2012 MLB Postseason Preview: Wild Card Playoff

The chase for October has ended, and the chase for the World Series title gets underway. This year, Major League Baseball introduced the Wild Card playoff, where two Wild Card qualifiers in each league play in a one-game elimination tournament to determine who will face the top-seeded team in the division series. The introduction of this round enables a more exciting finish to the season, and most importantly, a greater chance of qualifying for the postseason. However, the new format also lessens the chance of a Wild Card team winning the World Series, as they have to win 12 games instead of the 11 given to the division winners. Still, the addition of an extra playoff round adds revenue to the league and gives fans something to cheer for.

AL Wild Card Playoff

Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles

Season Series: Rangers won 5-2

The Rangers collapsed down the stretch to lose the AL West lead and eventually down to the Wild Card game, while the Orioles couldn't put away the Rays when it mattered most, losing out on their first division title since 1997. Now a date with the Yankees is on the line on this one game, and if either team is to win, offense will be the key.

Texas has the heart of the order in play, led by Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz and Mike Napoli, while Baltimore counters with Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds. Yu Darvish and Joe Saunders are expected to start in this game. The pitching of either Darvish or Saunders will decide the winner of this winner-take-all game, even as the offense takes center stage. 

NL Wild Card Playoff

Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Season Series: Braves won 5-1

The Braves played consistently well, but not consistently enough to win the NL East. Still, making it to the Wild Card game was an achievement. As for the Cardinals, they were only lucky to have reached this playoff even as they played baseball on its highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Unlike in the AL, the NL is a pitcher's game, and 'small ball', a traditional tactic for both teams, is a key to victory.

The Braves only hope that a Kris Medlen start will be their key to victory, considering that they have won 23 straight Medlen starts. Leading the way offensively are retiring legend Chipper Jones, young bats Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward, and veteran Dan Uggla. The Cardinals, despite the loss of Albert Pujols, still have Matt Holliday, David Freese, Allen Craig, Yadier Molina and new addition Carlos Beltran to lead the offense. Starting for them pitching-wise is Kyle Lohse. Expect a pitching battle between Medlen and Lohse, as they look to book a ticket to D.C. and the top-seed Washington Nationals in the NLDS. 

Baseball in Review: August-October

We have come to the end of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, but before officially closing the curtain on the regular season, we look back at the best and the worst of the final third of the season, where the postseason race reached its conclusion.

Most Surprising Teams: AL

Who would have thought that by the end of the season, the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics would win their respective division titles at the end of the season? The A's returned to form thanks to their league record 53 wins by rookie pitchers and a final series sweep of the Texas Rangers while the Tigers leaned on Miguel Cabrera's batting Triple Crown effort to snatch the AL Central for the second straight time. Whether they were inspired by the movie 'Moneyball', the A's are indeed back in the postseason, and Oakland fans were there to witness. As for the Tigers, a return to postseason was a decent achievement, especially after signing prolific slugger Prince Fielder for millions in the offseason. 

Most Surprising Teams: NL

The St. Louis Cardinals are happy that they kept their season alive despite losing Albert Pujols to the Angels. The defending World Series champions quietly maintained a winning record for much of the season, eventually clinching one of two Wild Card slots. This despite missing ace Chris Carpenter for a long stretch due to injury. Their Wild Card playoff opponents, the Atlanta Braves, made sure there were no late-season collapses by storming through the final two months with consistent hitting and 'small ball' offense. The Braves are happy to be in the postseason again, but unless they dethrone the Cardinals on Friday, Chipper Jones' legendary career may end sooner than expected.

Most Disappointing Teams: AL

The Chicago White Sox led the AL Central for much of the second half, but then coughed up and eventually ceded the division to the Tigers in the final two weeks of the season. The Cleveland Indians also led the AL Central at one point, but their collapse was more dramatic than Chicago's, ending the season near the AL Central cellar amidst a poor combination of injuries, mediocre play from both sides, and questionable managerial decisions on now-dismissed manager Manny Acta. Both teams have a lot of questions to answer in the offseason. Also worth noting is the 93 losses by the Boston Red Sox, who just couldn't put their act together under Bobby Valentine.

Most Disappointing Teams: NL

Thankfully the Houston Astros will no longer be in the National League after a pair of 100-loss seasons. The latest, a 55-107 record, was a typical 'throw in the towel' bombshell, going deeper to their farm system to develop their talent. But with a new manager and a move to the pitcher-friendly American League (designated hitters replace batting pitchers), the Astros only hope that this latest rebuilding project won't stall for the next several years. As for the Chicago Cubs, their rebuilding process under Theo Epstein began on a sour note, losing 101 games. Still, there's a long way to go for Epstein to build the team like what he did in Boston, in hopes of ending a 100+ year title drought. Honorable mention goes to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who endured another late-season choke job to again finish with a losing record for the 20th straight time. 

