MLB Baseball Playoff Bracket Predictions 2011: Yankees and Phillies World Series Rematch

MLB Playoff Predictions: 2011 Baseball Postseason Bracket – New York Yankees face the Philadelphia Phillies in a World Series rematch

The New York Yankees were not supposed to do what they did this year. They weren’t supposed to win their division – let alone have the best record in the American League. They didn’t have the pitching and Derek Jeter was washed up. It wasn’t supposed to happen but it did.

The Tampa Bay Rays also weren’t supposed to make the playoffs. The Rays trailed the Boston Red Sox by nine games on September 2nd. Thanks to the greatest end-of-season collapse in sports history, the Rays are in the playoffs. My favorite thing about Wednesday’s seven-run comeback to knock out the Red Sox was that half of the half stadium that watched the game left in the 7th inning.

The Cardinals surged into the postseason, but they draw the Philadelphia Phillies and their impressive rotation. Hunter Pence gives this lineup depth and the Phillies are the runaway favorite in the National League.

The Brewers trailed the Pirates halfway through the season but ran away with their division. Prince Fielder has a lot to prove in a contract year, and the Brewers might be looking at their last chance to win.

The Diamondbacks, perhaps the most surprising team in the postseason all things considered, draw one of the scariest teams in the National League.

The Diamondbacks, Rays, and Cardinals are happy just to be in the postseason. The Yankees shocked everyone by taking the best record in the American League. In a season where the impossible has happened, I think the “probably” will happen in the playoffs. I’m taking the Phillies and Yankees to rematch in the World Series.

American League Division Series

New York Yankees Vs Detroit Tigers

I think home field advantage will decide this series.

Detroit saunters into this epic Game One matchup 30-9 to end the season, but they’re going against CC Sabathia in New York. That tips the scales in the favor of the Yankees, and conceding a Freddy Garcia start in Game Three, two CC Sabathia wins in the first round will propel the best hitting team in baseball through the first round.

Yankees in four

Tampa Bay Rays Vs Texas Rangers

I think these teams are evenly matched. The Rays, with a little help from their AL East friends to close the season, completed one of the most improbable runs to the postseason ever. The Rangers closed out the Angels by winning 14 of their last 16 games. I’d give the edge to the Rays if David Price didn’t struggle so mightily down the stretch AND pitch the final game of the season. The streaking Rangers will take care of the Rays in a close and exciting series. Ultimately, the Rangers lineup is too deep and the Rays pitching is beginning to burn out.

Rangers in 5

National League Division Series

Philadelphia Phillies Vs St Louis Cardinals

Nobody is as hot as the Cardinals. St. Louis caught the Braves to close an incredible gap (after the entire Atlanta rotation got hurt down the stretch). Consider Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee this Cinderella’s evil step sisters. With only Chris Carpenter at the top of the rotation, the Cardinals are in trouble. Carpenter had to throw the final game of the season to make the playoffs and won’t be available for the Halladay and Lee matchups. Still, can you ever really count Albert Pujols out? I’m going to, but it wouldn’t shock me if the Cardinals played out of their minds in the first round.

Phillies in 3

Milwaukee Brewers Vs Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks were one of the most overlooked teams this season. That includes Vegas, and it made me a good amount of money this season. They went 25-9 to close the season and ensure the Giants wouldn’t make the playoffs. However, the fairy tale run is about to end. The Brewers are really, really good. Shaun Marcum, Zack Greinke, and Yovani Gallardo are almost as dominant a pitching trio as the threesome that the Phillies send to the mound. If Ian Kennedy couldn’t handle the bright lights of New York, how will he hold up in the postseason? It took being banished to Arizona to collect himself, and I expect him to unravel on a national stage.

Brewers in 4

American League Championship Series

New York Yankees Vs Texas Rangers

Revenge. Sweet, cold, wonderful revenge. The Rangers pitching staff is nowhere near as dominant as it was last season with the departure of Cliff Lee. The Yankees pitching staff is nowhere near mediocre. The difference, however, is that CC Sabathia is the only dominant pitcher in this series. The bats will come alive for both sides, but Sabathia will be the key to the Yankees postseason. If they can get past Verlander, they’ll have arguably the best pitching left in the AL. That’s sort of sad, but Ivan Nova has really come into his own. If he can steal a game for New York, they’re going back to the World Series.

Yankees in six

National League Championship Series

Philadelphia Phillies Vs Milwaukee Brewers

This is the most exciting playoff series this year and it might completely disappoint. The Phillies are the better team but the Brewers have more to prove. This is their last chance, after all, since Prince Fielder is leaving and Ryan Braun will be left alone drinking Beast and remembering the glory days. If the Brewers’ bats go silent, the Phillies might run away with this one. If they hit, it could be close.

Phillies in four

World Series Prediction:

New York Yankees Vs Philadelphia Phillies

The Yankees have home field because the AL always wins the All Star game, right? Whoops. That’s okay though, because the Phillies can’t hit, right? Well, no. Since Hunter Pence’s arrival and his .400 batting average, the Phillies lineup actually has some depth to it. The Yankees bats are clearly better than Philadelphia’s, but home field advantage and a far superior pitching rotation means the Phillies have a pretty good shot at this one. So how do I justify a Yankees over Phillies prediction when even my own analysis points the other way? With a jab at the franchise and a firm belief in the aura and mystique of the New York Yankees. Come on, this is the 27-time champion Yankees against the losingest franchise in sports history. The Yanks will find a way.

Yankees in seven