Josh DeMage: Welcome back to TripOffice Sports Talk. I'm Josh. It's Bryce. It's Roy. ⁓ a special episode, not gonna be our normal 151. This is just gonna be the baseball playoff talk. ⁓ could also be a baseball recap as well, however we make it. ⁓ yeah, playoffs started. or playoffs bracket have been announced. It has not started. It will start ⁓ tomorrow. You guys will see this, it'll be posted right when we're done recording. So ⁓ for you guys who are probably watching this, it Starts today. ⁓ before I jump right into the bracket, I do want to go over which we could t we might talk about in our podcast as well, but I do wanna say it here. ⁓ Roy has officially won the year-long battle of our thing. Again, I know that's a little bit normal podcast, but still wanted to say it. Actually was a little bit closer than I thought it was gonna be. I ha actually had a really good finish to the year. ⁓ Roy won by five games and I went through and double checked every ⁓ I always miss one or two. Roy actually only had a four-point lead until I went back and checked and missed a couple games in there. Always miss a few every once in while. So Roy won by five. ⁓ I finished in second and Bryce finished in third. ⁓ none of the Rookie of the Year award things will change that. I just won't have I won't win two of ⁓ for sure. ⁓ but yeah, ⁓ congrats, Bryce or Roy. You don't have to do a punishment. I don't remember what our punishment was, but Roy Clapp: Thank you. Brice: Thanks. Roy Clapp: I don't remember. Josh DeMage: We're gonna have to come up with something. I think we just said a slap on the wrist for me and Bryce, if I remember correctly, but Roy Clapp: Yeah, right. something to drink. We'll figure it out. I'll figure something. Josh DeMage: Yeah. ⁓ I'm not gonna sit here and go through every single standings prediction we did. I just want to read off the teams we thought would finish first in divisions. ⁓ in the NL East, none of us were correct. The Atlanta Braves won. ⁓ me and Roy both picked the Phillies. Bryce picked the Mets. ⁓ I do the Mets did finish in the last. Good job, Bryce. ⁓ out in the central. I'm not disagreeing with you. I picked him in the draft, so trust me, I know. ⁓ in the central Brice: Yeah. They're a billion dollar team. Roy Clapp: So, Josh DeMage: Bryce, you picked a second place team. You did pick the Cubs. Me and Roy did both pick the Brewers to win. ⁓ we both had Cubs in second, and you had Cub Brewers in second. So flip flop. Out west, we all chose the Dodgers. We were all correct there. ⁓ and then take the American League. ⁓ out west. We all took the Mariners. ⁓ we did all have the Astros in second, so we were we were right there. ⁓ but the Mariners, yeah, didn't have the season they expected. ⁓ in the central we all chose the Tigers. ⁓ Bryce had the White Sox in last, even though they didn't win, the Guardians did. We all had the Guardians in third. ⁓ and then out East, ⁓ we were all wrong again. Me and R ⁓ I took the Yankees by myself. Bryce and Roy, Red Sox fans, took the Red Sox. So ⁓ yeah. Roy Clapp: Not a fan just thought they'd be better, but did not see Tampa doing that. Josh DeMage: Yep. Yep. No, ⁓ me and Roy both had Tampa in last. ⁓ Rice had him in third. So yeah, big misses there. ⁓ and again not gonna go through all the standings, but yeah, give you a little rundown of what we thought. Not great, honestly. Other than like the Dodgers and the Brewers, really it was misses pretty much the rest of way. ⁓ Okay, yeah. Playoffs are set. ⁓ I'll go through the field. Brice: Yeah. Josh DeMage: ⁓ out in the American League. The American League East Champs are the Rays. They are the one seed. ⁓ Cleveland did hold on. I know we talked about the Cleveland or the White Sox. ⁓ Cleveland takes the division. Storms back here the last month. ⁓ we'll have a first round bye. They're the number two seed. ⁓ the number three seed. The Houston Astros eighty one and eighty one. First team in baseball history to have a ⁓ non winning record to make the playoffs and win the division. Roy Clapp: Had to win the last two games to get to 500. Josh DeMage: ⁓ there is Yep. ⁓ they will not have a first round bye. I'll get to their opponent soon. ⁓ they were the three seed. The fourth seed, the number one wild card will be the Yankees. They will host the three game playoff series as the four seed to the next seed, number five, the Boston Red Sox. We just talked about it a little bit. rematch of last year. It's gonna be three in the Bronx if it's