TBFF: MLB Postseason Awards and Playoff Predictions
October is here! The MLB regular season concluded this weekend and the postseason kicks off tomorrow when the Minnesota Twins travel to The Bronx to square off against the New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card game. Before we talk playoffs, let's introduce The Best Foote Forward's season award winners!
AL Manager of the Year - Paul Molitor (Minnesota Twins)
Any skipper who can turn his team from a 103-loss squad one year into one that wins 85 games and a wild card berth the next year is very likely to win Manager of the Year. Minnesota did what has never been done before, as 103 losses is more than any other team has ever had the year before making the postseason. Hats off to Minnesota and their skipper, Molitor.
NL Manager of the Year - Torey Lovullo (Arizona Diamondbacks)
In his first season as the Manager for the D-Backs, Lovullo turned a 93-loss team into a 93-win team. Not only did his hitters buy into the team atmosphere and winning environment, but so did Lovullo's pitching staff. His team's ERA went from a terrible 5.09 to a 3.67 mark that is the best the Diamondbacks have ever seen. Not too shabby for a rookie skipper, eh?
AL Rookie of the Year - Aaron Judge (New York Yankees)
It was a tale of two seasons for Aaron Judge. In the first half of the season, Judge batted .329 and hit 30 home runs. Oh yeah, he won the Home Run Derby, too. After his fantastic first half and crowning as HR Derby champ, "All Rise" was turned into "All Sit." Judge hit just .228 after the All-Star Break. This number lowered his overall batting average to .284 on the season. Judge still managed to hit 22 home runs in the second half of the year, giving him a rookie record 52 on the year. No-brainer for ROY.
NL Rookie of the Year - Cody Bellinger (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Bellinger was another no-brainer pick for Rookie of the Year. Batting .261 with 25 first-half home runs is impressive enough. Bellinger managed to improve after his Home Run Derby performance, batting .274 following the All-Star Break. He lost a bit of power in the second half (15 home runs) but 39 dingers for a rookie is an amazing feat, no matter when they came during the season. Throw in the fact that #35 played 38 games in left field (his primary position is 1B), and you're looking at the NL Rookie of the Year.
AL Cy Young - Corey Kluber (Cleveland Indians)
Before anyone asks, yes: I know Chris Sale struck out over 300 batters this season. I'm aware. This was a very tough decision for me to make, very very very tough. Yes, I also know Kluber missed time with an injury this season. I am choosing Kluber because when he pitched, he was dominant. Consistently dominant. Kluber's first-half ERA was 2.80, compared to a minuscule 1.79 in the second half of the year, a stretch in which Kluber went 11-1. Sale's ERA went from 2.75 to 3.12 in the second half (still a great number). Sale was and still is filthy, but Kluber was dominant in the first half of the year and was even more so in the second half.
NL Cy Young - Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals)
I did a video earlier this week about my picks and predictions, and I originally had Kershaw penciled in for the NL Cy Young, but I've changed my mind for a lot of reasons. Scherzer led the NL in the following:
Strikeouts
K/9
H/9
WARP
Complete Games (tied).
Yes, Kershaw has an ERA about 35 points lower than that of Scherzer. Keep in mind that Kershaw pitched 25 less innings than Scherzer. Both pitchers have been great, but health is the determining factor here, and I've got to give it to Scherzer.
AL MVP - Jose Altuve (Houston Astros)
.346 batting average. .547 slugging %. 24 home runs. 200 hit club for the 4th season in a row. 32 stolen bases. This guy just keeps getting better. Had Mike Trout not gotten injured, I still don't think he'd be able to match the amazing season Altuve had. Altuve's the MVP, no doubt.
NL MVP - Giancarlo Stanton (Miami Marlins)
59 home runs and 132 RBI. Both numbers led the MLB. Throw in great defense in right field and a .281 batting average, and you've got an MVP. Stanton had a Stanton-like season. It was not a matter of if, but when. When Stanton put together a full season without suffering a major injury, he would do something like this. This was that year.
Moving on from the individual players who've won awards this year, let's go through my MLB Playoff predictions:
AL Wild Card Game: Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees
In a one-game playoff, Ervin Santana and the Minnesota Twins travel to New York to square off against Luis Severino and the Yankees. This game should come down to a battle of the bullpens, one that the Yankees will win. Joe Girardi has the choice of bringing out Dellin Betances, David Robertson or Aroldis Chapman to finish off the game. If you need your guys to win one game to get you into the ALDS, the Yankees are the team to do it.
The Pick: Yankees
NL Wild Card Game: Colorado Rockies @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Jon Gray vs. Zack Greinke. Gray has had a solid year, and the combination of Charlie Blackmon/Nolan Arenado should scare Arizona. Zach Greinke has enjoyed another fantastic season, and the trio of Paul Goldschmidt/J.D. Martinez/Jake Lamb should scare the Rockies a bit more. I'm going to roll with the Diamondbacks; their magic will live on.
The Pick: Diamondbacks
ALDS: Red Sox vs. Astros
Verlander and Keuchel vs. Sale and Pomeranz. This matchup is about even. What sets the Astros apart is their offense. Altuve, Springer, Correa and Gattis are too much for Boston. In this best-of-five, I'm taking Houston in the final game.
The Pick: Astros in 5
NLDS: Nationals vs. Cubs
This is going to be one heck of a series. A lot of things point to the Nationals. Bryce Harper, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are just a few reasons. I'm a firm believer in the Cubs' magic returning. This team played at a 107-win pace in the second half of the season; AKA they're on fire. The magic is back, and so are the Cubs.
The Pick: Cubs in 5
ALDS: Indians vs. Yankees
This series is one that shouldn't be much of a contest. I'm giving the Yankees a game out of sympathy for what the Indians are going to do to them. The Tribe is on a mission and with the pitching trio of Carlos Carrasco, Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer, not many runs should be allowed by the staff. Expect a great series and another trip to the ALCS for the Indians.
The Pick: Cleveland in 4
NLDS: Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks
With Clayton Kershaw and Yu Darvish on the rubber for the Dodgers, this year should be different. The Dodgers have a history of losing in the playoffs, is this the year the monkey gets off Kershaw's back? Zack Grienke might steal game one, but the Dodgers (on a mission) should sweep the next three contests.
The Pick: Dodgers in 4
ALCS: Indians vs. Astros
This one is a hot take. Instead of picking the reasonable team in Cleveland, and one that is hungry for a championship after losing in the World Series last season, I'm going with the underdog Astros. It makes sense to give the Indians the series; they're the better team. In a magical season across baseball, the young Astros may claim their reign over the American League a year early.
The Pick: Astros in 6
NLCS: Dodgers vs. Cubs
Again, hot take time! The Dodgers have been ridiculed for their "imploding in the playoffs" nature in the past. This ridicule for such a talented team shouldn't be fair. The Dodgers managed to win 104 games this season and have been regarded as the best team in baseball for almost the entire year. This is the year they should go over the top. Oh wait, here come the Cubs. Last year, the Cubs beat the Dodgers in the NLCS. The same thing will happen this year. I'm rolling with the magical theme and taking the Cubs to find claw their way back to the World Series in what is going to be a competitive NLCS.
The Pick: Cubs in 6
World Series: Astros vs. Cubs
No picture to give away this one. Both of these teams remind me a lot of the Kansas City Royals when they had their 2014-2015 runs to the World Series. Both the Astros and Cubs have cores of young, home-grown talent who are coming into their primes at just the right time. These cores are mixed with talented, veteran pitchers and bench players. The Astros have a rotation that is ready to compete in the playoffs and a group of young guys who want to win badly. The Cubs have a few pitchers who are banged up/struggling and some guys who are experiencing down years. Naturally, I'm going against the grain and am going with the Cubs. It is so, so difficult to go back-to-back in baseball, but this team is going to do it.
The Pick: Cubs in 6
There you have it! Lots of excitement to look forward to in the month of October. Baseball isn't over yet: I hope you're all as pumped for these next few weeks as I am.
This is your daily reminder to put your Best Foot(e) Forward today and every day! In times like these, it's positivity and action that make this world a better place.
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