Indians beating the Yankees, the Twins beating the Astros, the Cardinals beating the Padres and the Reds upsetting the Braves in the Wild Card Round.