|
|
|
|
2005 PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Round Oneby Alan Lecher
#4 Detroit Outlaws (89-73) vs. #5 Philadelphia Phanatics (88-74) Probable Starters:
Why Detroit could win: The Outlaws sport one of the best pitching staffs in all of SPIBL-dom, anchored by the golden right arms of Ben Sheets, Carl Pavano, and veteran Jon Lieber. Mariano Rivera, Justin Speier, Juan Cruz, and Jason Grimsley give GM Mike Van Der Goore a lot of flexibility in his bullpen as well. He will be leaning on this corps of pitchers to deliver him a series win against Philadelphia. Detroit’s lineup underachieved during the regular season and has much to prove in the playoffs. Brad Wilkerson, Bengie Molina, Moises Alou, and Lyle Overbay are out to prove that they are better than their year-end numbers portray. Detroit X-Factor: Omar Vizquel (.317, 196 H, 13 HR, 99 RS, 76 RBI, 43 ST, 36 SAC) was by far the offensive MVP for the Outlaws. If his production continues, it could be just enough for Detroit to earn a rematch with division rival and #1 ranked Toronto Sharpshooters in round two.Why Philadelphia could win: Playing on the road does not intimidate this group of veteran players as Philly led the league in road win% for most of the season. The Phanatics have the playoff experience and the offensive firepower to match up well with Detroit’s solid pitching. While their lineup does not have any big name superstars, they have players who get the job done with the bat as well as the glove, including Luis Castillo, Carlos Guillen, Miguel Cabrera, and Aramis Ramirez. Jason Varitek had a breakout year (.325, 28 HR) and captains a pitching staff that finished fourth-best in ERA this season (3.97). The balanced attack of the Phanatics will spell success for GM Mike Orenstein. Philadelphia X-Factor: Philly’s success in this series will depend a lot on the arm of Jeff Suppan (12-8, 3.66, .247 OBA). He will start game one on the road, setting the tone for the Phanatics. If these teams battle to a decisive game five, he will be up against Detroit’s ace and Cy Young candidate, Ben Sheets. Marquee Matchup: 15-game winner Brad Penny goes up against 17-game winner Ben Sheets in a pivotal game two, where one of these teams will have their backs against the wall to even up the series at 1-1. Head-To-Head: Philadelphia won season series, 8-4Prediction: Philadelphia, 3-1
#3 Pittsburgh Conspiracy (89-73) vs. #6 Cleveland Clubbers (87-75) Probable Starters
Why Pittsburgh could win: The champagne is still flowing in the Pittsburgh clubhouse after clinching the AL East title on the final day of the season. GM Christopher Lecher will be counting on a starting lineup that boasted four .300 hitters in the regular season. Veterans like Gary Sheffield, Melvin Mora, and Vladimir Guerrero will make sure that there is no drop-off in the playoffs. The Conspiracy, ranked #1 in steals, will exploit a weak Cleveland catching corps and manufacture enough runs to get past one of their division rivals. If the series goes five games, home field advantage can only favor the Conspiracy, who won 58 games at PNC Park this year. Pittsburgh X-Factor: If Randy Winn (.305, 196 H, 123 RS, 41 ST) can continue to be the amazing table-setter for the heart of the Conspiracy’s order that he was in the regular season, this could be a short series, which means a trip to Oakland to take on the Diamond Kings in round two. Why Cleveland could win: The Clubbers have something that Pittsburgh does not, and that is a reliable bullpen. If their starters can simply keep Cleveland in the game through the first six innings, the “Alka Seltzer” trio of Billy Wagner, Brad Lidge, and Kiko Calero (“oh, what a relief it is!”) will shut down Pittsburgh’s high-powered offense and lead GM Dave O’Brien into the 2nd round. The big sticks of Alex Rodriguez, Jeromy Burnitz, and Albert Pujols will provide the necessary clutch hitting off of a Pittsburgh team that sports the highest ERA of any playoff team. Cleveland X-Factor: Joe Kennedy (16-6, 3.67, .266 OBA) represents the only Cleveland starting pitcher with an ERA below 4.50 and tied for the team lead in wins. If this series stretches out to a deciding fifth game, Kennedy would have the chance to stun the home crowd in Pittsburgh and lead his team on to face the Chicago Blue Knights in round two.Marquee Matchup: Billy Wagner versus the Conspiracy lineup, which is loaded with tough right-handed batters who routinely make southpaws look like circus clowns with whiplash. Head-To-Head: Pittsburgh won season series, 12-6Prediction: Pittsburgh, 3-2
#3 Seattle Iron Birds (81-81) vs. #6 Anaheim Ants (81-81) Probable Starters
