Earlier this week, the Midwest League Playoffs began with four best-of-three quarterfinals that featured Top 100 prospects Grant Holmes (Great Lakes) and Nick Gordon (Cedar Rapids). Quickly, West Michigan, Lansing, Peoria, and Cedar Rapids made quick work of their opponents with two game sweeps. Are fans in for more of the same during the semifinals?
Division Championships (Semi-Finals)
75-64 West Michigan Whitecaps
(Affiliate of Detroit Tigers)
at 73-66 Lansing Lugnuts
***1st Half Eastern Division Winner
(Affiliate of Toronto Blue Jays)
Head-To-Head in Regular Season:
Lansing leads season series 7-6.
Hitters to Watch:
WM-Mike Gerber
.292 BA, 13 HR, 76 RBI, & 16 SB. (Season Stats)
LAN-Ryan McBroom
.315 BA, 12 HR, & 90 RBI. (Season Stats)
Pitchers to Watch:
WM-Ross Seaton
11-8 record, 3.73 ERA, 86 K in 132.2 IP. (Single-A Stats)
LAN-Shane Dawson
12-4 record, 3.01 ERA, 98 K in 101.2 IP. (Single-A Stats)
Who's Hot:
WM-Ross Kivett
.625 (5 H/8 AB) BA, 3 R, 2 RBI, & 1 SB. (2 games versus Fort Wayne)
LAN-Jason Leblebijian
.556 (5 H/9 AB) BA, 1 R, & 2 RBI. (2 games versus Great Lakes)
Schedule
Game 1-September 12
Lansing (Tom Robson)
at West Michigan (Jeff Thompson)
Game 2-September 13
West Michigan (Artie Lewicki)
at Lansing (Starlyn Suriel)
Game 3-September 14
West Michigan (Ross Seaton)
at Lansing (Shane Dawson)
Prediction
With both teams being very evenly matched, West Michigan and Lansing will split the first two games of the series, ultimately making Game 3 the "winner take all matchup." A surprise to this journalist is the fact that the Whitecaps have Ross Seaton, instead of Spencer Turnbull, as their probable pitcher for the final game (if necessary). Turnbull has been fantastic this season and is coming off a quality start of six innings (two earned runs) and seven strikeouts versus Great Lakes.
The Lugnuts currently have ace Shane Dawson scheduled for Monday, and the combination of him pitching in his home park will leave West Michigan overmatched. Despite both squads having great hitters in the form of Ryan McBroom and Mike Gerber, the two will cancel out each other's production, resulting in pitching being the difference.
---Lansing wins in 3 Games.
75-63 Peoria Chiefs
(Affiliate of St. Louis Cardinals)
at 77-63 Cedar Rapids Kernels
(Affiliate of Minnesota Twins)
Head-To-Head in Regular Season:
Season series tied at 9-9.
Hitters to Watch:
PEO-Harrison Bader
.301 BA, 9 HR, 28 RBI, & 15 SB (in 54 games).
CR-Nick Gordon
.277 BA, 1 HR, 58 RBI, & 25 SB.
Pitchers to Watch:
PEO-Matt Pearce
11-10 record, 2.43 ERA, 95 K in 144.2 IP. (Season Stats)
CR-Keaton Steele
7-4 record, 3.41 ERA, 60 K in 89.2 IP. (Season Stats)
Who's Hot:
PEO-Alex De Leon
.375 (3 H/8 AB) BA, 1 R, & 1 RBI. (2 games versus Kane County)
CR-Nick Gordon
.500 (4 H/8 AB) BA, 1 R, & 1 RBI. (2 games versus Quad Cities)
Schedule
Game 1-September 12
Cedar Rapids (Keaton Steele)
at Peoria (Matt Pearce)
Game 2-September 13
Peoria (Ian McKinney)
at Cedar Rapids (Randy Rosario)
Game 3-September 14
Peoria (Jack Flaherty)
at Cedar Rapids (TBA)
Prediction
Although Nick Gordon, the younger brother of Miami Marlins All-Star Dee Gordon, has had a disappointing season to some Minnesota Twins' fans, he is playing his best at the right time. On Wednesday night, the 5th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft led Cedar Rapids to a 5-2 victory by going 3-3 at the dish. Though, besides Gordon and Chris Paul (.500 BA, 1 R, and 3 RBI in quarterfinals), the Kernels offense has been very quiet.
The aforementioned statement could be a problem against the Peoria Chiefs as the team will send starters with ERAs of under three to the mound in each game this series. While the affiliate of the Cardinals has great pitching, 2015 draftee Harrison Bader and Cardinals' 26th prospect Oscar Mercado lead an offense that averaged over 4 runs a game during the regular season. Look for low final scores in a series the Chiefs have a high chance of ending quickly.
---Peoria wins in 2 Games.