My MLB Baseball Today’s Picks (2023 World Series)

Well what a baseball season this has been folks. That is right, I am back again talking baseball. I really cannot believe what we have here in this Fall Classic (The World Series). We got two teams that NOBODY expected at all here. When the season begin, they just wanted to be competitive. Well both the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks did much better than anyone would thought. They really went through some challenging opponents during the playoffs. The Texas Rangers made it to the World Series for the 1st time since 2011, now granted it took 12 years to do it. They went through some tough times since, before this season arrived. The Rangers had to go through the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and the well disliked Houston Astros to get here. What about the Arizona Diamondbacks, they really had gone through some adversity with there stadium and its issues. But they hung tough throughout the season here. In this postseason, they went through the Milwaukee Brewers, the overrated Los Angeles Dodgers, and the surprised of all of baseball the Philadelphia Phillies. They contained Bryce Harper when it mattered, as he took the blame (unfairly) as the he and the Phillies faulted in the end. Well we got potentially an exciting series, and both teams have definitely are capable of winning this World Series trophy. So what is my pick, you ask:

2023 MLB World Series (Best of 7 Games):

Texas Rangers over Arizona Diamondbacks

Its been a great baseball season and can’t wait for 2024 to get here when we can do it again

My MLB Baseball Today’s Picks (League Championship Series)

Well how about this postseason, there are no teams left that had 90 wins in the regular season competing for a World Series Championship. That may be the biggest surprise in all of sports today. In the American League, you might as well call it the State of Texas Series with both the Texas Rangers (much improved from the season before) and the Houston Astros (making its 7th straight appearance in the ALCS). Its going to be such a huge series for both teams. I believe the best baseball may come from the ALCS, and why have it any other way. This series should really belong in the World Series, both these teams are that good. Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers deserves AL Manager of the year award, he has really made a difference in the Rangers. Dusty Baker also had a good year and should be right up there as well. They both made quick work of the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins in the division series. Well i can’t wait for this series to get started.

In the National League, should we really be surprised here? The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves again. Its the second year in a row that has happened. By the way, its the 1st time in a long time a wild card team beat the team (who won its division) with the best record 2 years in a row. Bryce Harper made a difference with the Phillies beating the Braves. I think the Braves may have slept on Harper contributing to the Phillies fortunes in the last series. So now, the Phillies have to take the Arizona Diamondbacks seriously as they handled the Los Angeles Dodgers with authority. A 3 game sweep no less, and I don’t think anybody saw it coming. This series will be interesting to see if the Phillies continue that momentum or will the Diamondbacks shock the world once again? By the way, for the Diamondback its there 1st appearance in the NLCS since 2007. Now that is hard to believe folks. So here is my picks:

American League Championship Series (Best of 7 Games) (Games will be on FOX/Fox Sports 1)

Houston Astros over Texas Rangers

National League Championship Series (Best of 7 Games) (Games will be on TBS TV)

Philadelphia Phillies over Arizona Diamondbacks

My MLB Today’s Picks (Division Series)

Well the wild card round didn’t take too long to do, as all 4 series only took 2 games each to win a series. So we move on to the next phase of the postseason. By the way, on the Tampa Bay Rays on that 1 game of the attendance. Only 19,000 that attended Game 1 of the series, there has got to be something with that stat. I wish the Rays good luck, but overall please get that new stadium built as soon as humanly possible. Lets hope there new stadium can change the fortunes of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise in the future. The Cleveland Guardians become the latest team to look for a new manager after Terry Francona has retired (really resigned officially). That makes it 4 teams that will be looking for a new manager. Could there be more, I hear the Brewers may join that list if Craig Counsell leaves? Now we can officially move on to the divisional round of the MLB Playoffs in 2023. This is where the real baseball playoffs really get started in earnest. So here is my picks for this round of the MLB Players.

