Predicting the Diamondbacks? Good luck

It’s a joke, right? Either that or the email was sent to
the wrong guy because there is no way you’d seriously ask
me to do this. It’s absurd.

My homework assignment tonight from our
webmaster/taskmaster is as follows:

“With the Diamondbacks in the playoffs we figured it’d
be fun (and a good idea) to do some MLB playoff
predictions. So without further ado, please pick the
winning team and in how many games.

Right. Ok. I’ll get right on that boss man. Because you
know, everything about the 2011 Arizona Diamondbacks has
been so…..predictable.

A 94 win season coming off back to back 90 plus loss
seasons? Oh yeah, plain as day. A potential Cy Young
season from Ian Kennedy? I called that one. Stellar
contributions from David Hernandez, Ryan Roberts, Joe
Saunders and Josh Collmenter? Saw it coming a mile away.

As much as the Gambos of the world will pound their chest
and tell you they thought the D-backs were capable of
contending in 2011, the truth is nobody -not a blessed
soul – would have bet a mortgage payment on any of the
above happening. So now I’m supposed to tell you what I
think is going to happen in regards to a scenario which I
never dreamt was possible of happening in the first place?

Ok. I haven’t been right about a thing when it comes to
Diamondbacks predictions, but, ok.

I compare these teams side by side and they’re pretty
similar. Rotation, bullpen, home record….all of that. Both
teams had easy schedules down the stretch so both teams
come into the postseason playing good baseball. The one
glaring advantage for Milwaukee is their two MVP
candidates to the D-backs’ one. The one slight advantage
is the depth of their rotation; I think top to bottom the
Brewers’ four is better than the D-backs’ four.

X-Factor guys for the D-backs are Daniel Hudson, Saunders,
Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Montero. In particular, I’ll
be watching Hudson in game two. Already an emotional guy
to begin with, he’ll need to work extra hard to keep
things in check for potentially two starts in this series.
Given that I think it’s a pretty even series, one that
will come down to a fifth game in Milwaukee, I wouldn’t
want to pick against the Brewers at home so I’ll say
Milwaukee in five.

You know, the same shlub who said back in March he’d take
the under on wins (69) is now telling you Brewers in five.
Forget a grain of salt, here’s the whole shaker.

But one thing that is for certain; I’m not in the mood to
tackle the “big picture” question for the D-backs. The one
that asks if the D-backs are poised for real, long term
success. We all thought they were back in 2007 and we were
all wrong. Given the quality of starting pitching that is
on its way combined with what is already here I believe
they are. My co-host says the D-backs will win a World
Series in the next five years.

I’d be thrilled with winning a playoff series in the next
five days.

Follow @theAdamGreen