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Major League Baseball Playoff Preview

The 2015 Major League Baseball playoff picture came into focus on Sunday evening as the regular season ended with all division and wild card winners in both the American and National League determined.

In the American League, the Wild Card matchup pits the surprise Houston Astros (86-76) (who make their first postseason appearance since 2005) against the New York Yankees (87-75) on Tuesday night in New York at Yankee Stadium.

The winner of the one-game playoff will take on the American League Central Champion, Kansas City Royals (95-67) in the divisional round. Facing off against each other in the second divisional round is the American League West winner, Texas Rangers (88-74) going up against the American League East Champions, the Toronto Blue Jays (93-69).

In the National League, a return of teams and their fanbases starved for postseason baseball will take center stage in matchups with teams boasting plenty of postseason experience.

The Chicago Cubs (97-65) return to the postseason for the first time since 2008 to take on the host Pittsburgh Pirates (98-64) on Wednesday night, marking their third consecutive appearance in the playoffs. The Pirates 98 wins are second most in the National League (behind only the St. Louis Cardinals) and the Cubs 97 wins are the most for the team since the ’08 season. The winner of this game will take on the Cardinals (100-62), winners of the National League Central, who are making their fifth consecutive postseason appearance.

In the other divisional matchup, the New York Mets (90-72), winners of the National League East, will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70), winners of the National League West with the first game set to begin in Los Angeles.

Each of the 10 remaining teams in the postseason carry with them plenty of Baseball Factory alumni on their rosters. Let’s take a look at each team and how those players have done this season.

Houston Astros

Lance McCullers – (2010 Under Armour All-American) McCullers was called up to the majors in mid-May, finishing the season with a 6-7 record, 3.22 ERA, 125 2/3 innings pitched, 129 strikeouts in 22 starts.

Jake Marisnick – (2008 Under Armour All-American) The 24-year old has played in 133 games this season, hitting .236 with 15 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 36 RBI and 46 runs scored.

George Springer – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout, 2007 Cape Cod High School Classic) The power-hitting 25-year old was a mainstay in right field for the Astros in ’15, despite missing almost two months with injury and hit .276 with 19 doubles, two triples, 16 homers and 41 RBI in 102 games.

Preston Tucker – (Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP, 2006 Team One South events) Tucker was called up by the Astros in early May, taking over left field duties. In 98 games, Tucker hit .243 with 13 home runs and 33 RBI.

Chris Carter – (2005 Baseball Factory All-American) Carter was third on the Astros in home runs (24) and despite the low average (.199), drove in 64 runs and scored 50 in the heart of Houston’s lineup.

Jason Castro – (2004 Team One West) Castro, the team’s starting catcher, played in 104 games for the Astros and hit .211 with 19 doubles, 11 homers and 31 RBI.

Max Stassi – (2008 Under Armour All-American) Stassi was called up for the September playoff push and played well, recording six hits in 15 at-bats, hitting his first career home run against the Oakland Athletics on September 19th. In the minors this season with Triple-A Fresno, Stassi hit 13 home runs in 84 games.

New York Yankees

Brian McCann – (2001 Team One National) McCann put up big numbers this season in New York, posting career highs in home runs (26) and tying his career best in RBI with 94. 

Greg Bird – (2010 Under Armour All-American) The 22-year old power-hitting first baseman has filled in well at first base for the injured Mark Teixeira (shut down for the rest of the season with a fracture in his right shin), playing in 46 games, hitting .261 with with 11 home runs and 31 batted in.

Chase Headley – (2001 Team One West) The every day third baseman played in 156 games for the Yankees (most on the team), hitting .259 with 29 doubles, 11 home runs and 62 RBI.

Brendan Ryan – (1999 Team One West) Ryan was recalled by New York on June 10th, collecting 22 hits in 96 AB’s with six doubles, two triples and eight RBI.

Rob Refsnyder – (National Team Tryout) Refsnyder played in 16 games at second this season after being called up July 11th, collecting 13 hits in 43 AB’s with three doubles, two homers and five RBI. In the minors this season, Refsnyder hit .271 in 117 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Slade Heathcott – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout, 2008 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American, 2008 Arizona Senior Fall Classic) Heathcott, the Yankees 29th overall pick in the 2009 draft, finally made his MLB debut on May 20th and was recalled on September 14th with expanded rosters. Heathcott was 10-for-25 with two doubles, two homers and eight RBI.

