Season Preview: Playoffs and World Series predictions

Oct 4, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to San Francisco Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco (7) in the first inning in game two of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rob Carr/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Our 2015 Season Preview wraps up with our predictions for how the Playoffs and World Series will shake out…
Read Part 1 of our 2015 Season Preview (most integral Met) HERE.
Read Part 2 of our 2015 Season Preview (Met most likely to disappoint) HERE.
Read Part 3 of our 2015 Season Preview (what we would’ve done differently this offseason) HERE.
Read Part 4 of our 2015 Season Preview (Mets final record predictions) HERE.
Let’s get it going…
With the exception of the Mets breaking their near decade-long drought, the Playoffs in the National League will shake out how pretty much everyone expects. The Nationals will be given a bit of a push but will win the East rather easily. The Cardinals – boring as it is – will win the Central, with the Cubs finishing a distant second and the Pirates right behind. In the West, the Dodgers will hold off the Giants. After the Mets dispose of the Giants in the Wild Card game, things will get very exciting.
In the American League, the revamped Red Sox – after trading for Cole Hamels in July – will take the East without incident. The Indians will come out on top in the Central on the strength of their tremendous starting pitching, and the Angels will impose their will in the West. The Tigers will sneak in via the second Wild Card but will be knocked out by the first Wild Card team, the Mariners, who will advance all the way to the World Series.
National League
Wild Card Game:
Mets (2nd WC) over Giants (1st WC)
NLDS:
Mets over Dodgers (4 games)
Nationals over Cardinals (5 games)
NLCS:
Nationals over Mets (7 games)
American League
Wild Card Game:
Mariners (1st WC) over Tigers (2nd WC)
ALDS:
Mariners over Angels (5 games)
Indians over Red Sox (4 games)
ALCS:
Mariners over Indians (7 games)
World Series:
Nationals over Mariners (6 games)
Next: Mike Lecolant's Playoffs and World Series predictions