three. ⁓ and then the sixth seed, who's gonna travel to Houston to play the Astros? Gonna be the Chicago White Sox. Jump across the other side of the bracket. Number one seed, the Milwaukee Brewers, winners of, I believe it was 103. Yes, 103 and 59. First time we've had a hundred-win season in a couple years. ⁓ they're the one seed. ⁓ number two seed, also with a bye with a hundred-win season, the Los Angeles Dodgers. ⁓ three seed NL East winner, which will not have a bye, will be the Atlanta Braves. Jump down to the number one wildcard spot. We were right on the three teams. We didn't have the order right the last time we talked. The San Diego Padres have jumped in the number one wild card spot in the National League. They will host Bryce's Chicago Cubs on the road. Rematch of last year's series, just in flipped locations, if I'm not mistaken. ⁓ so Chicago will travel to San Diego and play three there if needed. And then the sixth seed who needed to win the last day, they did win. They did get in. Philly, who almost collapsed, by the way. ⁓ Brice: Yeah. Roy Clapp: Yeah. Josh DeMage: We'll go to Atlanta for an NL East matchup and play Atlanta in Atlanta. Okay. How you guys wanna do this? You wanna go round by round? You wanna just talk about Okay. ⁓ I'm gonna just go in the quadrants from top left down. So we'll start in the American League. The six seeded ⁓ actually no, I'm gonna do it a different way. I'm gonna do it by the games which they'll be played. So the first game tomorrow, which is at one o'clock central time. Roy Clapp: well go round by round and then. Josh DeMage: Will be Philly in Atlanta. It will be Jesus Lazardo for the Phillies pitching against Chris Sale at home. ⁓ and then game two. ⁓ we can only predict up to game two. No starters have been announced. So we do not know who those starters will be. ⁓ I don't know who Atlanta can really throw. They really only have Chris Sale, ⁓ healthy. Phillies will probably be either like Christopher Sanchez or ⁓ Roy Clapp: They'll have to go if they lose especially they lose they'll have to go cramp Christopher Sanchez. He just had to pitch on weekends. That's why he's not pitching game one. Josh DeMage: Yeah, I know, that's why I don't know who it's gonna be exactly, but ⁓ yeah, I mean they're also not t built up the best for pitching right now, their starters, but ⁓ yeah. All right, so let's talk about the Phillies and Braves. What do you guys think about this matchup? Roy Clapp: Well, I mean, both teams are coming in on not very not playing well. Like I said, the Phillies had to squeak in the Diamondbacks, you know, had had it in the Phillies were lost. That's that last game of the day on Sunday. ⁓ These are just two teams that are struggling coming in. It doesn't really matter coming in if you're high. If you're not sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't. I just think they're both teams pitching is just In a short series like this, doesn't really matter if you've got a good bullpen or not, that's what's gonna help. ⁓ I just don't think either one of these teams are made for a long-term run, I mean, it's gonna be a battle because I think they're just gonna give up lot of runs. Brice: I actually think in a three game set, the Braves pitching staff, they only really have the one good starter in my opinion, but they have such a good bullpen. I think they'll be pretty good in a three game series against the Phillies and the matchup well against them. Josh DeMage: Yeah, I think Atlanta is just with that the way that Philly crutched in and kinda, you know, got nervous there a little bit. I could see they're just not set up to their best pitching stuff. You know, it could be Christopher Sanchez, and then it could roll right into Jesus Lazaro. I'm forgetting one person, and I cannot think of it for the life of me who I'm forgetting. But I just don't think they're set up as well as they could have if they would have, you know, coasted in a little bit and been able to adjust their rotation. ⁓ Atlanta's set up to have Chris Sale go game one, and Chris Sale's better than anyone. Right now, Chris Sale is better than anyone on that pitching staff in Philly pitching right now. I don't mean like overall, but like how they're pitching right now. Chris Sale's better than all of them. ⁓ I like Atlanta to get the first game. They're at home. I think they can squeeze out a win in games two or three. ⁓ I like Atlanta to move on from here, personally. ⁓ I don't know about what you guys I Roy, you