Boyd Bergquist’s Baseball Breakdown – The 2022 MLB Play-Off Preview

EDITOR’S NOTE: Boyd Bergquist was the sports director at KETS-TV in East Tree Stump, Nebraska for almost 40 years.  Known across the Husker state as the voice of the Boy’s High School Basketball Tournament, Bergquist was a four-time winner of the Marv J. Butz “Golden Cob” Award For Excellence In Nebraska Broadcast Journalism.  That background, along with his quick if not cliché-riddled wit and love of single-malt scotch makes Bergquist a perfect fit to be our “Question” guy. 

Like the song says, Camptown Race Track might be five miles long, but that’s nothing compared to 162 games.  Well, now that it’s behind us, we can get down to the real nitty-gritty…post-season play. But before we get to October baseball, let’s let’s recap where we’ve been.

If you recall, I’m not about the usual “power ranking” stuff. Instead, I started this season by breaking down all 30 major league squads into six easy-to-understand groups based on what I thought these teams could realistically expect in 2022. Those original six categories were as follows.

• Ready To Win Right Now: These are teams which are ready to climb the mountain right now…no ifs, ands or buts.
• There’s Just One Thing Missing: Did you ever almost complete a jigsaw puzzle, but the three pieces you have remaining don’t fit the holes you have left? Welcome to the stories of these teams.
• Need Some Things To Go Their Way: Welcome to a collection of clubs who almost have the goods to win on their own; but anything is possible if they get more than one “lucky break.”
• At Least They Don’t Suck: Do I really need to explain this one?
• Why Wait For Next Year? One way or another, these teams need to make a decision about the future.
• It’s Going To Be A Long Summer: Everybody has hope on Opening Day, but some lose it far faster than others.

Once we got to Memorial Day, I had six new categories at the “far turn” which again should be fairly self-explanatory.

• Just As We Expected: Teams performing just as expected.
• So Far, So Good: Teams which are very much in the thick of the race at this point.
• Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left:  Read this as teams potentially over-achieving.
• It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet:  This is for teams who may have stumbled out of the gate, but still have plenty of time
• Better Figure It Out Quick: A category for teams whose problems are severe, despite the fact there a lot of race left.
• It’s Not Too Early To Say It’s Over: Even at this juncture, it’s a safe bet these teams are finished.

Half-way through the race, there were only two categories to worry about; is your team a play-off contender and should they be a buyer or a seller at the trade deadline? Here’s how I saw it.

American League

National League

Some teams helped themselves at the deadline, and some teams didn’t; you can see a breakdown of that here. But as we head toward October, it’s time to look at who can get to the Winner’s Circle, and who is going to spit the bit.

The field has been expanded this year to include six teams from each league; the three division winners and three wild-cards. Here’s how I see them running as we head down the home stretch.

11) Toronto Blue Jays

• Original Category – Ready To Win Right Now
• Memorial Day Category – It’s Not “Panic” Time…Yet
• Independence Day Category – Contender – Sell

If only Bo Bichette could pitch…

10) San Diego Padres

• Original Category – At Least They Don’t Suck
• Memorial Day Category – Off To A Great Start, But There’s A Lot of Season Left
• Independence Day Category – Contenders – Buy

Getting Juan Soto and Josh Bell at the trading deadline was supposed to make this team a baseball version of “Godzilla.” While Soto is finally looking like the superstar they traded for, this is the second year in a row this team has underperformed. There’s a reason for that, and it’s far beyond Fernando Tatis being hurt and/or suspended. Hit us up if you have a theory as to why…

9) Seattle Mariners

• Original Category – Need Some Things To Go Their Way
• Memorial Day Category – Better Figure It Out Quick
• Independence Day Category – Contenders – Buy

Let’s all say it together: this team’s two-decade-long play-off drought is over. But that’s about all we can say. This team is perfectly capable of winning their Wild Card series, but the Mariners have the same problem as everybody else in the American League…they can’t beat Houston.

5B) Philadelphia Phillies

• Original Category – There’s Just One Thing Missing
• Memorial Day Category – So Far, So Good
• Independence Day Category – Contender – Sell

5A) St. Louis Cardinals

• Original Category – There’s Just One Thing Missing
• Memorial Day Category – Just As We Expected
• Independence Day Category – Contenders – Buy

When one thinks of teams who get hot in the second half, everybody goes straight to the Braves. But don’t sleep on the Cardinals. For as streaky as they’ve been, the Phillies did what they needed to do down the stretch. It all boils down to this…one of these teams is going home early; the other could go all the way. I have this recurring nightmare than one day, I’m going to have to say “Kyle Schwarber, World Series MVP.” This year is as good as any.

1) Houston Astros

• Original Category – There’s Just One Thing Missing
• Memorial Day Category: Just As We Expected
• Independence Day Category – Contenders -Buy

The Astros are the most complete team in the game, and the have the best pitching staff that nobody talks about now…with the obvious exception of Justin Verlander. But let us never forget about the “Dusty ‘Baserunners just clog up the basepaths’ Baker” factor.

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Got a question for our 70’s TY Sports Anchor? Got your own take? Nothing is “off-limits,” and no take is “too hot.” The only questions or comments Boyd Bergquist can’t handle are the one you don’t send!

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