Chris Young – (2000 Team One West) Young is a key piece off the bench for the Yankees, but became more than that because of injuries, playing in 140 games, hitting .252 with 20 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs and 42 RBI. 

Texas Rangers

Derek Holland – (Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP, 2004 Arizona Fall Classic, 2005 Baseball Factory All-American) Holland made 10 starts in 2015 after missing much of ’14 with injury. Holland with 4-3 with a 4.91 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings pitched.

Nick Martinez – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout, 2007 Arizona Senior Fall Classic) Martinez saw action in 24 games (21 starts), going 7-7 with a 3.96 ERA in 125 innings pitched this season.

Shawn Tolleson – (2005 Cape Cod High School All-Star Game) Tolleson excelled as the Rangers closer this season, saving 35 games in his first season as closer. He pitched in 73 games with an impressive ERA of 2.99 in 72 1/3 innings pitched.

Bobby Wilson – (2000 Team One National) Wilson saw action in 31 games, scoring five runs with five doubles, one home run and 10 RBI in a backup catching role.

Prince Fielder – (2001 Team One National) Fielder returned from serious injury to put together a fantastic 2015 season as the Rangers primary DH. Fielder hit .305 with 23 home runs and 98 RBI, playing in 158 games. 

Josh Hamilton – (1998 Team One National) Hamilton was traded back to the Texas Rangers this season after playing two seasons in Anaheim for the Los Angeles Angels. Hamilton played in 50 games this season, hitting .253 with eight home runs and 25 RBI.

Toronto Blue Jays

Josh Donaldson – (2004 Baseball Factory Pre-Season All-American) Donaldson put up MVP-like numbers in 2015, hitting .297 with 41 home runs, 123 RBI and 122 runs scored (both league-highs) in the heart of a very dangerous Toronto lineup.

Troy Tulowitzki – (2001 Team One West) “Tulo” was traded to the Blue Jays from the Colorado Rockies in a monster deadline deal to help push Toronto to the top of the A.L. East. Tulowitzki provided stability up the middle defensively and hit .239 with eight doubles, five homers and 17 RBI in 41 games.

Jose Bautista – (1999 Team One National) Bautista enjoyed another 40-home run season (third time in his career) in 2015, hitting 40 and driving in 114 runs. He also walked an AL-leading 110 times and scored 108 runs.

Kansas City Royals

Christian Colon – (2005 Team One National Underclass Game) The middle infielder hit .290 this season, playing third, short stop and second base for the Royals in 2015.

Eric Hosmer – (Under Armour Baseball Factory College PREP, 2006 Baseball Factory All-American) Hosmer is the heart and soul of the Royals team and put up great numbers in 2015, batting .297 with 18 home runs and 93 RBI in 158 games.

National League – Chicago Cubs

Kyle Hendricks – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) The 25-year old was a big part of why the Cubs have been very successful in 2015, starting 32 games, going 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA and striking out 167 batters in 180 innings pitched.

Neil Ramirez – (2005 Team One South) Ramirez pitched in 19 games this season, finishing with a 3.21 ERA in 14 innings pitched.

Kris Bryant – (2008 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American) Bryant put up huge numbers as a 23-year old this season, getting pulled up to the majors on April 17th and never looked back. Bryant hit .275 with 31 doubles, five triples, 26 homers and 99 RBI.

Anthony Rizzo – (2006 Team One South, 2006 Cape Cod High School All-Star Game) Rizzo is still the centerpiece of the Cubs offense and he put together the best offensive numbers of his career in 2015. He played in 160 games (most in the N.L.) with a .278 average and hit 31 homers with a career-high 101 RBI’s.

Addison Russell – (2010 Under Armour All-American) Russell played in 142 games this season and yet another celebrated call up by Cubs fans and scouts across baseball. Russell hit .242 with 29 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 54 RBI.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Josh Harrison – (2002 Baseball Factory Rookie OSU AM) Harrison played in 114 games this season, hitting .287 with 29 doubles, four home runs and 28 RBI and playing four different positions for the Pirates.