kind of leaned Philly a little bit, it sounded like. Roy Clapp: No, I really think Atlanta has, ⁓ I will pick Atlanta to go. Philly limped in, Chris Sayle will win game one and I think. Josh DeMage: Okay. Roy Clapp: and I think they have a better bullpen to get them to second round. Because the first round, the three game short series, whoever has a better bullpen, better pitching wins the short series. All you need to score about one or two runs. that, mean, Chris Sanchez is an awesome pitcher, but he struggled here the last month. So it's gonna be, I really think Atlanta's got the better outcome on this. Josh DeMage: Yeah. N guy I couldn't forget is probably the Phillies best pitcher right now, Zach Wheeler. ⁓ I in any r in any order, I'm not sure on how how they pitched it. Yeah, but he's been good when he's pitched for the most part. I don't know what order, but it will go Lazardo Sanchez slash Wheeler. Wheeler slash Sanchez if they get to game three. ⁓ but yeah. Brice: I used to go. ⁓ yeah. Roy Clapp: Yeah, but he's been hurt most of the year. Josh DeMage: Okay, so I think we we all in agreement that we do think Atlanta moves on from the sounds of it. Okay, ⁓ then let's take it to the next game that will be played. That will be at four o'clock central time, so right towards the end of that first Philly Atlanta game. Brice: Yeah. Josh DeMage: The White Sox will travel to Houston to play. fun fact, if you didn't know this, it got announced I l I think a few hours ago. Both teams go in bullpen game, game one. They do not have a starter ready. Both these teams were truly fighting to the last day. So they didn't, you know, get to set it up either, which at that point it's out of your control. Phillies was more of like a they were falling apart. These two teams were fighting to get in still. I know that Brice: ⁓ wow. Roy Clapp: Yes. Brice: Yeah. Roy Clapp: This is where the American League is struggling. This is where the seeding sucks because, like you said, they both limped in badly. White Sox, I mean, just to get above 500, Houston had to win those last two games. This is just where on one side of the bracket, you've got the three best teams in the American League, and then you got the three other teams. That's just the saddest part about how this is bracket. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Well. Roy Clapp: This is not going to be a fun series and yeah, it's not going to be an exciting series at all. Josh DeMage: I'm hoping personally, ⁓ I know the White Sox offense has been, you know, the thing that has really gotten them the next step. ⁓ Houston's used to hitting with the short or with the Crawford boxes up there and left. I'm hoping for high-scoring games, and maybe they're exciting. ⁓ personally. But it's going to be for Houston, again, bullpen game. So you don't this guy might throw.2 innings. ⁓ what's his first name? AJ. Roy Clapp: Yeah. Josh DeMage: Blobek, I believe is how you say his name, ⁓ right-handed, and the White Sox are gonna throw out a rookie who's got called up two months ago in Hagen Smith to be their opener. Umte that. ⁓ I'll go first on this one when it comes to the series. I this is to me one of the harder series to pick this ⁓ round because I just don't know what to expect. Does Houston battling and battling and getting the division? Help them and give them, you know, that that energy at home, or are they just, you know, they got there and now they're just dead. You know, they just don't have any more life. ⁓ Chicago's pitching down the stretch has really been piss poor. It really scares me. ⁓ I really think Houston has the better lineup, and because of that, I think they can put up more runs. But they're they just haven't played well all year for the most part. I'm gonna ride Houston at home, but I wouldn't be surprised if Chicago wins. I probably think Chicago is the better team right now, but I just trust Houston at home to win a game when they when Chicago really doesn't have any pitchers. Roy Clapp: What? Brice: I I'm kind of in agreement with Josh. I think a big thing with this series is gonna be star power. I think Houston has a lot of players who are veterans, they've been the playoffs before. Literally like none of these White Sox guys have ever been in the playoff atmosphere, especially on the road. I think that's gonna play a huge factor, especially in a bullpen game, so I'm taking Houston as well. Roy Clapp: Thanks. I mean, I knew Josh was going to pick Houston. He's a deep down Houston fan. So ⁓ I knew he was going to pick them. ⁓ I am not. I'm picking the White Sox. think they, yes, I just think in a short series like this, ⁓ the Houston has got a lot of veterans. I just don't think they just have it this year to do it. I think a lot of young guys on this ⁓ White Sox teams will in a short series like this. Josh DeMage: Yep. I am. Brice: Yeah, he is. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Roy Clapp: There's no fear. So like you just there's no time to choke. So I think they'll come out a little more loose. These white these young White Sox kids. The next series will be is where they'll start the longer the series gets. That's where things get get to going. So I really I think I have the White Sox winning this when this series. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Alright. ⁓ yep. Next one that will be played will be in the primetime slots, ⁓ 7 o'clock central time. The Boston Red Sox will head to the Bronx to face the Yankees for a rematch. ⁓ best pitching matchups of any series is in here, no doubt. ⁓ rookie sensation, Peyton Tolley for the Red Sox. Very similar to last year. They threw a couple rookies last year in games. ⁓ is gonna take on the probable Cy Young winner and Cam Schlitzer. ⁓ yeah, I don't know. ⁓ for a while I really thought the Yankees wouldn't have too much problems with Boston. But I know that the Yankees can't hit a lefty to save their life. Peyton Tolley strikes out everyone, so I'm easily expecting ⁓ six innings, ten strikeouts for Tolley. So I don't know if the Yankees ⁓ can score against them. The next two they play Sonny Grain Game Two, ⁓ because the Yankees series is Roy Clapp: Okay. Okay. Josh DeMage: Been figured out. Next game will be Max Fried against Sonny Gray. And then game three would be Garrett Cole against Ranger Suarez. My gut tells me the Yankees are the better team and are going to win the division or win this series. But if the Yankees don't hit, which they haven't hit all year, ⁓ they're going to lose because the Red Sox are going to put up a few runs. Even against Cam Schwiller, they're gonna get up two to three. If the Yankees can't score three runs, they're going to lose the game and they're gonna lose a series if they can't score. ⁓ to me, if the Yankees score five runs in a game, they should win the game in any other three starts. So to me, it's the race to five for the Yankees. ⁓ I will pick the Yankees, but I I would not be surprised the Yankees come out here dead and don't hit. Brice: Yeah, I'll go. I I think the Red Sox are probably gonna handle the Yankees. I don't think that ⁓ the Yankees lineup has been that good. I don't think their defense has been that good this year. ⁓ their pitching has been very good, but I think Boston also has very good pitching and I see Boston winning this series. Josh DeMage: Mm-hmm. Roy Clapp: So. ⁓ I think the Yankees can score runs. This last month they've been doing a lot better ⁓ hitting with the runners in scoring position. They've been doing a lot better with runners ⁓ with their average. then they just, I think they figured out who were the players and what to hit. ⁓ You say that, I mean, know you say they struggle with lefties. just, feel, it's a little different in the playoffs. And I just didn't think the Red Sox have the, you know, if Contreras is out, like you re-read, I'd still, but he's gonna be slow with the injury. I still, I think this is, I have no fear that the Yankees are gonna score three or four runs. I have no fear that they're gonna be just fine. Josh DeMage: ⁓ he he's expected to be in the lineup. That that he will not be a hundred percent. Roy Clapp: I'm not I'm not pessimistic of this series at all ⁓ I think they they've handled the Red Sox the last time we played them and I think this is gonna be I think this will be a two game series and This is a type of series. We have the better starting pitching and the better and the better full pin in my opinion And I think we can score enough runs to get just to get to the finish line for next round. That's all it's all matters short series or better Josh DeMage: Yeah. Okay, and then the last one out west. I think this one lined up this way because they're out west. The Chicago Cubs for Bryce will travel to San Diego to be on the road. Game one, starters have been announced. Matt Boyd for the Cubs will face a former Yankees legend. Michael King down in San Diego. And game two and have on my screen have not been announced. ⁓ Bryce, I'll let you go first