Most Valuable Player: AL

A unanimous choice for AL MVP, Miguel Cabrera surged late in the season to capture the first batting Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski achieved the mark in 1967. Despite moving back to his original position of third base, Cabrera maintained his hitting form for much of the season, leading the Tigers to another AL Central title. The high point of Cabrera's hitting spree was when hit .357 with eight homers, 24 RBIs and 35 hits. He picked up his play in the final month of the season, norming .339 with 11 homers, 30 RBIs and 38 hits. Finishing with a .331 batting average, 44 homers and 139 RBIs, Cabrera's romp would one day lead him to Cooperstown once he is done. 

Most Valuable Player: NL

Ryan Braun may be in line for another NL MVP award, but Buster Posey is also a deserving contender. Posey stepped up his game in the wake of Melky Cabrera's PED scandal, norming .371 with six homers, 21 RBIs and 33 hits. In the final month of the season Posey continued to hit .371, this time with five homers, 21 RBIs and 39 hits. Finishing with a .336 average, Posey made sure that the batting title stayed in San Francisco. More importantly, Posey returned to form after suffering a broken ankle last season, helping the Giants return to the postseason two years after their World Series triumph. 

Best Rookie: AL

Mike Trout was just several hits away from becoming the first rookie to win the batting title since Ichiro Suzuki, but he nevertheless made his case for the AL Rookie of the Year award with a .326 average, 30 homers, 83 RBIs, and 182 hits. He also became the youngest player of the 30-30 club upon finishing with 30 homers and 49 stolen bases. Trout stayed consistent despite dropping to .284 and .279 batting average in the final two months, helping the Angels stay in the postseason hunt until the final week of the season. The future looks bright for Trout as he emerged as one of baseball's most versatile offensive players.

Best Rookie: NL

Becoming a reliable offensive weapon at only 19 was an achievement for Bryce Harper. Helping the Washington Nationals earn the league's best record was an even higher achievement. To be honest, Harper should win the NL Rookie of the Year after playing  139 games and norming .270 with 22 homers, 59 RBIs, 144 hits and 18 stolen bases. September saw Harper at his best with a .330 average, with seven homers, 14 RBI, 37 hits and five stolen bases. Though no longer a teenager come the postseason, Harper's surge to the NL's batting elite should serve him well in the years to come. 

Best Pitcher: AL

Before Jim Johnson, the last 50-save pitcher was Francisco Rodriguez of the Angels in 2008. His rise as one of the best closers in the game coincided with the Orioles' renaissance. Finishing with 51 saves, Johnson helped lead the Orioles back to the postseason after a 15-year absence. Combined with the Orioles' extra-inning dominance, Johnson's value to the team proved enormous through every save converted. The last reliever to win the Cy Young Award was Dennis Eckersley in 1992, but Johnson's impressive performance in a relief role should earn him a nomination, if not a Cy Young Award victory. 

Best Pitcher: NL

With Stephen Strasburg on the shelf due to recovery from Tommy John surgery, Gio Gonzalez stepped up his game to become the postseason ace of the Washington Nationals. Winning 21 games proved to be his calling card, as he led one of the NL's best pitching staff to the league's best record at the end of the season. And coupled with prolific offensive weapons such as Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman, Gonzalez's emergence proved to be a huge benefit in leading Washington to the top of the Major Leagues at the end of the season. He should be a cinch to win the Cy Young Award.

MLB Opening Day

It's that time of the year again. Major League Baseball opens another new season full of drama, tension, excitement and pure adrenaline. This season looks to be as exciting as ever, as well-renowned free agents change teams, a team was renamed, new managers were hired, and highly touted rookies look to make an immediate impact.

Perhaps the pressure is on the St. Louis Cardinals to defend their World Series title. However, their title defense won't involve Albert Pujols and Tony La Russa, as Pujols moved to the Los Angeles Angels, while La Russa retired. After losing two straight World Series, the Texas Rangers now look to make it three in a row and hope to go all the way, as they added young Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish to fill CJ Wilson's void. Their road to the AL West title won't be easy, as the Angels acquired Pujols and Wilson in a serious bid to reclaim the division.

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, teams whose impressive regular seasons went for naught in the post-season, now try to maintain their stranglehold in the NL and AL East respectively, even as the Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays have reloaded in hopes of toppling the Phillies and Yankees. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox are seeking redemption after blowing post-season aspirations on the last day of 2011. 

