Phillies, Padres, and more: Lessons from the 2022 postseason
Let’s not forget about the 2021 World Series Champion Braves, who arguably pulled off one of the most improbable postseason runs in MLB history. After losing star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves had one of the worst rosters entering the postseason and were written off by almost everybody. After losing Game 1 of the NLDS to Corbin Burnes and the Brewers, the Braves went 7-2 in their next nine playoff games, defeating the Brewers and Dodgers, who both had significantly better regular seasons than Atlanta.
The Braves again defied the odds in the World Series, beating a more talented Astros team to secure the title. It was the true example of postseason magic, with guys like Eddie Rosario, Joc Pederson, and Adam Duvall getting hot out of nowhere and carrying an underdog team.
In the end, David Stearns, Andrew Friedman, James Click, and all the other GMs who tailor their rosters towards making the postseason year after year are the ones who are doing it right.
Next. How the 3 true outcomes doomed the Phillies. dark
The postseason is truly a different animal. There are no real metrics that can predict your success. The best way to win is to throw your team’s hat in the ring every October, no matter what position you start in. The more talented team doesn’t always win in October. It doesn’t matter how good or bad you were playing in the regular season. In the end, any team that gets hot can win it all when it comes to playoff baseball.