I have to wonder about the wisdom setting up the playoffs so that Monday is a potential four-game day. It’s not exactly a day people can cut out of work early to catch a game. Today’s schedule also shows the relative importance of the games to the networks. In a fairer system, the Red Sox and Rays would lead off, with the Athletics and Tigers in the later afternoon. Cardinals and Pirates would get the east coast prime time game, as the Pirates might clinch a playoff round for the first time in over 30 years. The Red Sox, however, are the east coast draw in the group, so they get the evening game.

Jarrod Parker takes on Anibal Sanchez as the A’s and Tigers get underway at 1:07 PM EDT. Parker followed up his fine rookie season by more than doubling his home run rate, allowing 25 in 2013 compared to 11 in 2012. Eighteen of those came on the road. Sanchez led the AL in ERA with a 2.57 mark, but due to injury pitched just 182 innings. He did everything right as a pitcher during the regular season, with a high K rate, low walk rate, and very low home run rate. Oakland was able to draw walks against him in the regular season, and score a few runs as well.

The Pirates go for their first post-season series win since 1979 as Michael Wacha of the Cardinals faces Charlie Morton at 3:07 PM EDT. Wacha epitomizes the Cardinals development system. He comes out of the minors fully formed as a pitcher, striking out batters, keeping his walks down, and keeping the ball in the park. Some teams accomplish this by bringing up pitchers when they are a little older, but Wacha was born on 7/1/1991, making him the oldest 21 year old in terms of seasonal age in the majors. Morton is the type of pitch to contact type the Cardinals should kill, and indeed they gave him plenty of trouble in his two starts against them. He gave up 23 hits in 13 2/3 innings for a 7.90 ERA. The Cardinals did that without hitting a home run.

The Red Sox go for a sweep as they send Clay Buchholz against Alex Cobb in Tampa Bay. Buchholz’s long layoff did not bother him as he posted a 1.82 ERA in September, including five shutout innings against the Rays. Cobb’s drop in ERA compared to 2012 was helped by his higher strikeout rate, which helped lower his hits allowed. Also, ERA to FIP comparison went from bad luck to good luck.

Finally, the Braves try to send their NLDS back to Atlanta as Freddy Garcia takes on Ricky Nolasco in the game most likely to result in a slugfest. While Garcia pitched well for the Braves, on the year as a whole he allowed 18 home runs in 80 1/3 innings. Nolasco was better, allowing 17 homers in 199 1/3 innings. He was hit hard with runners on base, however, giving up a .296/.358/.419 slash line.

Enjoy!