American League Playoff Preview

The Hunt for the World Series is finally here as it's time for some post-season baseball. As for my predictions, I'll start with the wild card game. I like the Astros over the Yankees because of youth the Astros with Carlos Correia and George Springer along with the power of Colby Rasmus, the speed with Carlos Gomez, and guys like Evan Gattis and Jose Altuve. Offensively, I like their bats over the decent lineup the Yankees with Beltran, Ellsbury, and Alex Rodriguez. The Astros definitely have the better bullpen with Luke Gregersen and Pat Neshek at the back end. With Sabathia out for the playoffs, I think it puts the Yankees at a disadvantage in the Wild Card game. He is such big pitcher that brings so much to that rotation. So in the American League Wild Card game, I think Keuchel will have better game in it than Tanaka. I'm picking the Astros over the Yankees in the Wild Card game.
As for the rest of the playoffs, the two best teams in the American League are clearly the defending American League champion Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals are riding the experience from last year's run. They have some good pop in their lineup with Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakus, Kendry Morales, and Lorenzo Cain. Jarrod Dyson, Alcides Escobar, Alex Rios, Salvador Perez, and Omar Infante are reliable bats as well. Greg Holland is so dominant as their closer. This year has a different feel to it with their rotation because last year James Shields was a huge part of their rotation. Yordano Ventura and Johnny Cueto at the top of the rotation this time out with Kris Medlen along with that. You have to like their chances to get back to the World Series. Of the other playoff matchup (the Rangers vs. the Blue Jays), I think Toronto is the better team on paper than Texas, but I do think this is a series that could go five games. You have to like the possibility of seeing a pitcher's duel out between Cole Hamels and David Price. This could be a series all about pitching with Hamels and Gallardo for the Rangers and Price and Dickey for the Blue Jays. But it could also end up being a series about offense with Beltre and Fielder for Texas and the loaded lineup of the Blue Jays with Bautista, Tulowitzki, Encarncion, and Donaldson. In the Rangers-Blue Jays matchup because of those factors, I'll take the Blue Jays in five games. As for the American League as a whole, I'll take the Royals over the Blue Jays in close series of big bats and good pitching to end up repeating as American League champions.