on this one. What do you think about this series? Brice: I mean I'm obviously gonna take the Cubs, but I do think that ⁓ it being a three game series, I think that helps our pitching a lot because we can use some of our starters in the bullpen and guys will have a shorter leash as soon as they're starting to give up runs, they'll come out. So I think it'll probably be a three game series because it's at San Diego and not Chicago. But I do think the Cubs can win this one, especially with the way our bats are. Josh DeMage: You wanna go ahead, Roy? Roy Clapp: Yeah, no, ⁓ I think this will be a three game series. I think it'll be a close game. I think what hurts the Cubs is the pitching. I think that's what's gonna hurt them. I think the both teams are gonna score a lot of runs. It's just who will score more runs. ⁓ I just, I have a little more, ⁓ I just. Josh DeMage: Mm. Roy Clapp: more faith in the pitching, the bullpen of the Padres than I do the Cubs. That's why I picked the Padres. That's the only reason why I picked the Padres. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Yeah, this one's a this one i is a tough series as well for me to pick. ⁓ I think the Cubs clearly have the better lineup. ⁓ I think I think I would say it's pretty close starting pitching wise. I don't love either staffs personally, but with a three game set, like Bryce said, some of those guys can be moved to the bullpen. You don't have to use your fours, you don't have to use your fives. So it does play up for both teams. ⁓ Being in San Diego, I've been to San Diego. It's it is an electric atmosphere. It's gonna be loud there. ⁓ Chicago's used to that. I don't think that's gonna kill them too much. Baseball, you know, it it's not like football where have to hear stuff. ⁓ but still. But I will say San Diego has the best bullpen in the playoffs. So if they get a lead, that's gonna be really hard for ⁓ Chicago to get, even with their better lineup, it's still that good of a bullpen. ⁓ And San Diego's probably the hottest team coming in. I mean, they were, you know, trade deadline, they were borderline sellers. Are they gonna buy, sell? They decide to buy because they went on like a week straight win streak at the deadline. And they've really rolled all the way through to the number one wildcard spot. It's not a team I'd want to play because this is one of those teams that you're gonna you're gonna watch them, they're gonna be like, yeah, they're just hot as can be. They can't do no wrong. Or they're gonna come out and be flat. The Cubs are gonna sweep them. So it's like, I don't know which one you're gonna get. Roy Clapp: Okay. Josh DeMage: But to me, the Cubs path to victory is hitting the Padre starting pitching. If they do that, they're going to win. ⁓ if they don't and it gets to that San Diego bullpen, that's where I if Fraser Cubs fan for Bryce, I would be a little bit more on the nervous side. ⁓ but they have the MVP at the end of the day and it doesn't matter who's pitching, they should be able to hit. So, ⁓ But I will say, being in San Diego to me does help the Cubs a little bit. It's not cold. It's not as hard to hit in the warm weather. So even though they have that lights out bullpen and, you know, Michael King's a good starter. I know who they're throwing game one. You can feel your hands. You can swing the swing the bat a little bit. I think that does help the Cubs in that aspect. ⁓ Okay, so I th I I if I had to choose a winner though, I would pick San Diego just based off how good they're playing right now. ⁓ And then do we wanna predict future games or or we just wanna s okay. ⁓ So Roy Clapp: Yeah, might as well go just go through the thing. mean, like who you have, mean, so some of us are different in other places, Josh DeMage: Yep. So Bryce, I'll let you go first. In the top left corner, ⁓ I believe that you said you had the Houston Astros moving on to play the Guardians. Brice: Yes, I did. ⁓ Houston Guardians match up. I really don't know. I think those are probably that corner really is the three worst teams in the playoffs in my opinion. So it's kinda hard to pick. But I would I'm gonna stick to what I said for the Astros beating the Sox. I just think they had the experience. ⁓ Josh DeMage: Hundred percent. Couldn't agree. Roy Clapp: 100%. Brice: to what Cleveland probably doesn't. I know you love Altuve. He was an MVP, does have a World Series. Jordan Alvarez has been an unbelievable player this year. I just think that they are the better all