Prince Fielder takes his big bat to Comerica Park in hopes of leading the Detroit Tigers to another AL Central title. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers look to defend their NL Central title with Ryan Braun now the lead offensive star. However, the Cincinnati Reds pose a big challenge with Joey Votto on board. Chicago's Cubs and White Sox usher in a new era with Dale Sveum and Robin Ventura taking over the dugout. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles search for answers in ending their lengthy postseason droughts. And there's no way to go but up for rebuilding teams in Kansas City, Houston, Seattle, Oakland and Cleveland.

In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers have the best pitcher in the NL in Clayton Kershaw, and the prolific star hitter Matt Kemp, but is it enough to claim the NL West title? The Arizona Diamondbacks overachieved last season, now what to do for an encore? The San Francisco Giants look poised to return to the postseason and reclaim the World Series title with strong pitching from Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, but will the offense deliver? Is the Colorado Rockies' duo of Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki enough to tow them to the postseason? And what role will the San Diego Padres play in the season, spoiler or contender?

The first pitch gets underway tonight as the defending World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals visit Marlins Park and the Miami Marlins at 7:10 EDT.

Meanwhile, PopCornTure will take a brief break in observance of Holy Week. We'll return on Easter Sunday as we wrap up the NHL season and begin the Stanley Cup playoffs.

MLB 2012 Season Preview: NL East

The Major League Baseball season gets underway on April 4. But before all the fireworks, the seventh-inning stretches, the awe-strucking homers, the captivating steals, hustle plays, and pitching performances commence, we preview all 30 teams by division. Lastly, we look at the National League East. 

Atlanta Braves

Record: 89-73 (2nd in NL East)

Missed Postseason

When they fell to the Phillies 4-3 on the final day of the 2011 season, it was a bitter pill to swallow for Braves fans. The loss, along with the Cardinals' demolition of the Astros 8-0, allowed the Cardinals to win the Wildcard and forced the Braves to an earlier than expected vacation. The Braves have a lot of questions to answer. Are they well-equipped to be in the post-season, or ill-equipped for another early vacation?

Chipper Jones announced that the season will be his last, and the Braves hope that a healthy Chipper will be a huge plus for the team's offense. Jones will only hope that he'll exit with a bang rather than a whimper, if his knees will hold up. The Braves also hope that bounce-back seasons by Jason Heyward and Brian McCann will be keys to their playoff chances. Dan Uggla, Freddie Freeman, Martin Prado and Michael Bourn will be the other main offensive weapons for the Braves.

Jair Jurrjens became a breakout star in 2011, leading the NL in wins at one point. Jurrjens, Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson and Brandon Beachy will lead the Braves rotation, while setup man and closer tandem of Jonny Venters and NL ROY Craig Kimbrel will lead the Braves bullpen. The Braves only hope that their pitching staff will be healthy and sharp in hopes of returning to the playoffs.

Miami Marlins

Record: 72-90 (5th in NL East)

Missed Postseason

New season, new ballpark, new identity, new attitude. Exactly what the Miami Marlins are looking for. They decided that spending less won't help them win games and fill stadiums. Instead, an aggressive pursuit of highly touted free agents assured the Marlins that things will be a lot more different this season and beyond.

The offense was reloaded with the addition of NL batting champion Jose Reyes, who had been a standout for the Mets the past few seasons. Along with holdovers Hanley Ramirez, Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison, they form a 1-2-3 punch in the Marlins lineup. It remains to be seen whether Reyes will be a good fit for new manager Ozzie Guillen in the lineup.

The Marlins' pitching remains a question mark, despite adding starter Mark Buerhle and closer Heath Bell. Josh Johnson's health remains a concern, after missing much of 2011 with an injury. Newly-added Carlos Zambrano's outbursts led to his expulsion in Chicago, but Ozzie Guillen hopes a new scenery will benefit the pitcher. However, will it bring a positive or a negative result? Among incumbent pitchers, only Ricky Nolasco shone bright last season. The Marlins are a few pieces away from contending, so fans can only hope that the rebuilding process goes right.

New York Mets

Record: 77-85 (4th in NL East)

Missed Postseason

The Mets are starting over. It's been a common theme since they last made the postseason in 2006, and there have been many negative episodes along the way, most recent of which is the Bernie Madoff scandal. The Mets only hope that the future is bright, and that any negatives will be forgotten. 

With the departure of Jose Reyes, David Wright, Jason Bay, and Ike Davis will assume the offensive load. Davis looks to bounce back from an injury-riddled 2011, after recovering from an ankle surgery. The Mets also have a young core of Josh Thole, Justin Turner, and Lucas Duda, who hope to capitalize on additional at bats. The Mets also added Andres Torres who hopes to rebound from a so-so 2011.

Among the Mets starters, Dillon Gee performed well in the absence of ace Johan Santana. The Mets only hope that Gee, who will slide down to No. 2, will avoid a sophomore slump. Other possible starters include Jon Niese, Mike Pelfrey and R.A. Dickey, with the probable closers include Frank Francisco and Jon Rauch. The Mets only hope that Santana's health will be key if their rebuilding process were to head in the right direction.

