As September draws to a close, baseball fans can look forward to the most exciting time of the year: the playoffs. Here is a brief analysis of the teams that will most likely be there, and fearless predictions about the results.
New York Yankees (102-41): Do the Yankees have any weaknesses that will come back to haunt them in a five- or seven-game postseason series? Probably not. Their pitching staff, anchored by David Cone and David Wells, has looked infallible throughout much of the season, as has their closer, Mariano Rivera. And although their starting lineup did not produce a single first team all-star, a quick glimpse at their roster will assuage even the most insecure fan's fear that the Bombers will suffer a postseason offensive lapse. After all, there are several reasons why this team has already won 100 games. They are solid at all positions, spectacular at some. Their organization, even with the meddlesome habits of owner George Steinbrenner, is impeccable. And their team chemistry is undeniable. At this point, overconfidence might be a concern to the Bronx faithful, but manager Joe Torre will condition his team, both mentally and physically, to bring their winning ways to the World Series and beyond.
Boston Red Sox (82-62): For one moment, put aside the heroics of Tom Gordon, Pedro Martinez, Mo Vaughn, and American League MVP-in-waiting Nomar Garciaparra. During the past season, the Boston Red Sox have proven themselves to be the most enduring team in baseball. Despite suffering yearlong injuries to several key role players - Jeff Frye, Mark Lemke, Tim Naehring, Rich Garces, Brian Rose, and Butch Henry - the Sox have managed to retain a formidable lead in the Wild Card Race since April with solid defense and timely offensive contributions from the likes of Damon Buford, Darren Lewis, and utility infielder Mike Benjamin. On paper, their team should not be able to compete with the star-studded Yankees and Indians. But don't count the Red Sox out. Throughout the regular season, they have amassed the second-best record in the American League, consistently winning the crucial games on their schedule and playing the Bombers to a virtual stalemate. Their chances of reaching the promised land are slim, but that's what makes the playoffs so exciting: anything can happen.
Anaheim Angels (80-65): With the timely return of Ken Hill and the resurgence of Jack McDowell, the Angels have a reliable pitching staff to complement an offense that features Tim Salmon and Jim Edmonds. Like the Red Sox, they have provided the Yankees with their fiercest competition throughout the regular season. Unfortunately, Anaheim will head into the postseason without one of their most dynamic players, leftfielder/first baseman Darin Erstad, who has been placed on the disabled list for the rest of the year. Furthermore, many of their most valuable veterans, with the exception of Hill and McDowell, lack playoff experience. Can the Angels overcome the odds one last time to reach the World Series? No. Their dogfight with the Texas Rangers for the Western Division Title will leave them emotionally and physically unprepared for the rigors of postseason play. Look for them to make a quick exit from the playoffs, unless they somehow manage to gain an improbable first-round berth against the Cleveland Indians.
Cleveland Indians (80-64). Every year, the Indians end their season with a comfortable lead over their Central Division rivals, most of which function as farm clubs for high-revenue teams in New York, Baltimore, and Cleveland. Why? Because the Tribe boasts an offense that can overpower any in the majors. And every year, Tribe fans foolishly declare that their team will trounce their postseason opponents en route to a World Series championship. So how come it's never happened? The answer is simple: pitching. With a starting rotation riddled with inexperience (Bartolo Colon) and inconsistency (Jarred Wright, Charles Nagy), the Indians are weak at the most important position in the game. Who is going to beat David Cone or Pedro Martinez? Dave Burba? Please. The return of superstar first baseman Jim Thome, targeted for September 15, should help put runs on the board in October, but this team will not advance beyond the first round of the 1998 Playoffs.
The Rest: Despite their collapse following the trading deadline, the Texas Rangers (78-67) have managed to climb within two games of the division-leading Angels. With a lineup featuring Ivan Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez, and Will Clark, their offensive capabilities cannot be questioned. Their closer, John Wetteland, was the World Series MVP just two years ago. And their starting rotation features two pitchers - Aaron Sele and Rick Helling - who have the potential to win 20 games this year. Will the Angels repeat their infamous collapse of 1996 and relinquish the Western Division lead to Texas? Perhaps, but Anaheim has managed to defy the odds thus far by winning despite constant injuries and their inability to acquire veterans through trades and the waiver wire. Look for them to beat the Rangers in a close race. Meanwhile, the underachieving Toronto Blue Jays (78-67) have finally pulled together in a last ditch attempt to wrest the Wild Card lead from the Red Sox. Jose Canseco no longer pretends to be an outfielder, and Roger Clemens has amassed an impressive string of victories that might land him his second consecutive Cy Young Award. But for the Jays, their late-season drive can be dismissed as too-little-too-late. Unless they can maintain their current momentum (an almost impossible task, given that the team enjoyed a 14-game winning streak until Wednesday) and Boston suffers a remarkable collapse against the likes of Detroit and Tampa Bay in the final weeks of the regular season, Toronto will have to settle for third-best in the American League East.
Copyright © 1998, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 2, September 11, 1998
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