Sean Rodriguez – (2002 Team One South) Rodriguez was a key pickup for the Pirates this off-season after playing the last five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. Rodriguez played in 139 games, hitting .246 with 12 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 17 RBI and played every position except catcher and centerfield. 

Jaff Decker – (2007 Under Armour All-American, 2008 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American) Decker was called up to the Pirates on July 19th and recorded six hits (double, triple) and one RBI in 28 at-bats.

New York Mets

Sean Gilmartin – (2006 Team One West) Gilmartin appeared in 50 games this season for the Mets, recording a 2.67 ERA in 57 1/3 innings pitched. He also struck out 54 batters.

Erik Goeddel – (2005 Cape Cod High School All-Star Game, 2005 Team One National Underclass Game) Goeddel is another piece out of Terry Collins bullpen this season, pitching in 35 games with a 1-1 record and a 2.43 ERA. He struck out 34 batters in 33 1/3 innings.

Logan Verrett – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Verrett, the Mets third round pick in the 2011 draft, did some starting and relieving out the ‘pen this season, pitching in 14 games (four starts) with a 3.03 ERA in 38 2/3 innings pitched.

David Wright – (1999 Team One East, 2000 Team One National) The leader of the Mets, Wright returned from injury to help the team return to the postseason for the first time since 2006. Wright hit .289 with seven doubles, five homers and 17 RBI in 38 games.

Michael Cuddyer – (1995 Team One East, 1996 Team One National) Cuddyer at 36, played 117 games this season in left field for the Mets and hit .259 with 18 doubles, 10 homers and 41 RBI.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Zack Greinke – (2000 Team One East) Greinke will be in the mix for Cy Young this year after posting career highs in wins (19), career low in ERA (1.99) and his fifth 200-strikeout season. It’s also the sixth time in his career he has pitched over 200 innings (222 2/3). 

J.P. Howell –  (1999 Team One West, 2000 Team One National) Howell is in his third season with the Dodgers and the left-hander excelled in his lefty-specialist role, pitching to a 1.43 ERA in 44 innings pitched. He struck out 39 batters and recorded a save in 65 appearances.

Austin Barnes – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Barnes made his debut on May 20th and has played catcher, second base and third base as well. In 20 games, Barnes has six hits in 29 at bats with two doubles and an RBI.

A.J. Ellis – (1998 Team One Midwest) Ellis has played his entire eight year career in Los Angeles with the Dodgers. He’s played in 63 games, hitting .238 with nine doubles, seven homers and 21 RBI in 2015.

Scott Schebler – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Schebler made his Dodgers debut on June 5th of this season and has played in 19 games, going 9-for-36 with three homeruns and four RBI.

St. Louis Cardinals

Brandon Moss – (2001 Team One Florida Tryouts) Moss played in 51 games this season, hitting .250 with seven doubles, a triple, four homers and eight RBI in a bench role for the Cardinals.

Mark Reynolds – (2000 Team One East) Reynolds played in 140 games, hitting .230 with 21 doubles, 13 home runs and 48 RBI. 

Peter Bourjos – (2004 Team One West) Bourjos played in 117 games, hitting .200 with eight doubles, three triples, four homers, 13 RBI and 32 runs scored this season.

Randal Grichuk – (2008 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American) Grichuk stepped up big time during the 2014 postseason, hitting two big home runs and he upped his game some more in 2015. Grichuk hit .276 with 23 doubles, seven triples, 17 homeruns and 47 RBI in 103 games.

Tommy Pham – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Injuries to the Cardinals outfield this season have led to Pham seeing extended play time towards the end of the season. Pham hit .268 with seven doubles, five triples, five homers and 18 RBI in 52 games.

Stephen Piscotty – (Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout) Piscotty is the third Cardinal to benefit from injuries this season, and the 6’3″, 210 pound outfielder hit .305 and racked up 26 extra-base hits in 63 games. Piscotty drove in 39 runs and scored 29.

 

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