In late August I was digging through the MLB statistics trying to figure out how teams got to they where they were in the standings and to see if I could predict any outcomes for the post-season. I selected a few of the statistics that I felt were the most important as far as indicators of how a team was performing overall and coined it the Rextable.

The stats I chose were as follows, with the reasoning why:

1. Team Average: An obvious one. How well does your team hit overall. You need to hit to score runs and you need runs to win games.
2. Home Runs: This one is important for those teams that maybe don't hit for high average but can make up for it with the long ball.
3. Strikeout to Walk Ratio: Maybe your team hits home runs, but strikes out way to much. Can they balance their free swinging ways with some patience at the plate?
4. Average with RISP: Maybe you get the guys on and into a position to score, but if you can't bring them home, you won't win consistently.
5. Starters ERA: Maybe that offense of yours is a machine, but your starting staff gives it up like its prom night.
6. Bullpen ERA: Maybe your starting staff is great, but once those relievers enter you can kiss the lead good-bye.
7. Fielding Percentage: What good is a pitching staff if your defense is kicking the ball all over the field? That's rhetorical.

I ranked the teams from 1-16 in these categories and assigned a point value for Top 5 teams and Bottom 5 teams (I did the top and bottom four for the AL because they have two less teams). If you were in the top five in a category you received one point, in the bottom you received -1. If you were in the middle you received no points. If you lead the league in a category you get +2 but if you're the worst you get -2. The scale ranges from -14 to 14.

Here is what I came up with at that time:

You'll notice that all of the playoff teams scored at the top of their respective leagues. The Braves were a team that didn't get in, but I felt at the time were a serious contender down the stretch, and they certainly were until the end.

Now that the playoffs are about to begin, I thought I would take another look and see if I can predict the post-season using the Rextable (I really need a better name for that). Here are the scores for the teams as of the end of the season:

In the NL one of the biggest things that stands out is the Cardinals score. They went from a 2 in August to a 4 by the end of the season. Not to be outdone, the Dodgers actually added a point to bring their overall score to an 8.

In the AL all of the top teams from the original table made the playoffs, even the Twins who had to squeak one out yesterday to get there. Boston gained two points overall while the three others all added a point to their score.

Based on my exhaustive research, here is what I think is going to happen using the Rextable's information.

In Round 1 in the NL the Cardinals will beat the Dodgers. The Dodgers are a solid team, but in that short series the Cardinals have the advantage with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals jumped two points in the table which means they moved into the top five in two categories since late August. Those categories: batting average and bullpen ERA.

In the other series it will be the Phillies over the Rockies. The Rockies have been hot, but trying to win a slugfest with the Phillies is not a good idea.

In the NLCS I have to take the Cardinals over the Phillies. Pitching wins out in this one, and again I can't argue that two point Rextable swing.

In the ALDS I again can't argue with the two point swing of the Red Sox. They have struggled a bit in some areas lately but I think they knock off the Angels.

Do I really need a table to tell me the Yankees will beat the Twins? The answer is no, I do not. Don't blink or you might miss this one.

In the ALCS it's another ho-hum match up between the Red Sox and the Yankees. I took the Cardinals because of their two point swing. Do I go against my own table? I do not. I'll take the Sawx over the Yankees in the ALCS even though I might live to regret it.

That sets up a date in the World Series with the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Who do I like here? I can't fall back on my two point increase theory. Both teams have sold starting pitching even though I probably give the edge to the Cardinals. Both have a solid offense. Tough call, but I'll go with the team that has been there before.

I like the Boston Red Sox to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2009 World Series.

You got a problem with that?

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