And the 2013 MLB Champions are... The Final Minute breaks down which teams have the best chance to bring home the American and National League Pennants. The only remaining question is...which one of these teams has what it takes to win the World Series? You be the judge! Before you know it, the World Series will be over, Christmas presents ransacked, and the Super Bowl party dip two weeks away from being moldy and green (if it wasn’t already green to being with), before spring training begins. But wait…doesn’t the World Series have to happen first? Yes, and if were up to us, there would only be four teams worthy of even THINKING about making it that deep into the post-season. Yeah, yeah; this is the part where you ask ‘So, what four teams would you deem worthy?’ Glad you asked, so let’s get to it. American League Boston Red Sox – Current record (97-65) – 1st Place in AL Hey! Guess what? Ranked first in runs, second in batting average, first in on-base percentage, first in slugging percentage; would you like me to keep going? The Boston Red Sox not only have what it takes to bring home their third AL Pennant crown in ten years, but as well as their third World Series title within the last decade as well. Matter as a fact, you can just count them in to take it all if they pull-off the AL Pennant gig; each time the Red Sox have entered the World Series over the last decade, they’ve also taken home the Commissioners Trophy. Lead by five-time Silver Slugger award recipient David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz, and closing ace Koji Uehara (recently posting a nine-game winning streak) the Boston Red Sox are playing the best baseball on the planet; currently averaging a .247 BAA and 3.76 ERA, both ranked in the top ten. If the Red Sox can get their runs leader Ellsbury (Broken bone in foot) back before the playoffs, as well as pitching guru Jake Peavy (wrist injury), Boston will be more than prepared to bring home their fourth World Series championship in ten years. Detroit Tigers – Current record (93-69) – 3rd Place in AL If the Detroit Tigers could somehow clone Miguel Cabrera, they’d be the best team in baseball... Period. With an All-Pro like Cabrera leading the ambush (I had to; it’s what you call a group of Tigers), Detroit should always be in the ‘World Series’ conversation. When the two-time AL RBI champion isn’t doing damage, the pitchers are. Detroit leads the MLB in quality starts at 101, also managing to capture top-ten rankings in BAA, WHIP, and ERA. Probably one of the more ‘young and gifted’ teams in the league, Detroit looks to do something they haven’t done in over one-hundred years: win back-to-back AL Pennants. In fact, the Tigers took home the Pennant three years straight (1907, 1908, 1909) but didn’t win a World Series until 1935. Oh, and let’s not forget the potential chance of them ‘three-peating’ within their division, totaling six since 1972. No, they’re not the Boston Red Sox, but hey, they are the reigning AL champions. A chance at making history can’t be too hard, right? No pressure. National League Atlanta Braves – Current record (96-66) – 1st Place in NL The Braves are who you thought they were, but we won’t ‘crown their #@%’ just yet (Thanks Dennis Green!) As the Atlanta Braves prepare to win their fourth division title in ten years, they look to do it in an impressive fashion; potentially sealing the ‘title envelope’ with a double digit wins lead and having a chance to secure the NL Pennant for the first time since 1999. While the Braves rank in the top five of every major pitching statistic, the Atlanta Braves are ‘where they want to be’. If the playoffs were to begin today, the Braves would face one of two teams fighting for the NL Wild Card slot; the Cincinnati Reds or Pittsburgh Pirates. As it stands, the Braves have the upper hand in both match ups. While facing the Reds in the regular season, Atlanta managed to score a total of 35 runs, giving up 30 in the process; all the while winning the series 4-3. Yes, the Reds posed a legitimate threat, but the Pittsburgh Pirates made more of an impression on the Braves; shutting out Atlanta in one meeting and beating the Braves three straight times at home. No, nothing’s promised, but at least we do know Atlanta definitely has what it takes to make a championship run. Los Angeles Dodgers – Current record (92-70) – 3rd Place in NL Let’s see here: Started the season 13-13 through the first 26 games, dropped 17 of the next 27, and finally decided to play baseball in August. The outcome: winning the NL West division. No, the regular-season emotional roller-coaster wouldn’t persuade the average fan that the Dodgers are deemed worthy of a playoff position…but hey, that’s why they’re considered the ‘average’ fan. Playing on an incredible run as of late (41-18 since July 19), ranked fifth overall in batting average (.266), and recently clinching the NL West division, the Los Angeles Dodgers are fixing to secure their 22nd NL Pennant in franchise history. Lead by the clutch play of Clayton Kershaw (NL-leading 1.94 ERA) and Zack Greinke (ranked fifth in NL in wins), Los Angeles has become a heavy favorite amongst World Series probables.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:30:03 +0000
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