American League Division Series: (Best of 5 Games)

Texas Rangers over Baltimore Orioles

Houston Astros over Minnesota Twins

*All games will be on FOX/Fox Sports 1

National League Division Series: (Best of 5 Games)

Atlanta Braves over Philadelphia Phillies

Los Angeles Dodgers over Arizona Diamondbacks

**All games will be on TBS TV

There you have it, my MLB Playoff Picks are up. So enjoy the games folks and make sure you attend a game or two.

My MLB Playoff Picks (Wild Card Round)

Well now that the 2023 MLB regular season is over, now we get time for real baseball. The postseason is here and in earnest. 12 teams will battle for the converted World Series trophy. In the American League, we have the following teams in Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, and the Texas Rangers. Only the Rays and Rangers have yet to win a championship, but made an appearance in the fall classic at somepoint in there franchise history. I know the Houston Astros are the defending champions, but make no mistake about it. The Astros will get some steep competition from everyone in the postseason. However, in the National League where dominance reigns supreme all season from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. The Braves with the best record in all of MLB Baseball. So who do we have in the National League you asked? Here you go folks: Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. For the Braves and Dodgers get a few days off, but they should be ready for the division series in about a week or so. There are now 3 teams that need a manager (LA Angels, NY Mets, and SF Giants), and that is so far. There are other teams out there that need a change in that spot. So on to the Playoff Picks in Major league Baseball.

American League Wild Card: (Best of 3 games)

Toronto Blue Jays over Minnesota Twins

Tampa Bay Rays over Texas Rangers

National League Wild Card: (Best of 3 games)

Milwaukee Brewers over Arizona Diamondbacks

Philadelphia Phillies over Miami Marlins

There you have it my MLB playoff picks are now up. Here is the best part, we don’t have to wait long for the postseason to start. All the action start this coming Tuesday afternoon, and into the night folks. Are you ready for some MLB playoff baseball.

My 2022 MLB Playoffs Preview (World Series)

Well baseball fans we have our 2 teams competing for a World Series trophy. The Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros, who made quick work in their League Championship Series. It’s been a while since we had such a long break from baseball period. However, we just got 1 more series to go before that off season takes place. The Miami Marlins have hired Skip Schumacher who was previously the bench coach in St. Louis last season. Back to the series, the Phillies should be the favorite, unfortunately it is the Houston Astros. Let’s face it the Astros have an awesome team and had the best record in the American League. Look at the way they breeze through the postseason, and they have yet to lose a game in the playoffs. The Phillies will have their hands full for sure. They will need to sure up the bullpen, which was not good during the season. In the playoffs it has been a different story for them. Well here is my pick for the World Series:

Philadelphia Phillies over Houston Astros in 7 games

Enjoy the series baseball fans, i know i will!

My 2022 MLB Playoff Picks (League Championship Series)

we now have our 2 series left for the right to play for a World Series Championship in 2022. The New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Guardians (in 5 games), even though it took 2 extra days to do it with the bad weather. However the Yankees will have to cut there victory celebration short, as they play the Houston Astros (the very next day) in a best of seven series. Great job MLB for ruining the moment for them, but as we must get this series underway. The Yankees will have there hands full with the Astros in the ALCS, so be prepare for hopefully a long series (potentially). Both teams are very talented and built for a championship run.

Meanwhile in the NLCS, there is a surprise from both of these teams. I’m talking the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Diego Padres. We knew the Padres were very good all season, after all they beat the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers. Biggest upset so far in this season’s playoffs, in my opinion. The Dodgers had the best record in Major League Baseball in 2022. The Mets, Dodgers, and the Braves all had great regular seasons, and are gone before the League Championship Series. I do not think anybody figure that was gonna happen. This is why you got to love sports, you just never know what to expect. How the Philadelphia Phillies who made a managerial change early in the season with the ouster of Joe Girardi, and installing Rob Thomson (who got a 2 year deal to remain the Phillies manager till 2024) to turn around the Phillies. They finished 3rd in the National League East Division (and the last wild card) in 2022. They beat the Cardinals and the Braves so far, do they have enough to beat the Padres? We will find out soon.

