MLB Playoffs

AL
The Astros are running on fumes, rode a coupla hot streaks in May and July all the way to the post-season, good for them. But I reckon it ends here. The Yankees overachieved all year long and though their starting pitching is pretty soft, I will take them to best the Astros in the play-in game.

I didn't watch any baseball this year til about the middle of August but I watched as much as I could since then. The Blue Jays were easily the best team I saw in all that time (Nationals were probably the worst, the team most unlikely to win day in, day out), the lineup is quite the murderer's row and while the pitching isn't overwhelming, it should be good enough. It'd be cool to see the Royals repeat as AL Champs and they do have home field advantage but they faced so little challenge in the division that I feel like they're not as battle tested as they need to be. The Rangers came out of nowhere to skip past the Angels and Astros but I don't give them more than a puncher's chance against the field (although the best team doesn't always win in baseball). I'll take the Blue Jays.  

NL
Cubs-Pirates is such a fine matchup that it's a little disappointing they only get 1 game, a bit like turning the Indy 500 into the Indy 5 (hmmm, I think I like that idea).  Arrieta has been untouchable the last 3 months or so but I'll take the Pirates to find a way at home.

The Cardinals casually ground up the competition all year long but somehow they don't seem vastly superior to the rest of the league and in a short series I can see them getting stopped. The Mets have a solid pitching staff but the lineup does not strike much fear. The Dodgers are an interesting mix of vets and kids, they seem to be getting healthy at the right time and their top 2 starters are mowing people down. I like the Dodgers to get it done.

Blue Jays over Dodgers in 6. (Who had that at the beginning of the year?)