2017 ALDS Prediction: Can the Yankees Stun the White-Hot Indians?

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It's a crying shame when two legitimate World Series contenders meet in the opening round of the postseason. 

Joe Girardi's Yankees -- fresh off their high-octane 8-4 victory over the upstart Twins in the AL Wild Card Game -- will have deadline acquisition Sonny Gray on the hill for Game 1 of the ALDS, where he'll be opposed by Trevor Bauer and the rest of Terry "Tito" Francona's record-setting Indians. 

Many are surprised by Tito's decision to go with Bauer in Game 1, as opposed to marquee name and playoff stud Corey Kluber, but Bauer is the classic "hot hand." After an absolutely atrocious first third of the season, Bauer has progressively improved to the point where an ERA over 6.00 dropped all the way down to 4.19 (second-best of his enigmatic career). Bauer has wipeout stuff; he struck out 196 batters in 176.1 innings this year. 

In addition, pitching Kluber in Game 2 lines him up for a do-or-die Game 5 start, if necessary. 

On the other side, I remember Gray's only two starts in the postseason. As a rookie back in 2013, he was fantastic in the ALDS against Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers' formidable offense. Gray surrendered just three runs in 13 innings of work, striking out 12 in the process. 

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The main difference now -- other than the change of uniform -- is that his fastball isn't quite as explosive as it was then. Regardless, the pure adrenaline should help, and we know Gray was poised last time around. 

Offensively, we got a good look at the Yankees' potent offense Tuesday night, and we know they'll be relying on Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Didi Gregorius, Brett Gardner and Starlin Castro for production and timely hitting in this series.

So let's divert our attention to the Indians for a bit. 2B Jose Ramirez is one of the least-discussed stars in the four major sports. Sometimes overshadowed by big, flashy names like Francisco Lindor and Edwin Encarnacion, Ramirez quietly received some votes for AL MVP in 2016. He followed up that breakout campaign by hitting .318 this season and leading the league with 56 doubles. He also showcased his power/speed versatility by mashing 29 homers and swiping 17 bags. Don't forget the fact that he can capably play second base, third base and shortstop. 

So, Ramirez, Lindor and Encarnacion will be players to watch, and they'll look for offensive assistance from vets Carlos Santana, Jason Kipnis and Jay Bruce (I miss you, Jay!). Speaking of Kipnis, keep an eye on his conversion to center field. His lack of experience at that position could come back to haunt the Indians in tight defensive spots. 

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Back on the mound, I think the starting rotations are close to a wash. Kluber is the best SP in the series, but Josh Tomlin -- the worst SP in the series -- is lightly penciled in for Game 4, if necessary. If we get to Game 4, the positive for the Indians is that Luis Severino doesn't seem ready for the bright lights. Game 4 would likely come down to the bullpens. 

Speaking of the bullpens, both the Yankees and Indians are STACKED in that department. As we saw in the Wild Card game, Girardi goes to Brian Cashman's pen and brings out one quality arm after another. Leading up to elite closer Aroldis Chapman, the Yanks boast Dellin Betances, Chad Green, Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson. You could make a legitimate argument that all five of those guys should be closers in the bigs. Lights out stuff.

The Indians ain't too shabby either, with Andrew Miller -- the most valuable and versatile reliever in the world over the long haul of the past four seasons -- leading the way, accompanied by Cody Allen, Bryan Shaw and oft-converted starter Danny Salazar. These guys also have outstanding stuff. 

JOHNNY FRO'S COMMON SENSE BREAKDOWN

Why overthink this? Let's make it nice and easy...

1. Offenses: Both are strong with the potential to explode. 

2. Starting Pitching: Both are solid, but not dominant. 

3. Bullpens: Both are elite. 

4. Defense: Negligible, though Kipnis in CF worries me. 

5. Managers: Possibly the top two in the game. 

5 REASONS WHY I'M TAKING THE INDIANS TO WIN IN 5

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1. I don't like the fact that the Yankees pen is coming into the series overworked. In the Wild Card Game, Green threw 2 innings and 41 pitches. Robertson 3 1/3 innings and 52 pitches! Kahnle 2 1/3 innings and 29 pitches. That means we'll be seeing Betances early in the series, and he hasn't been able to find the plate. 

2. Cleveland's collective experience from last year's postseason run. Helps in pressure spots. 

3. Indians will pitch the Yankees' free swingers carefully and effectively. That means Sanchez, Castro and Todd Frazier. 

4. The Indians are in Chapman's head. They shook him in the World Series. 

5. These Indians won 22 games in a row. They know how to squeeze out tight wins. 

And yet, in the end, anyone who tells you they have a crystal ball for this series is full of...well...you know. The Indians and Yankees are both World Series contenders. Now, let's play ball!!