Here is my picks:

American League Championship Series:

New York Yankees over Houston Astros (in 7 games)

National League Championship Series:

Philadelphia Phillies over San Diego Padres (in 7 games)

There you have it, my latest MLB playoff picks are up. Enjoy the games folks and look for my World Series Preview later this month.

My 2022 MLB Playoffs Picks (Wild Card Round)

Well the regular season is finally over, and it was a long one for sure. Records were broken by players you didn’t except. Teams ending there playoff droughts in a couple of teams (Phillies and Mariners). Managers getting fired all over the place. 5 teams change managers, and 2 of them made the playoffs. So it is time for my playoff picks

American League:

Tampa Bay Rays over Cleveland Guardians

Toronto Blue Jays over Seattle Mariners

National League:

St. Louis Cardinals over Philadelphia Phillies

New York Mets over San Diego Padres

There will be more playoff picks after the weekend, that is how quick these series will be. Enjoy the games!!

2021 MLB Playoff Picks (Division Series)

How are this postseason so far, the 2 wild card games was interesting. The last one lived up to the billing (Dodgers vs Cardinals). The first one (Yankees vs Red Sox) was a one sided affair after the 2nd inning when Gerrit Cole did not last too long. So both the Red Sox and Dodgers move on to the postseason. All 4 matchups have plenty of headlines, so its tough to focus on just one series. Good thing its a best of five in this round. Can you imagine the attention it would get if it was a seventh game series. A couple of notes off the field like, Jayce Tingler is out as manager of the San Diego Padres after a critical 2nd half collapse. At the start of the season they were primed for a playoff spot, only to falter on the field, then it spilled to the dugout. The other news, Matt Vasgersian is no longer doing ‘Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN’ after 4 years with Alex Rodriguez (Analyst). Im sure ESPN will make the right call on this one. So now here is my picks:

American league:

Tampa Bay Rays over Boston Red Sox (in 4 games)

Houston Astros over Chicago White Sox (in 5 games)

National league:

San Francisco Giants over Los Angeles Dodgers (in 5 games)

Milwaukee Brewers over Atlanta Braves (in 5 games)

There you have it my first installment of my MLB Playoff Picks. So enjoy the games and will be back soon!

MLB Postseason Picks

well baseball fans we made it through a long season. So it is now time for the playoffs once and for all. There was 10 teams, now there is the eight that are left. After the Chicago Cubs and Oakland athletics (Bowed out early) made surprising early exits. Its time to focus on who is here with us now. So here are my divisional picks:

American League:

Yankees over Red Sox in 5 games

Astros over Indians in 4 games

National League:

Braves over Dodgers in 5 games

Rockies over Brewers in 5 games

 

There you have it my MLB playoffs picks are in the books. Enjoy some postseason baseball folks, and we will be back for more playoff baseball soon.

The 10 teams to make the 2016 MLB Playoffs

well baseball season is just around the corner, and its time to just about get the predictions going for the upcoming season. So i will start a new tradition in not just baseball, but in all the 4 major pro sports (NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB). So after watching a handful of spring training games, i have seen some ups and downs. By the make of this past off season, i was surprised at the makeup of teams that cashed in on there free agents. There are some teams that did not do as much, and felt that saving money was better for them. Now i give you the 10 teams (5 in each league) that will make the playoffs:

American League:

Division winners (East, Central, and West)
NY Yankees
Kansas City
LA Angels

Wild card:
Toronto
Houston

National League:

Division Winners (east,central, and west)
Washington
Chicago Cubs
San Francisco

Wild Card:
St. Louis
Pittsburgh

There you have it, i will have the full baseball preview later this coming week, but in my baseball blog: Chris Wood Baseball (chriswoodbaseball.wordpress.com) Don’t forget my playoff previews (in NHL and NBA) will be coming soon as there regular season is wrapping up.