Why Seattle could win: Don’t let Seattle’s .500 record fool you. It is difficult to see the Iron Birds having trouble in this first round matchup behind their amazing trio of starters, Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, and Freddy Garcia. All three finished in the top ten in ERA and led their team to top honors in ERA (3.73) and strikeouts as well. Carlos Lee, Jimmy Rollins, and mid-season pickup Carlos Delgado will be all the offense that Seattle will need to get by division rival Anaheim and earn a trip to Baltimore to take on the Stars. Seattle X-Factor: The Achilles heel for the Iron Birds all year has been their offensive production. Seattle finished with a team average under .250 and had nary a 100-RBI run producer. Carlos Lee (.257, 24 HR, 88 RBI) looks to provide that offensive boost in the national spotlight when it matters the most. Why Anaheim could win: Anaheim has youth on their side and a flair for the dramatic, as evident by their late-season playoff run to clinch this playoff berth (despite a trading spree by GM Todd Melton that left Anaheim void of such high-profile stars as Javy Lopez, David Wells, and Jim Thome). Despite the impressive numbers of Seattle’s starting pitching, there is one glaring issue that the scrappy Ants are anxious to exploit: Opponents are hitting .315 off of Iron Bird closer Jose Mesa. If Anaheim starters can keep games close, sluggers Miguel Tejada, Adam Dunn, and Andruw Jones assure Ant fans around the globe of some late-inning fireworks. A win in round one means a face-off in the great white north with the Toronto Sharpshooters. Anaheim X-Factor: The relatively inexperienced Ryan Drese (11-13, 5.16, .284 OBA) is potentially scheduled to match up against two veterans - Roger Clemens and Freddy Garcia - in the biggest games of the series (games 1 and 5, if needed). If Drese goes 2-0 in the series, Anaheim will pull off arguably the biggest upset in round one.Marquee Matchup: 14-game winner Roy Oswalt starts for Seattle in game three against Anaheim’s Jeremy Bonderman, who struck out 14 batters in his final start on October 1. Head-To-Head: Season series tied, 9-9Prediction: Seattle, 3-1
#4 San Diego Black Sox (89-73) vs. #5 New York Flatirons (89-73) Probable Starters
Why San Diego could win: This is truly a battle of pitching versus hitting. San Diego possesses the American League’s top pitching staff (4.08) while New York was the league’s top hitting ball club. Thus far, pitching has won as the Black Sox have had New York’s number this year. They took seven of nine in the regular season. Off-season acquisition Cesar Izturis (.307, 214 H, 106 RS, 72 RBI, 30 ST) has been a gem for GM Zack Weingartner and will continuously set the table for big hitters Ivan Rodriguez, Kevin Millar, and Jose Guillen. If these guys come through with the necessary clutch hits, San Diego’s first ever trip to the postseason could be an extended stay. San Diego X-Factor: Home field advantage looks to be a big factor in this evenly matched series. New York starts – and potentially ends – the series on the road, where the Flatirons played at a .457 clip. Meanwhile, the Black Sox were very tough at home, winning 57 games there. Why New York could win: Many folks were surprised to see 11-game winner Chris Carpenter left off the starting rotation in the opening round, but that just shows the depth of this team. Behind the strength of 20-game winner Curt Schilling, the #1 ranked offense, and a gutsy risk-taking GM in Stan Koczkodaj, the Flatirons look poised to go deeper in postseason play. Six players hit 20 or more homeruns in the regular season and the Flatirons possess the only 40/40 player of the season in Carlos Beltran. The hitting is there. If the pitching shows up, New York will move on to round two. New York X-Factor: The Flatirons have a very deep group of bench players, from pinch-hitting specialists - Andres Blanco (.462, 17 for 36) and Bucky Jacobsen (.250, 5 for 20, 1 HR) - to defensive specialists. These key players could spell the difference in a very tight series.Marquee Matchup: Two of the top starters in the American League meet up in game two. 20-game winner Curt Schilling faces off against 18-game winner Cory Lidle. Both are Cy Young candidates. Head-To-Head: San Diego won season series, 7-2Prediction: New York, 3-2
*** Disclaimer - Please note that this is just one person's opinion and is intended strictly for the fun and enjoyment of the league. No offense is meant with any critique or prediction. |
|
Copyright © 2002-2014 Strat Pros Internet Baseball League
|