around team and in playoff atmosphere you do need veterans and stars in my opinion. Roy Clapp: you you Josh DeMage: Yeah. I'll go next. I'll stay in the same quadron because I also have Houston coming out. ⁓ I am gonna go in a different direction than Bryce. I know that Cleveland is not very good, and yeah, I agree this is the worst squadron. I don't think the Astros are very good. But Cleveland does have experience. A lot of those players have been to the American League Championship Series in twenty-four against the Yankees. They've made the playoffs like five straight years or four of the last five. ⁓ so they have experience as well, not World Series experience. Roy Clapp: . Josh DeMage: But I just I just don't think Houston, especially if they can't line up their ace in game one like Cleveland will be able to. I'm not saying Cleveland's ace is, you know, it's Gavin Williams. He's not a, you surefire s superstar. But I just think Cleveland with their bullpen, which is much better than Houston's, well rested. I just think with home field advantage they would sneak out of there with a win. ⁓ and then Roy, you would have the White Sox going to Cleveland. Roy Clapp: I have white socks. I have white socks in Cleveland. this is where I pitching really is a huge thing because as you get in the longer ⁓ series is pitching is a huge bullpen is a big one and Cleveland's got the better of both those with especially against the white socks and then the younger younger kids in the white socks that I don't I just don't think they have it to be that good. So I would have Cleveland going on. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Roy Clapp: to the ALCS. Josh DeMage: All right, let's go down to the other corner. R Roy, I'll have you go first as you went backwards. So you have the Yankees going to play the Tampa Bay Rays. Roy Clapp: I do. I have Tampa, you know, I have the Yankees against Tampa. This is where I don't, again, I don't worry. where it's about pitching. Tampa's got good pitching. Their hitting is good, but they're not, you know, they're not a team that scores a ton of runs. I mean, they have a lot, a lot of swing and misses. They're just, mean, they're not your typical number one seed team. That's just what they are. I'm not that worried about Tampa. ⁓ Josh DeMage: Mm-hmm. Roy Clapp: I think as the series goes on, Tampa and the Brewers are two teams alike. They're built for the regular season. They're just not built for the playoffs. And so I have the Yankees. I think the Yankees starting pitching, good bullpen and then some timely hitting. think Yankees will move on to the ALCS. Josh DeMage: All right. I'll go next because I also have the Yankees moving on to play the race. Just like up there in the first corner with Bryce going first, I have a different result. I do not have the Yankees moving on. The Tampa Bay Rays just play a type of baseball that the Yankees are not good at. They put the ball in play. The Yankees make the airs. They know how to get a runner in. ⁓ and with Tampa be like I said, being off and being able to line up, the Yankees won't be able to throw Schuttler game one. They just won't line it up correctly. And Tampa's got Drew Raspenson, who the Yankees have not hit in five years. I don't they cannot touch that guy. ⁓ I just think their rotation is good and is gonna be lined up to beat the Yankees. And I just don't think the Yankees will be able to keep up with the defensive miscues and the base running errors and the non hitting. I just don't think they'll be able to do it. So I will have the raised move on in the second round. Roy Clapp: you Okay. Brice: I have Boston playing the Rays, but ⁓ Josh kinda hit the points that I thought. I think the Rays well you guys both hit similar points. I think the Rays are built like the Brewers that are regular season team, but I think the bio week helps so much for a team like that, 'cause they can line up who they want to pitch. So I actually have the Rays moving on as well. Josh DeMage: All right. We're gonna flip over the other corner. I'll go first on this one. I did have the Braves to beat the Phillies, so I have the Braves going to Dodgers Stadium and the Dodgers with as much pitching as they have who are gonna get rest. I just don't think this is gonna be close. I just have the Dodgers steamrolling onto the NLCS. Roy Clapp: Okay. Okay. Brice: Yeah, I agree with Josh. I think the Dodgers are they've played mediocre ball all year and won a hundred games. Like they just have