If the Playoffs Started Today – MLB Week 8

By John in Red Sox ⋅ May 30, 2011 at 9:03am ⋅ Post a comment

Phillies vs Indians: Week 8's prediction for the World Series

After another week, there’s plenty to discuss. The best record in MLB has switched hands again, and there are two new division leaders. Except for the Indians, no one is leading their division by more than 2.5 games. Six teams have gotten to 30 wins, and three of them are in the NL East, which shows you how tough that division has become, Mets and Nationals notwithstanding. Plenty of teams are still in the race, so let’s look at what would happen if the playoffs started as of Monday, May 30, before the day’s games:

Nationals League

#1 Philadelphia Phillies vs #3 Arizona Diamondbacks

Winning six in a row and 12 of 13, the D-Backs are the hottest team in MLB right now. But the Phillies aren’t going to move over for a team that hasn’t been relevant in a decade, not with their rotation.

#2 St. Louis Cardinals vs #W Florida Marlins

Florida has really had to fight to stay on top of the Wildcard race lately. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are just one win away from .600, and seem not to be affected by the loss of Adam Wainwright. With the way they’ve been cruising along, they should take this series with relative ease.

American League

#1 Cleveland Indians vs #W New York Yankees

Despite losing a bit of their luster, the Indians are still comfortably leading the AL. And the Yankees are always a threat to win it all, despite their two losses to Seattle. The Indians’ bats will need to be on like Donkey Kong to overcome the Yankees, and they haven’t been consistent lately.

#2 Boston Red Sox vs #3 Texas Rangers

The Red Sox have exploded into the division lead, though it hasn’t always been pretty. The Rangers have been having a real tough time; neither team is the same as it was to open the season. As long as their pitching doesn’t completely implode (which is a distinct possibility), the Red Sox should move on to the next round.

What Might Change Next Week:

The Rangers should maintain the division lead, though at 1.5 games back, even the Mariners have a good shot should the Rangers struggle in Tampa.
With Florida having a pretty tough week, look for Atlanta to take over the Wildcard.

Tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, MLB Playoffs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers