St. Louis Cardinals: A cardinal perspective of the 2017 postseason

The St. Louis Cardinals are not playing in the postseason but the non-capitalized version of their name offers a prudent view of the impending competitions.

The St. Louis Cardinals failed to live up to the potential of its individual parts in 2017. This cardinal failure was the undoing of the 2017 team leaving them watching the postseason from their individual homes.

Ah, a play on words to kick off October… For those not in the know, the lower case version of the word usually reserved for the name of a bird carries with it the definition, “of greatest importance; fundamental” when used as an adjective. Hence the play on the word in the title of this post and in that first paragraph above.

Keeping with the title, then, let us take a cardinal look at the competitions now solidly slated for the 2017 postseason to begin this very week.

Additionally, I will insert the 2017 St. Louis Cardinals in the NL side of things where they might have slotted should they have (1) played better this season, (2) suffered fewer bullpen meltdowns, and/or (3) had a different manager. All of these suppositions are simple “what-ifs” but are worth taking a look for giggle-sake.

An analytical view of the competitions coming this month toward the World Series is something that can be found anywhere on Twitter. Instead of joining the ranks simply looking at the slated competitions, I intend on both sharing my predictions per competition and inserting the what-if of the St. Louis Cardinals in the particular spots.

Let’s go round-by-round on this, starting first with the Wild Card games.

The St. Louis Cardinals would have entered the postseason via the Wild Card games should they have managed a better season.

Without the St. Louis Cardinals in the postseason, many fans will feel that there just isn’t much to watch. Not true. Not true indeed as the Wild Card games alone provide much to watch.

American League

In the American League, the Minnesota Twins must face the New York Yankees and former-Cardinal Matt Holliday in order to progress. This incredible competition will take place on October 3 and is the official kick start to the 2017 post season.

The 2017 Minnesota Twins finished with a record of 84-77. So not so much better than the St. Louis Cardinals but better enough to clinch a spot into postseason play. This record was also good enough to slot the Twins finishing the AL-Central in second place.

The 2017 New York Yankees finished with a record of 91-70 which far eclipses that of the St. Louis Cardinals. This record was good enough for the Yankees to finish the regular season entrenched firmly in second place in the AL-East.

When going head-to-head this season, the Yankees defeated the Twins four times and lost only twice in the six competitions. This record would hint that the Yankees are the best bet to defeat the Twins in the Wild Card game.

This Wild Card match-up of 2nd place teams is sure to be one to watch. The Twins will likely send Ervin Santana to the mound to face power hitters like Holliday and Aaron Judge. The Yanks could send Luis Severino or Sonny Gray to face the Twins hitters like Joe Mauer.

The Yankees won the last three contests facing the Twins so momentum is in their favor. Moreover, these three contests were just shortly ago on September 18, 19, and 20.

Despite the momentum, the Twins will look to play upset to the Yankees and will look to face the Indians in the first full round of the postseason. My prediction, however, is that the Yankees will defeat the Twins and move forward.

National League

Now to the home of the St. Louis Cardinals– the National League. October 4 will see the competition wherein the Cardinals should have played (but remember that I don’t believe this year’s team deserved the postseason). Sans the Cardinals, the NL Wild Card game is set as the Rockies facing the Diamondbacks.

The Colorado Rockies finished the 2017 season with a record of 87-74 which was good enough to finish in third place in the NL-West (a very tough division). The St. Louis Cardinals finished in third place in the NL-Central but did so with fewer wins which allowed the Rockies to hold the second Wild Card spot.

Oh, and the Brewers were eliminated by the Cardinals which prevented them knocking out the Rockies. Sorry, Trevor!

The Arizona Diamondbacks finished the 2017 season with a record of 92-69 which was good enough to finish in second place in the NL-West. The Diamondbacks were a force to be reckoned with and forced the NL-West first place team to play hard all season.

In head-to-head competitions in 2017, the Diamondbacks defeated the Rockies 11 wins to eight losses. Interestingly, these head-to-head numbers are eerily similar to those of the AL competition in terms of one team’s winning percentage over the other.

The Diamondbacks are likely to send Zack Greinke to the mound to face the Rockies hitters like Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon, and Carlos Gonzalez. Going up against AJ Pollock, J.D. Martinez, and Paul Goldschmidt, the Rockies are likely to turn to Jon Gray.

The last time these two teams faced each other was on September 11-14 in a four-game split, thus no real momentum exists for either club. That said, however, I am inclined to believe that the Diamondbacks will advance to face the Dodgers in the first full round of the postseason on the NL side.

A quick look at if the St. Louis Cardinals had made it to this game rather than the Rockies (the club it would have replaced) shows that the Diamondbacks would have found themselves facing a weaker opponent than the one they face in the Rockies.

In head-to-head contests in 2017, the Diamondbacks defeated the Cardinals only three times while falling to the Cards a total of four times. Granted, the times the Diamondbacks faced the St. Louis Cardinals was a time when the Dbacks were weakened.

That all said, I doubt the 2017 St. Louis Cardinals would stand much of a chance in defeating the team from Arizona in a one-game play-in competition.

The St. Louis Cardinals, as shown in the previous slide, would not have seen postseason play had they played in the American League and had they finished with the same record as they did in the NL.

The St. Louis Cardinals wouldn’t have played in the AL Wild Card game but their one-time potential manager, Terry Francona with the Cleveland Indians will kick things off in the first round of the AL postseason in the ALDS.

The Indians will face the winner of the AL Wild Card game. If my prediction stands true, the Indians will face the New York Yankees.

The Indians finished the 2017 season with a record of 101-60 for first place in the AL-Central. Francona- the real leader of men- lead his team to an above-100-win season and to the postseason for the second year in a row.

By the way, this all occurred while the St. Louis Cardinals are excluded from the postseason for the second season in a row under Mike Matheny who the front office selected over Francona.

In head-to-head competitions, the Indians won five games while the Yankees won two.

In this best-of-five competition, the Indians are likely to send Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Trevor Bauer to the mound for the first three games. Countering them, the Yankees will likely send Severino/Gray (whoever did not pitch in the WC game), Masahiro Tanaka, and Jordan Montgomery/CC Sabathia.

I feel these rotations favor the Indians. Likewise, I feel the even-handed lineup of the Indians (with power hitters like Edwin Encarnacion and productive hitters like Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis) will out-perform the power hitting lineup of the Yankees. Therefore, I predict that the Indians will advance to the ALCS.

In the other ALDS competition, the Boston Red Sox face the Houston Astros.

The Red Sox finished the 2017 season with a record of 93-68 which was good enough to finish in first place in the AL-East.

The Astros finished the 2017 season with a record of 100-61 which was good enough to finish in first place in the AL-West.

If there is one set of competition that should draw the attention of any baseball fan, this portion of the ALDS is it. In head-to-head competitions this season, the Red Sox and Astros are neck-and-neck with each squad taking three wins. A dead heat. This should play out beautifully then in the ALDS.

I look for the Red Sox to send Chris Sale, David Price, and Drew Pomeranz to the mound to face-off against Jose Altuve, Brian McCann, and George Springer. On the other side, I look for the Astros to send Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton, and perhaps Brad Peacock (for ERA reasons alone) to the mound to face Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and Dustin Pedroia.

As much as I would like the Astros to win this one, I just don’t see it happening against the power arms in the Red Sox rotation. Therefore, I predict that the Red Sox will advance to the Indians in the ALCS.

The St. Louis Cardinals would love to be playing in the NLDS but alas…

The St. Louis Cardinals will be nowhere near the NLDS but in their stead some outstanding and out-performing National League teams will suit up for the push to the World Series.

The Dodgers with a 2017 record of 103-58 and first place of the NL-West will play host to the Diamondbacks when they advance past the Wild Card. The Dodgers hold home field advantage throughout the playoffs and will kick things off in Los Angeles.

In head-to-head contests, the Diamondbacks have taken more victories at 11 with the Dodgers taking only eight. And yet, the Dodgers defeated other teams at a rate that afforded them the best record in the NL and home field advantage.

The Dodgers are likely to send Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, and AARP-member Rich Hill to the mound, while Arizona is likely to send Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Dan Harren to the mound to face the Dodgers. Just kidding. Just checking to see if you are still reading.

Joking aside (but imagine if that were the case and if those All-Star arms faced this year’s Dodgers team), the Diamondbacks are likely to send Patrick Corbin, Robbie Ray, and Greinke (likely on short rest). Will the likes of Justin Taylor, Joc Pederson, and Yasmani Grandal spell the end of the Diamondbacks in 2017?

That is certainly my prediction.

In other NLDS competition, the Washington Nationals will play host to the World Series defending champs Chicago Cubs (boo! hiss!). In 2017, the Nationals finished with a record of 97-64 which was good enough to finish in first place in the NL-East. The Cubs finished 2017 with a record of 92-69 which was good enough for first place in the NL-Central.

Clearly, the St. Louis Cardinals of 2017 just couldn’t hold a candle to the powerhouses in the National League as is evidenced by the records above.

I look for the Nationals to send Max Scherzer, Gio Gonzalez, and Stephen Strasburg to the mound to compete against Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Willson Contreras. On the other side, the Cubs should send Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, and Jake Arrieta to face Bryce Harper and company. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cubs use Kyle Hendricks as long relief should any of the three names listed run into problems.

I think the Cubs will run into problems with the Nationals. I just think the Nationals have a stronger pitching rotation and a stronger set of batters that the Cubs. Putting that aside, I’d much prefer that Joe Maddon and crew go home from the first round (something the Cardinals experienced).

Regardless of my personal feelings, this competition should be fun to watch since the Nationals defeated the Cubs four times to the Cubs winning three contests facing the team from Washington.

The last time the St. Louis Cardinals were in the Championship Series was in 2014.

The Giants ended the World Series dreams of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014. Who will end whose dream in 2017?

In the American League, I predict that the Cleveland Indians will host the Red Sox. In the National League, I predict that the Dodgers will host the Nationals. Neither of these contests is easy to predict as all four are strong teams.

In head-to-head contests, the Indians have taken only three wins from the Red Sox in seven contests. This will make things interesting. That said, I hope and think that the Indians are set to return to the World Series for a second year in a row.

In head-to-head contests, the Nationals and the Dodgers have each won three games in the six games that pitted them against each other. This will make the NLCS the set to watch. As excited as I am to watch the Indians (who I’m pulling for), I believe the better head-to-head is the NLCS.

This one is really hard to predict. That said, I predict it will take all of the games to decide it but I’m leaning toward the Dodgers going to the World Series. That said, let’s be honest that our St. Louis Cardinals would have been swept out of the NLCS had they made it to this point in 2017. Instead, baseball fans have the chance to watch a nose-and-nose contest of two juggernauts into the World Series.

Can you tell I’m tiring of this post and of the anticipation into the World Series? Thankfully, the playoffs finally begin on Tuesday night and are followed on Wednesday night– both games are play-in or play-out games so there is inherent excitement there.