Who I would like to see the Rockies play in the playoffs

Who doesn't love Bobby Cox?  (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

This isn’t a major faux pas, is it? This isn’t like stepping on the baseline when entering the field, is it? This isn’t like talking to a pitcher in the eighth inning while he is pitching a no-hitter, is it? This isn’t like asking for a Big Mac at Wendy’s, is it?

I want to have a bit of fun today and I will rank the teams still in the playoff race (I will say within five games of their division lead or five games of the Wild-Card). The number one team is the team I would most like the Rockies to face in the first round of the playoffs.

Essentially I am spending my lottery money before I even buy a ticket.

If the playoffs started today there are four teams in: Phillies, Cardinals, Dodgers and Rockies. While the smallest lead in any of the divisions is four and a half games (the Rockies behind the Dodgers), there are three teams within five games of the Rockies in the Wild-Card: Giants, Braves and Marlins.

I will rank the Cardinals, Dodgers, Phillies, Braves, Giants and Marlins, in reverse order.

6. Braves. The Braves are the first team I would want the Rockies to face in the playoffs. Sure their team ERA is fourth best in the National League, but they do not have anyone to hit the ball. If Chipper Jones is healthy then he is a threat and Brian McCann is always a threat, but beyond those two the rest of their lineup is junk. Adam LaRoche is tearing the cover off of the ball since rejoining the Braves, but I am confident that he can wither away in a five game series with the right pitcher.

As far as their pitching? Javier Vazquez is a choke artist and Derek Lowe has had his rough outings this year. I think the Rockies could sweep the Braves. 

What is happening here?  (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

5. Giants. While the Rockies recently lost a big three game series against the Giants, I like their chances. Sure they would have to beat Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain in succession, but that Giants offense is about as bad as it gets.

If the Rockies can keep Pablo Sandoval quiet the rest of the team would not keep up with the Rockies. Beating both Cain and Lincecum would not be easy, but the Rox would win in four.
 

The sweet swing of Ramirez.  I heard Uggla has seen his other swing?
(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

4. Marlins. There are two things about the Marlins that scare me – Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez. Both of these two kids are about as good as it gets in baseball. In fact, the Marlins offense is downright scary. They have the sort of lineup that if Ramirez, Jorge Cantu, Dan Uggla and company gets hot they are going to score runs no matter who is on the mound.

The Marlins glaring weak spot is their pitching beyond Johnson. Only Chris Volstad and Ricky Nolasco have made more than 20 starts along with Johnson and neither have an ERA under 5.00. I would think Johnson would win a game against the Rockies, but the Rockies would win the series in four games.
 

Amazing how much better pitchers are when they get to the NL from the AL.
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

3. Phillies. Only the Rockies have scored more runs in 2009 than the Phillies in the NL. The Phillies are just ahead of the Rockies in team ERA in the NL. This would be a fun series to watch and most certainly a few 7-8 sort of games.

The key to this series would be the Rockies left-hand pitchers. De La Rosa, Morales and Beimel would play huge roles. The biggest bats in the Phillies lineup all stand on the left side of the plate. If the Rockies pitchers could control Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez the Rockies would have a leg up. I think the Rockies would win this series in four. 

Best hitter ever? (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

2. Cardinals. This is where I think the competition gets scary. The Cardinals have the best hitter in baseball in Albert Pujols and the best hitter in the second half in baseball in former friend, Matt Holliday. On top of these two big bats the Cardinals have Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.

Both Carpenter and Wainwright have ERA’s well under 3.00 and both are nasty. Wainwright was the pitcher on the mound that made Carlos Beltran look like he had never seen a breaking ball before in the final at-bat of the 2006 World Series. Carpenter is a former Cy Young award winner and if you toss in Joel Pineiro, the Rockies would have their work cut out for them in the first three games. Of course I think the Rockies would win, but it would go five games.

Let's hope Manny doesn't start taking PED's again.  I like the
punchless Manny better.  (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

1. Dodgers. Right now if the playoffs started today the Rockies would get lucky and face the Cardinals, but it sure feels like the Rockies will have to go through the Dodgers at some point if they want a chance at the AL to win it all.

We all know the Dodgers well and we all know that the Rockies just cannot beat them this year. The Rockies are 3-12 against the Dodger Blue and if they meet up in the playoffs there are two things that could happen: the Rockies could continue to slide against the Dodgers or the ebb and flow of baseball could shift to the Rockies favor and the Rockies are due to beat up on the Dodgers. I like that option better.

As it stands of this writing (3:25pm on Saturday September 5th, 2009) the Rockies hold a slim lead in the Wild-Card. Here’s hoping they can keep that lead for another four weeks.

I need to buy a lottery ticket.