The 2022 MLB regular season has come to an end, which only leaves the most important part of the season remaining. As the first postseason games inch closer and closer, our Bulldog Times staff members were given teams to evaluate for their performance this October.

New York Mets

Avery Rosas – Sports Editor

To avoid bias, I’ve chosen to write about the New York Mets instead of my dear Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets, who had a 10 game lead in the division just a month ago, failed to continue their dominant season into Atlanta and their penultimate series of the year, where they got swept and not only lost their 1 game lead in the division, but ended the series 2 games back with only 3 left to play.

They couldn’t make up the remaining ground and lost the division to the demons in Atlanta. As they get ready to face the Padres in a best-of-3 Wild Card, they’ll have to decide if they want to play their best starters in the preliminaries or if they want to try saving them for if they’re able to get past a particularly disappointing team in the San Diego Padres. If they can get past the Friars, they’ll still have to face the 111-win gauntlet Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Mets are an incredibly talented team with more than enough talent to win a World Series, but will they be able to pull themselves together and perform as expected? Behind the talents of Francisco Lindor, Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Pete Alonso, the Mets have proved that they can never be counted out. In the fallen years of their recent past, inconsistency in their players has been their downfall. If they’re going to win, they won’t be doing it on the back of one guy.

That being said, if the Mets can get past the team’s they’re going to be matched up against in the NL bracket, there’s no reason to think they won’t be heavily equipped to blow past anyone they face in a World Series matchup.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Trina Lizama – Staff Writer, Sports Department

With the 2022 postseason rolling in, the Los Angeles Dodgers has been the team that everyone has their eyes on. With 111 wins and first place in their division, they have an outstanding shot at making the World Series.

But as many Dodger fans know, the team tends to choke up during the postseason every year. As this almost seems routine for the Dodgers, they always have that chance of making it all the way, just like they have done in recent years. With the team having the highest number of wins in the MLB, there is no doubt that they are almost guaranteed to win the World Series. 

As they head into the National League Division Series, The Dodgers will await to see who they are set to face for the National League title. With the possible opponents being the San Diego Padres or the New York Mets, but as of now it looks promising to see the Dodgers vs. the Padres. 

The Dodgers have the best chance in the whole league to take it all. With one of their top players, Freddie Freeman, having a batting average of .325 and Trea Turner trailing behind him with a .298 AVG., it’s no doubt that we are likely to see a lot of balls in play for the team. 

As for the team’s pitching staff, they have been outstanding. With 5 players having over 100 strikeouts in the season, we are in for a show with the pitching staff. Players like Julio Urias, who has 166 strikeouts, expect nothing but the best from his performance on the mound during the postseason.

Now that the Los Angeles Dodgers have their 111 wins, a new franchise record, their energy will surely be put into their postseason games. No doubt there will be some loss for the team. But with this being their best season yet, their odds of taking the title and World Series are infinite.

Seattle Mariners

Jacob Harper – Staff Writer, Sports Department

The Seattle Mariners currently have a record of 90 wins and 72 losses under their belt in the 2022 season. Maybe the Mariners aren’t the most popular team in the MLB, but there are still some dedicated fans just waiting to see the Mariners do good and thrive in this 2022 season. Even though the Mariners haven’t made it to the World Series yet, fans still grasp onto hope.

The Mariners have never once entered the World Series in the MLB, but there is some hope, the Mariners fans believe that they will actually be able not to just make it into the World Series, but they might have a shot at winning it. The Mariners pitching has gotten a lot better and it’s beginning to become very noticeable, with the help of Luis Castillo, posting a 2.83 ERA and 2.89 FIP in his first nine starts in Seattle. Also with the help of the Mariners best player, being Julio Rodriguez, who has had 27 home runs, 73 RBI, and 25 stolen bases just this season.

It is surprising that the Mariners have not been doing very well in recent years, back in 2001 the Mariners had a record of 116 wins and only 46 losses, a record that has never been matched, yet the Mariners ended up losing to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series in only five games.

No matter what happens this season, the Seattle Mariners fans will hold onto hope for the seasons to come, and maybe one day the Mariners will be able to make their way back to the World Series.

Cleveland Guardians

Dallas Mangold – Staff Writer, Features Department

In a story of unlucky success, the Cleveland Guardians steal the AL Central and a 3 seed spot to play the Tampa Bay Rays at home. 

The start of Cleveland’s season was up in the air, to say the least, as a team name change rebranded much of what was once the Cleveland Indians. Even through controversy, they found a way to work around it and play through it, their strength showing in their 91-70 record. 

How Cleveland got here is striking, as their style of play has depended not on home runs, but regular ball on the ground plays. The team has only hit 127 home runs all season, placing them 29th in HR hits this season across the whole league, 30th place belonging to the Detroit Tigers. This style of play now flourishes in the league, as the shift ban plays crucial to their ground ball approaches. 

The last time the organization made the trip to the postseason was 2020, where they were blown out by the Yankees 2-0 in the AL Wild Card. In 2021, the team missed the playoffs as a whole, but look to reach farther into the playoff race as they play the 86-75 Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card game. 

Throughout the season, the Guardians have played well, being over .500 in away games and home games, and haven’t lost a series since the last remaining days of August. The team OPS of .698 shows for their efforts. Their dink and doink style of play proved beneficial, as they outclassed power teams like the Blue Jays and Rays. They were able to do this with players who aren’t well known for power or efficiency, and their best player being Jose Ramirez.