The Scoop with Coop: Heads Up, We’ve Got a Series

At the time of this writing, the LA Dodgers are coming off a signature playoff win that came thanks in part to two of their superstars slugging their team into a late comeback. The Atlanta Braves were seemingly in a great spot to go up 3-0 in the NLCS and assume a stranglehold on the Dodgers, but those four huge runs during yesterday’s 8th inning certainly changed the tune of that pennant series.

The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox have split the first four games of the ALCS in the MLB’s other semi-final, in a series that has had no shortage of theatrics so far. A slim 5-4 victory for Houston in Game 1 must have awakened the Red Sox bats during the next two games as they would continue to club grand slams, and convincingly move ahead in the series. The Red Sox were unable to make it three in a row last night during a tight game, that was broken open in the 9th inning when the Astros scored seven(!!) 9th inning runs to provide more than enough insurance and tie the series at two games a piece.

This year’s postseason has definitely been a competitive one. Below is a look at the four teams that remain with a chance for the title, after four very different journeys into the spot. Also, predictions!

(Braves Lead Series 2-1)

Atlanta Braves: The one thing I’ve kept coming back to thinking about the Braves this year, is how they ran the table after the trade deadline, and cemented their division with some great play down the stretch. They were the lower seed in the NLDS against the Brewers, but overcame that to win the series in 4 on home turf, and are now the home side for the NLCS with a chance to have home field again if they make the world series (against Boston).

Why is this so interesting to me? Sorry Jays fans, but even though the end of the season wild card race was so fun and exciting, the fact that the 88 win NL East division champion Braves are enjoying this luxury when the 91 win and fourth place Blue Jays were sent home even after doing most of what they needed to do in what is a painstaking reminder of what baseball can bring to its best teams.

LA Dodgers: Blue Jay fans have more of a reason to be disappointed not even making the playoffs, but the 100+ win LA Dodgers certainly had to be sweating when they were forced into a must win game against the St Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card Game. They have a superstar roster no matter how you look at it, and it’s not like they are under performing, but the Dodgers success lately hasn’t exactly been in the dominant fashion they are used to.

It took a walk off home run to beat the Cardinals in an otherwise unspectacular performance against a really good but inconsistent team, and then the inconsistent nature was with the Dodgers as they jockeyed with the top seeded San Francisco Giants and won that series in 5 games. Their championship experience certainly helps their confidence in close ball games, but if you get yourself into too many, you aren’t guaranteed anything as walk-off wins from the Braves in Games 1 & 2 proved that along with a late comeback win from LA last night 6-5.

Series Prediction- Braves in 6: I don’t think the Dodgers superstar roster will go down easy, but I do think the Braves have just enough magic to keep their postseason run going and take their spot in the World Series for the first time since 1999. One thing that could hurt Atlanta’s chances, they haven’t won a game at Dodger Stadium in nearly 4 years...

(Series Tied 2-2)

Houston Astros: I mean I guess the Astros are a good baseball team. Something still stinks about them. I’m not saying they are still cheating, but they are a big bunch of cheaters and that’s a texas sized 10-4 buddy. When former Astro George Springer signed with the Blue Jays I was happy for both sides, but mostly just interested to see the first Houston hitter that was implicated in the cheating scandal get big money and attempt to perform somewhere else. Springer was pretty good during his first season with the Jays, as despite dealing with injuries throughout the year he hit 20 home runs in 77 games. Dumb Astros.

While most of us probably don’t particularly like the former garbage can band from Houston, the Astros’ have seemed to use their actions as the cause of action for an epic revenge tour that hasn’t seemed to slow down yet. The team is probably close to paying for their wrongs (aside from a few players who might be fun to boo for life), but playing the enemy has been a great role for Houston as they fell one game short of a World Series appearance last year in their first season following the scandal, and seemed primed to take another run at the AL pennant after an explosion from their bats yesterday tied up the ALCS.

Boston Red Sox: Like clockwork, the Boston Red Sox are back in contention for a championship. Following the famous World Series curse that was broken by the 2004 Red Sox, the team in Boston followed suit with the rest of the city by continuing to be apart of the championship picture for years to come.

Boston sports fans are some of the most spoiled in the world of sports. Boston adolescents can lay claim to over 10 championships in their lifetime already. To any sports fan outside of Boston that is just honestly ridiculous, and grounds for the Red Sox to not have a chance this year. I mean we just got rid of the Patriots. Regardless, I could totally see the Red Sox running the table and I would be more than happy with seeing former Cubs playoff hero Kyle Schwarber get his second ring with a team just as historic.

Series Prediction- Red Sox in 7: Despite Game 1 being close, the winner of the recent games have been who can tear the cover off the baseball more efficiently. The Red Sox scored 21 runs in games 2 & 3, only to be followed up by the impressive Astros rally saw late yesterday. I'm not confident in my reasoning that the Red Sox will do it, but if they want to and I think they will, their pitching is going to have to come through big time to shutdown the ever-proven Houston lineup.

WORLD SERIES PREDICTION: Boston vs Atlanta (?)

This might not be the popular pick, but for the most part the MLB postseason is wide open at this point. Dodgers/Astros might bring a great revenge story-line when it comes to the teams World Series and controversy back during the start of the cheating scandal, but an eastern match-up of Atlanta/Boston is one that I think would provide the best story for the sport.

Braves fans would salivate at the chance to take down the City of Boston’s championship surplus. Red Sox fans wouldn’t mind adding to their over decade long grin with another victory over the rest of America.

Go Braves.

As a Cubs fan I am more inclined to cheer for history, and the City of Atlanta has had some tremendous teams over the past few decades that haven’t been able to bring home a championship.

Boston, you can take a hike, with all your trophies.

You can listen to my predictions shake out by tuning into Classic Hits Radio for the rest of the MLB postseason. We will continue following the ALCS after a quick detour into the NLCS tonight, and then carry the full World Series schedule as this years champion is decided.