AL/NLDS Takeaways By: Hank Indictor
Hard to believe that we are now down to just four teams remaining in the postseason. We will have an interesting AL and NLCS to preview, but that is for a separate blog. Before we get into any of that, I'd like to share my key Takeaways from the Division series, so let's get right into the meat and potatoes of this!
American League
Texas Rangers sweep the Baltimore Orioles
What set the tone in this series was the first game. That was a game where, despite receiving solid pitching from Kyle Bradish, the Orioles didn't get enough timely hitting to get the victory. The critical opportunities blown occurred in the 8th and 9th when Anthony Santander grounded into a rally-killing double play and Gunnar Henderson got caught attempting to steal second. However, the moment in which you knew the Orioles didn't stand a chance at winning was when Mitch Garver hit a crushing grand slam in Game 2, which turned out to be critical because this was the only game in which the Orioles scored a decent amount of runs (8). Ultimately, Baltimore's lack of a genuine ace was a big reason why their magical turnaround season abruptly ended. That said, you have to tip your hats off to them. This team went from being at the bottom of the barrel two years ago to their first 100-win season since the Jimmy Carter administration and looks to be stronger with some key off-season moves. As for the Texas Rangers, give them credit where credit is due; their secondary acquisitions proved to be huge in addition to having a storing situational hitting lineup. Let's see if they can slay the dragon in the next round!
Houston Astros over the Minnesota Twins in 4 games
This series wasn't much of a shock. The only real surprise here was that the Twins could steal a game in Houston! Give the Twins credit, as this was their best finish to a season since 2004. But as we've learned repeatedly, you can't rely on the home run alone to beat the Astros. It never works! Pablo Lopez gave the Twins false hope in pitching his masterpiece because once the series shifted to Minnesota, the Astros flexed their muscles. Jose Abreu proved that he was a good acquisition, hitting three home runs in two of the games in the Twin Cities, but the real man that the Twins should've avoided pitching to at all costs was Yordan Alvarez. Four of Alvarez's seven hits were home runs, and he also drove in 6 runs! Even more insane? Compare his numbers to Big Papi from 2003-2009; they are about as nearly identical as you can get! But up next, they have a World Series title/American League pennant to defend but are in a battle for the bragging rights of the Lone Star State. Can the Astros continue in their reign of American League Dominance?
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers
On the surface, this looks like a surprising series. However, I hate to say I told you so, Dodgers, but yeah, I told you so! Look past their insane lineup; you remember this team was way short on pitching. And let's be honest, as soon as Kershaw gave up six runs in his only appearance in this series, did the Dodgers stand a chance? Oh, and what about Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman? Only one infield single in a combined 23 at-bats! And while Arizona may have only won 84 games in the Regular Season, this team's lineup consists of Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, and Rookie of the Year winner Corbin Carroll. And remember, one of Mike Hazen's best moves was trading Daulton Varsho for Lourdes Gurriel and Gabriel Moreno, each of whom were key contributors to this series. The latter became the youngest catcher to hit three home runs in a postseason series. Oh yeah, the top 2 pitchers in the rotation (Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly) were more than strong enough to carry them, too. Regardless, they'll be facing a formidable foe in the NLCS!
Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves in 4 games
I don't care how dominant and historic the Braves were in the regular season. Once you opened the box, you saw that Schroedingers Cat was dead. This was also the case when they lost a fraction of the rotation and maybe when they got shut out at home in Game 1 for the first time all season! But the real moral of the story? Never get too cocky, and never piss off Bryce Harper! I don't care who is in earshot! Otherwise, he'll go off for multiple home runs and cause pitchers like Spencer Strider to avoid pitching him. And if you're not careful, several hitters such as Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos can hurt you too (the latter had back-to-back multi-homer games, the first batter ever to do this in the postseason). The bottom line is simply this. Don't blame the playoff format for your losses, and don't disrespect the Phillies!!