so many stars. Josh DeMage: Yep. Yeah. Roy Clapp: Yeah, they got everybody coming back. I mean, it's gonna be hard to get everything. They got too much deep pitching that I got. I mean, got Atlanta playing them and I got the Dodgers, Dodgers moving on. Josh DeMage: Yep. ⁓ and then down to the bottom corner, Bryce, I'll let you go first down here. You had the Cubs moving on to play the division rival, the Brewers. Brice: Yeah, I I'm obviously gonna pick the Cubs because I'm riding with them, but ⁓ the Brewers are the one team I didn't want to see in the playoffs. I actually would have rather saw the Dodgers. I think we'd match up well with the Dodgers. I think we match up well with every team in the NL except for the Brewers. They just play that small ball style with devil magic where they just get blooped single after bloop single and then score two or three runs off of it with zero home runs. And the Cubs just we give up too many balls in play. We're not like a strikeout pitching team because we have such good defense and against a team like that just puts the ball and play over and over they're gonna get singles and it's gonna be very hard to beat Josh DeMage: Yep. I'll go next. I do have San Diego to move on to play the Brewers. ⁓ and this is where my first upset's gonna come. I'm gonna have San Diego to ride on through the Brewers. I just think if they're playing well, this well and they come off beating the Cubs, they're gonna go into San Diego or go into Milwaukee and grab one of the two and then take care of it at home. So I'm gonna have San Diego to survive and go on to the NLCS. Roy Clapp: I have the same thing. had San Diego playing, you know, the Brewers. Again, Brewers have better pitching than Tampa, but they're built for the regular seasons. You talk about those bloopers, putting the ball in play. That doesn't always work in the playoffs. You have to have that... that hitting that doubles down the line, the deep shots, the home run here and there. There's a different scheme to the game of baseball in the postseason. And the Brewers of Tampa just don't have that. And maybe they'll prove me wrong, but they don't have those power hitters to do those kinds of things. I think San Diego does. And I think they'll want to play the Dodgers. what a hell of a series that'll be for Dodgers and... Padres in LCS. Josh DeMage: Yep. Alright, let's jump back over to the American League. I'll go first. So I have Cleveland moving on to play Tampa. probably the biggest two small ball teams in the American League. and I'm gonna have Tampa to move on. They're just gonna be b they're just pitch their pitching is gonna be too much for Cleveland to handle. ⁓ so I'm gonna have Tampa to move on with be the American League representative. ⁓ Bryce, you would have had ⁓ Houston to move on to play Tampa, correct? Brice: Yeah, and I'll have Tampa just steamrolling through ⁓ I think anybody that comes out of that top left quadrant's probably gonna get steamrolled. Josh DeMage: Yeah. And then Roy, you had Roy Clapp: Well, and then I would have had a Yankees versus Guardians and I just think that the Guardians pitching, I think the Yankees pitching is just too much as better than the Guardians. I think the Yankees will have a better hitting. I'm not down on hitting as they're hitting as you are Josh. So I think they'll make it and I'll make a point here. You guys supposed to pick Tampa. Josh DeMage: Yep. Okay. Roy Clapp: And the last time a team that's had under a $75 million payroll has not made the World Series in like 15 years or something like that, in 10 years or something like that. Since like Kansas City, so just remember that. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Okay, to the National League. ⁓ Roy I'll let you go first. You would have had San Diego and LA. Roy Clapp: ⁓ yeah, and I think if that happens, San Diego and LA, you talk about a rock and ⁓ NLCS, that'll be a crazy ass, ⁓ I think that San Diego will give, I think the last two times they've met the playoffs has been a hard fought series. But I think, again, I think the Dodgers have got too much step, too much pitching, too much going on. ⁓ I just think the Dodgers would be too good. They're going to make it to the world series for the. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Roy Clapp: 95th time in a row. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Bryce, I'll let you go next, 'cause you have the Cubs facing the Dodgers, correct? Brice: Yeah, and if the Cubs somehow do make it through the Brewers, I actually think that we can match up well with the Dodgers. We the past like ten series we played against them, we've won. We actually for some reason we play really well against them. I don't know why it is. ⁓ playoff atmosphere obviously be a little different, but I do think that we play well against the Dodgers. So if the Cubs are there, I have them moving on. Obviously if the Brewers are there, I think Dodgers will win, but for now I have the Cubs going. Josh DeMage: All right. And then I also have the same as Roy. San Diego go play in LA. And I think that would be a blowout as good as San Diego is. I think LA is going to s I really do think LA is going to steamroll through people this year, ⁓ and get back to the World Series. Their pitching with school is just set up. Because Tyler I watched Tyler Glass now pitch LA and I think he had eighty-nine pitches and eleven strikeouts. I mean it it's just dominant. And if that's Hit their number three behind Scoobyl and either Snell or Yamamoto, probably Yamamoto, honestly. They're they just have a wealth of pitching ⁓ ready to line up and go. ⁓ so I'm gonna have LA to take on Tampa. And then I'll go I'll be the next one. ⁓ Tampa Bay is gonna take on LA and I just I think LA's going to steamroll through this playoff. I don't even think it's gonna be close. ⁓ honestly, if you were to ask me, I don't know if LA is gonna lose more than three games the entire postseason. I just think they're going to dominate people. ⁓ so I'm gonna have first time ⁓ back to back to back in a long time. Roy Clapp: So you'd have the cup, this is what you said, because you had them. Brice: Yeah, I'll go. I have the N L, whoever it is winning. I think the A L's been pretty weak this year and I think all of the N L teams are liable to win, whoever's there. Yeah, in my bracket I would have the cubs. Josh DeMage: Yeah. Roy Clapp: So I had the Dodgers playing the Yankees. Yeah, like Josh said, it'd be great to have that happen. the Dodgers are just pitching wins playoff games. That's what it is. I you can have great hitters, pitching wins it. Pitching and timely hitting. And nobody can beat the Dodgers top. I mean, the Yankees can give you a grunt for your money, but I mean, Scoobble versus Cam would just be, I mean, that'd be great. Scoob will just out pitch him. it just be a, wouldn't be a great, mean, just be there. There are number three. I mean, it's just as good as ours, as Yankees. just the Dodgers would win that easily. Josh DeMage: I mean in a four game series the Dodgers are gonna throw Blake Snell as their number four who makes like fifty million a year. I mean that's their number four making fifty fifty million Scooba. Yeah. Roy Clapp: Yeah, they can, they can move it around. can move their pitching staff anyway, anyway they want. So they're, and they're so deep and with everything and they can score runs. I mean, that's just. Josh DeMage: Yeah, they they're gonna be almost impossible. Yeah. Okay, Tell you what though, there's not a lot of s seasons that I'd like to win more than this one because I know that lockout's coming, so you'd get even longer to be a champ. So this would be a real good one to win. I'm gonna try to watch as much as I can of this playoffs, even non-Yankees games, just because I know we're not getting baseball for a long time. So I'm gonna try to watch as much. ⁓ Brice: Yeah. Josh DeMage: I'm excited for most series, honestly. I think other than that top left quadrant in the American League, which I would still watch their games because I at least I think they're evenly matched up there. They're just all bad. ⁓ I think these are good series. I really like the bottom two, the Yankees, Red Sox, and the Padres Brewers. I'm not saying that because those are our two of our team. Those are two of the best series in the first round. And then after that, I mean, the National League in general is gonna be really fun to watch, but ⁓ Even watching like one of the big houses, big teams, Yankees or Boston, go into Tampa to see if they can beat the little guy that's the number one seed. I just I think ⁓ should be a good playoffs. So all right, I think that's all we have. You guys? All right. I'm gonna post this tonight. ⁓ you guys can watch it. Playoffs start tomorrow for us recording. You guys are probably listening to it the day of twenty-nine. So to go Yanks, hit the like button, subscribe, comment, and we'll see ya tomorrow actually. Peace. Roy Clapp: Yeah, that's good.