I hit the Wild Card game, before which I picked the Dodgers to win the pennant.
LA v. NY
-The Mets are better than the Dodgers; they had the same pythag, but the Mets have added Cespedes and a returning David Wright. We think of LA as a dominant club, but it's softer than last year and were you picking either of these teams over 162, I'd take the current Mets club.
But this isn't 162, it's 4 out of 7, and when you have the best pitcher in MLB from 2015 (Greinke) and the best pitcher in MLB this decade (and third best this year, Kershaw) you pick them in a short series.
Might that lead to failure, as it did when Kershaw got roughed up in last year's playoffs?
Sure. But if you're picking a short series, I'll take those two monsters.
StL v. Cubs
-First playoff matchup ever between Cubs/Cards, sort of a big deal. The Cards were better in the regular season, but not enormously so, and as we sit here the combination of the Cubs new players (Schwarber, and, although they've been up longer, Russell and Bryant) and the Cards injuries leaves Chicago as the better side. The Cards have the better pen and Chicago can't use Arrieta until Game 3 given their Wild Card win - but in 5 I'll take Chicago to advance.
