[jamus23]

The Nashville Predators (84-78)


VS.

The Miami Dolphins (104-58)




History:

This will be the first time that the Predators and the Dolphins meet in the playoffs. This is not really surprising, for two reasons. Firstly, because of the playoff format. From the time the Dolphins entered the league in 2038 to the year of the second expansion and the expanded playoffs in 2064, only the division winners could reach the postseason. Since Miami and Nashville both occupy the Southeast Division, it would have been impossible for them to both reach the playoffs.

The second factor is related to the struggles of the Nashville franchise. I touched on this in Nashville's season preview, but the Predators' history can be divided up into two distinct eras. The first era lasted from the beginning of the league(2003) until 2038/2044(I'll explain this shortly), and the second era lasted from 2039/2045 until, perhaps, last season. Nashville was one of the most successful American League teams right from the get-go. The Predators won the very first World Series in 2003. From 2003 to 2036, they won 13 division titles(5 in a row from 2022 to 2026), reached 10 World Series('03, '11, '15, '22, '23, '25, '26, '31, '34, and '36), and won 3('03, '25, and '31). From 2003 to 2038, they had a total of 23 seasons over .500, and from 2003 to 2044, they had 26. They won 100 games four times, including three years in a row from 2023 to 2025. They finished above .500 every year from 2022 to 2034.

Although the Predators had struggled a bit in the early '10s, with three last place finishes in four seasons(2013, 2014, and 2016), those struggles had long been forgotten as they dominated in the '20s and early '30s. So few were especially bothered by Nashville's hiccup in the late '30s. Nashville had never lost 100 games in a season before, but in 2039, they lost 100 on the nose, and the following year, they lost 103 and finished in last place for the first time in 21 years. But the Predators bounced back. They won 85 games in each of the next two seasons, and then after slumping to 77 wins in 2043, they won 96 in 2044, reached their 11th World Series, and emerged victorious for their 4th World Series victory. Thus endeth the first era in Nashville's history.

As I said, one could call those hiccup years the start of the second era, but I would prefer to include the '44 championship in the first era, and have the second era begin in 2045. Following that championship, Nashville slipped to just 80 wins in '45, and then only 76 wins in 2046. And then in 2047, the Predators embarked on the longest stretch of last place finishes by any team in league history. For the next 11 seasons, Nashville brought up the rear of the Southeast Division, finally escaping the cellar in 2058. Although Nashville's emergence from last place took place prior to the '64 expansion, the Predators remained, at best, a mediocre team, and still occasionally drifted to the bottom of the division, finishing in last in 2064 and 2069. Throughout the '70s, the only thing that kept them out of last was the recently added Charlotte team. Nashville finished in fifth place, just ahead of the Panthers, every year from '72 to '77. It wasn't until last year that Nashville finally reached the postseason again, and just barely, at that. Thus, in the 20 years that the playoffs have been expanded, this year is only the second time that Nashville has reached the postseason.


Quick Facts:


-Miami won 12 out of 16 games against Nashville this season. The only team that the Dolphins won more games against this year was Green Bay(14). The average score of the Dolphins-Predators matchups was 6.1 to 4.1 in favor of Miami. Miami reached double digits twice, blowing out Nashville 12-0 on April 7, and 17-6 on August 27. Nashville's biggest win was a 9-1 triumph on April 6. Four of the games were decided by one run, with each team winning two. One of the games went to extra innings, with Miami winning 1-0 in 11 innings on June 16.

-Miami's Christian Hokusai made 3 starts against Nashville and had a 2.84 ERA. He struck out 18 and walked 3 in 19 innings pitched. Jose Caceres had a 4.50 ERA in 3 starts and had a 12/15 K/BB in 18 innings pitched. Ramon Baston had a 2.74 ERA in 3 starts, and a 23/14 K/BB in 23 innings pitched. Mark Prior had a 3.21 ERA in 4 starts and a 30/11 K/BB in 28 innings pitched, however those numbers are inflated a bit by one start. In the extra-inning victory that Miami had, Prior pitched 10 1/3 scoreless innings and recorded 12 strikeouts. Thus, in his other three starts, he had only a 5.09 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched.

-Roy Springs hit .343 with 6 homeruns and 24 RBI against Nashville. The homeruns tie for his most against any team and the RBIs are his highest against any team. Thomas Fuentes, Jr. hit .224 with 0 homeruns against Nashville. They were the only team he didn't hit a homerun against, and that is his lowest AVG against any team. Edmond McGurk hit just .204 with 2 homeruns against Nashville. Dennis Fernandez hit only .170 against Nashville, his lowest batting average against team.

-Mose Urick faced Miami only twice during the regular season, posting a 2.63 ERA in 13 2/3 innings pitched. Rene Romero had a 6.19 ERA in three starts against the Dolphins. Marco Nunez faced Miami 4 times and took the loss in all four games, posting an ERA of 8.20.

-Carlo Romero hit .292 with only 1 homerun against Miami. The single homerun is his fewest against any team. Robert Perkins hit just .204 against the Dolphins, his lowest AVG against any team. David Rosier hit only .156 against Miami. Daniel Lane batted .298 with 9 RBI against the Dolphins and had 5 hits in the Predators' July 21st loss to Miami. Jerry Hise hit .333 against the Dolphins, but drove in only 3 runs, which tied for his fewest against any team.


Thoughts:

On the surface, it seems obvious that Miami should win. They have a powerful offense, and a strong, deep rotation. Nashville can score runs, but aside from Urick and possibly Rene Romero, the pitching is suspect. Still, I said the exact same thing with regards to Denver, and the Predators swept them aside with very little difficulty. Shockingly little difficulty, I should say. So what does that mean for this series? Honestly, I have no idea. Unlike Denver, Miami isn't missing its best hitter, so that would be a plus in the Dolphins' favor. Miami's ballpark, one of the tougher places to hit in the American League, is especially hard on left-handed power hitters, which doesn't bode well for David Rosier and Daniel Lane, both switch-hitters, and Hugh Marzano, a lefty.

Prediction:

Miami in six games.