The Royals And The Other Playoff Teams

After a thrilling 12-inning game that went back and forth all night, the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics to win the American League wild-card slot. That’s the first time the Royals made it to the playoffs in 29 years. They were the first team that inspired me to start following baseball seriously–back in the George Brett, Freddie Patek, Dan Quisenberry, Willie Wilson era–when I was in graduate school at the University of Kansas. So I’m glad. It’s hard to imagine them going very far, but I hope they do.

Anyway, the playoff lineups are now set, and the games have begun. After the jump, the first-round matchups and how I come down on the games.

Here is the first round:

National League

Washington Nationals vs. San Francisco Giants (wild-card) [Nationals are now my home team for the moment.]

St. Louis Cardinals vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers [I have always liked the Cardinals, though I’m irked at my former home team the Brewers for blowing their division at the very last of the season.]

American League

Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles [I’d rather have an all-Missouri World Series, but I’d be glad to have a Beltway series between the Orioles and the Nationals.]

California Angels vs. Kansas City Royals [The Royals are probably doomed, but I’m pulling for them.]

See MLB postseason TV schedule and preview – The Washington Post.