5 Pitchers who are Best Equipped to Handle the Pressures of October

Pitching is one of the toughest jobs in professional sports, especially in the MLB playoffs of October.  Intense focus is absolutely vital and a single bad fastball left hanging over the plate can easily ruin a team’s entire World Series hopes.  As pitching often decides these playoff encounters, lets take a quick look at who figures to play a prominent role in the proceedings and is most equipped to handle the pressures that will come in these cold, mentally draining late season starts.

1. Clayton Kershaw – There’s no denying that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kershaw is the ultimate ace pitcher this year and is a sure bet to win the NL Cy Young Award. But having won the award twice in his young career already, I think he wants to add a World Series ring to his resume!  Fortunately, his 1.78 ERA is best in the bigs and his postseason display last year eased the pain from his previous October outings of several years back, when he struggled mightily.  Surrounded by great talent, Kershaw should ride a wave of momentum into a championship.
2. Max Scherzer – Often held back in the shadows of the Detroit Tigers’ ace pitcher Justin Verlander, Scherzer has quietly become the best #2 pitcher in baseball and currently holds a decent 3.13 ERA. In recent playoff years, he has pitched tremendously well, though he certainly will need to step up now following the injury to Verlander.  A lot of the Tigers’ hopes now rest on his arm but he definitely has the capabilities to get them far and finally take over the leadership role of this team!
3. Jon Lester – A hero for the Boston Red Sox championship year in 2013 behind a postseason ERA of 1.56, Lester jumped ship to the Oakland Athletics several weeks ago and will have another great shot at a title once again. A heroic story following his recovery from lymphoma, Lester has battled adversity far beyond the mound, and he has the proof of a successful career that continues to improve with strong strikeouts.  He looks to be at home in Oakland and could lead a stunning playoff run at his new club.
4. Adam Wainwright – With a strong 2.34 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals, Wainwright is having his best year. Having been with the team for his whole career, the pitcher has found a home and has come into his own in recent years.  Numerous playoff trips have proven largely successful for Wainwright and he figures to have another strong outing in 2014.  The Cardinals have been a great team recently and could certainly claim the World Series should this pitcher dominate.
5. David Price – A player who has certainly struggled in the postseason with the Tampa Bay Rays, Price hopes to benefit from the new surroundings in Detroit with the Tigers. His season has been quite good with a 3.21 ERA but his issue will be mental.  I’m hoping that a change of teams is exactly what his career needed.  The Rays were never going to win, but the Tigers have far more talent and opportunity.  If Price can perform to his potential this October, Detroit just might end up as World Series champions!

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Expect West Coast Baseball Teams to Dominate MLB Playoffs

While there is still a long ways to go in the baseball season, the hazy playoff picture is beginning to gain clarity.  Among the best teams in baseball are 4 clubs based on the west coast, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Not only do these clubs have the best current records in the sport, but they also possess some of the most talented players in the game.  Therefore, I am predicting a west-heavy October with a potential ALCS and NLCS matchup between the 4 clubs.

The team that seems most powerful to me is the Los Angeles Dodgers.  While they haven’t dominated quite like their tremendous run of this time last summer, that may actually be a good thing.  You want your team hitting their stride in October, and these guys may be building towards that.  Their squad oozes of amazing talent and we are starting to see the payoff of their massive investment in the team.  Clayton Kershaw is baseball’s top pitcher while Hyun-jin Ryu and Zack Greinke are studs as well.  The batting lineup of Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Adrian Gonzalez is extremely formidable, making the Dodgers my favorite to win the 2014 World Series.

But one also cannot overlook their NL West division rivals, the San Francisco Giants, who actually have won recent World Series, both in 2010 and 2012.  Led by Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Pablo Sandoval, and Buster Posey, the Giants have title-winning experience and seem to always get sizzling hot right at the best moment.  While they never wow anyone or showcase the game’s biggest stars, they harbor a solid staff built around effort and teamwork, and fortune has recently fallen their way.  Anyone who counts this team out right now is asking for trouble…

In the American League, the team that has caught everyone’s attention is the Oakland Athletics.  A great team made up of relatively inexpensive players, the A’s have one of the best pitching lineups in baseball, featuring Scott Kazmir, Sonny Gray, Jesse Chavez, and the recently traded-for Jeff Samardzija.  With pitching often the key ingredient for championship success, the Athletics must be feeling pretty good about their chances.  Additionally, decent hitters like Derek Norris, Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Donaldson, Coco Crisp, and Brandon Moss give them enough run support to be true contenders.

But down south of this hot club, also in the AL West, are the big-money Los Angeles Angels.  Two superstar hitters in Albert Pujols and Mike Trout complement the solid pitching arms of Jered Weaver and Garrett Richards, making the club definite challengers for the title.  Due to recent failed seasons (and the success of the A’s), the Angels are bit of an after-thought and are currently flying under the radar.  This could be especially beneficial to them considering their wonderfully talented superstar leaders, who could certainly take over the month of October.

The interesting part about this western dominance of the 2014 baseball season is that two of these teams will have to play in the single-game elimination wildcard games.  Winning the AL West or NL West therefore becomes especially important, meaning that these clubs are in for some thrilling end-of-season races!  But regardless of who claims these divisions, I think we may see some dramatic west coast playoff series and maybe even a World Series featuring two of the teams!  My money is on the Oakland Athletics squaring off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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