FPS: MLB Playoff Preview

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES






SEASON SERIES: Boston leads 6-4

RANDOM FACTS: The LA Angels late-season roster featured 19 players with less than two years of full major-league experience. Key players such as Gary Matthews, Howie Kendrick, Jeff Mathis, Jered Weaver and Reggie Willits have never been in the playoffs.

Boston's David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez will be batting 3-4 in the Sox lineup for the first time since Aug. 28. Ortiz's production was down, 35 home runs and 117 RBIs the second fewest in his five years in Boston, but he hit a career-high .332 and led the majors in on-base percentage.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Angels’ leadoff hitter Chone Figgins. Figgins is hitting a major-league best .381 since May 31, but he enters the ALDS against Red Sox in an 0-for-22 slump.

FPS PREDICTION: Boston enters the series a bit healthier than Los Angeles and Angels power-hitting Vlad Guerrero appears to still be affected by an inflamed triceps. The Angels continue to dominate at home, but fall short. Red Sox win in 5.







SEASON SERIES: New York leads 6-0

RANDOM FACTS: The Yankees won all six matchups with the Indians during the regular season, outscoring them 49-17. Chien-Ming Wang became the first Yankees pitcher to record consecutive 19-win seasons since 1979. The Yankees last won the wild card in 1997, but were eliminated by the Indians in the best-of-five series, 3-2.

Cleveland's potential Cy Yong winner C.C. Sabathia is 1-7 with a 7.13 ERA in his career against New York. But Sabathia outdueled other AL Central aces down the stretch, including a 3-0 record in three late-season starts against Twins' Johan Santana. The Indians have great setup men in pitchers Rafael Betancourt (1.47 ERA) and Rafael Perez (1.78 ERA) who allowed less than one baserunner per inning.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON: The likely AL MVP in pinstripes, Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod has six home runs in five games against the Indians. But in the postseason Rodriguez is hitless in his past 15 playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position and is 4-for-41 (.098) with no RBIs in his past 12 postseason games.

FPS PREDICTION: Alex Rodriguez will finally drive in a couple runs in the postseason, but not during key moments. Cleveland figures out how to beat New York as ace Fausto Carmona, not C.C. Sabathia, pitches brilliantly twice. Indians win in 5.


NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES






SEASON SERIES: Arizona leads 4-2

RANDOM FACTS: Arizona officials expect big Cubs crowds in Arizona as Chicago's spring training site is nearby Mesa. In September, the Cubs averaged a home run every 22.2 at-bats, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez hit seven and eight homers respectively. Chicago had the fourth best team ERA in the majors.

The Diamondbacks are making the fourth playoff appearance of their 10-season history, but the first since 2001. Arizona has four rookies and a second-year player in their starting lineup and lost former All-Stars Randy Johnson, Chad Tracy and Orlando Hudson to season-ending injuries. The D-Backs' .250 team batting average was the worst in the NL.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Chicago's Alfonso Soriano. Soriano belted 14 home runs and 25 extra-base hits in September, but was just 1-for-11 (.091) against Arizona this season.

FPS PREDICTION: The rookies don't play like rookies and step it up big time. Arizona's superior pitching staff outduels and shutdowns Chicago. D-Backs win in 4.







SEASON SERIES: Colorado leads 4-3

RANDOM FACTS: The Rockies have stout defense and made the fewest errors in the majors this season (68). Colorado's offense exploded in the final month of the season as the team batted .298, Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins led the charge as they batted .390 for the month. The Rockies led the NL in ERA after the All-Star break.

Philadelphia's 4.73 ERA is the worst for an NL playoff team since divisional play was instituted in 1969. Ryan Howard hit 47 home runs and drove in 136 runs this season and was on a blistering pace to end the year blasting nine home runs in the past 13 games. The Phillies bench stepped up as Jayson Werth posted an OBP above .400 and Tadahito Iguchi hit over .300 when both subbed in.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON: Phillies ace Cole Hamels. Hamels returned for injury and threw an eight-inning, no-run, 13-strikeout gem against the Nationals on Friday.

FPS PREDICTION: Talk about momentum, Colorado enters the series having won 14 of 15, but Philadelphia is 13-4 in their last 17 games. Expect a slugfest as both teams finished first and second in the NL in runs and RBIs. Phillies win in 5.

FINAL PREDICTION
WINNER: CLEVELAND over Philadelphia. The Indians have enough power and pitching to navigate through October. Sabathia, Carmona, Martinez and Sizemore will lead Cleveland to the pennant. Plus the Indians are 59 years overdue.