Washington Nationals

Record: 80-81 (3rd in NL East)

Missed Postseason

The future appears bright in D.C. The Nats boast two up and coming superstars hoping to make an impact in the future. With that in mind, the Nats are poised to crash the postseason party with a team that is mixed with veterans and young talent looking to become contenders in the AL East.

With a little more seasoning in the minors, Bryce Harper is a future star in waiting. Perhaps AAA will help him hone his skills to start the season, but by mid-season Harper will be all prepared to help the Nats contend. The future isn't just entrusted to Harper, they had rising stars Steve Lombardozzi and Chris Marrero, who hope to mesh well with veterans such as Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, and Michael Morse.

Stephen Strasburg is finally healthy after missing most of 2011 due to Tommy John surgery. And Davey Johnson wasted little time in naming Strasburg as his opening day starter, as his breakout 2010 remains fresh in the fans' mind. Aside from Strasburg, Chien-Ming Wang, Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson will be the other starters. The closer's role remains in Drew Storen's hands, and he'll be backed up by Brad Lidge in a setup role. The Nats hope that a healthy, developing roster will pay dividends as they continue to rise above the NL echelon.

Philadelphia Phillies

Record: 102-60 (NL East Champions)

Lost 3-2 to the Cardinals in the Division Series

The sight of Ryan Howard limping on the grass in pain after the Phillies lost in Game 5 of the NLDS was still in the minds of Phillies fans. After all the Phillies had a trend that's going in opposite directions: increasing regular season wins, but slumping postseason performances. If not for the Cardinals' intervention, the Phillies would've been the one who beat the Texas Rangers in the World Series. But now it's a new season and the Phillies had no choice but to move on.

Ryan Howard remains on the mend after rupturing his Achilles in the NLDS, so for now the Phillies' first base will be rotated among veterans Ty Wigginton and Jim Thome. Howard had a largely successful 2011, but the question is, can Howard be the same player that he was prior to the injury? The core of the Phillies lineup remain basically unchanged, with Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley leading the way. Hunter Pence became a key offensive weapon for the Phillies upon his arrival midseason, and now hopes he can keep that up for a full season. While the Phillies offense will be as potent as ever, it is their pitching that is leading the way.

The Phillies not only have four aces in Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, but their bullpen got stronger with the addition of an elite closer in Jonathan Papelbon. And with a future star pitcher in Vance Worley, the Phillies now have five good starters to lead the way, plus a closer who has over 200 saves in his career. Papelbon should be a huge upgrade for Ryan Madson, while Antonio Bastardo will now take over the setup role vacated by Brad Lidge. The Phillies' road to the World Series will depend on the health and performance of the pitching staff, which will be crucial as they look to rebound from a dismal postseason performance. 

Chipper's Last Chop

Chipper Jones as a rookie in 1995.

The baseball stars of the 1990s are heading towards the sunset. Boston's Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek have hung up their cleats, as is New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. On Thursday Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones will call it a career after the 2012 season.

Jones's Major League journey began in 1993, but he didn't make any significant impact until the 1995 season, during which he led all rookies in RBIs, games played and started, plate appearances, at bats, and runs. Moreover, he led the Atlanta Braves to the World Series title that year over the Cleveland Indians in six games. At the time, Atlanta's success was credited to the pitching prowess of John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, but who would've thought that Chipper would become their biggest beneficiary that season and in the years to come.

Jones continued to play a significant role in the Braves' success, even as they fall short of the World Series title twice to the Yankees in 1996 and 1999. Jones won the NL MVP award in the latter year and won the first of two consecutive Silver Sluggers for third baseman. However, the Braves fell out of contention as the new millennium began. They would win a playoff series only once from 2000-05, and then made the playoffs only once between 2006 and 2011, as Jones led a team in transition. During this period made the All-Star team from 1996-98, and 2000-01.

Injuries would then rob Jones of his once prodigious offensive talent, though he continued to rack milestones later in his career. In 2008, he averaged .364 to win his first batting title, the oldest switch-hitter to do so, while participating in his sixth All-Star Game and earned his 14th straight 20-homer season. In the 2011 season he hit his 450th homer, and also participated in his seventh All-Star Game. At season's end he had amassed over 200 doubles, 1,500 RBI and 2,500 hits. 

Chipper Jones in 2011

Those numbers will undoubtedly earn him a place in Cooperstown, and his jersey number 10 will be likely retired and will never be worn by another Braves player for good. Chipper Jones will go down as one of the greatest Braves players of all time, if not the greatest. If this was the last tomahawk chop for Chipper, this may be the sweetest of it all.