Logan Winder, Staff Writer

It is that time of year again. Leaves are changing and covering the ground, sweaters are back in season, but most of all, it is postseason baseball and the American League Championship Series and the National League Championship Series are underway!

The series of seven games between the top two teams in the American League and the National League will go head to head to determine who will have the chance to go to the World Series and bring home that coveted trophy.

Representing the American League, the Houston Astros with a record of 101-61 take on Wildcard favorite, and arguably hometown favorite, the New York Yankees with a record of 91-71. On the National League side the top two teams are the Los Angeles Dodgers with a record of 104-58 battling against the defending World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs with a record of 92-70.

Here in the Mohawk Valley, with Cooperstown being close by and being the home to the Baseball Hall of Fame, there are quite a few baseball enthusiasts around the area.

Joe Gantz, one of the many baseball enthusiasts has high hopes for his team in the American League.

“These matchups for both of the league’s (ALCS and NLCS) are very interesting,” Gantz said.

“With the pitching as strong as it is for the Houston Astros and the strong batting that the Yankees have makes for an interesting series to watch.”

When asked who Gantz would like to see in the World Series he responded positively for his home team.

“I’m rooting for the Yankees all the way. I predict that the Yankees will beat Houston in six and the Cubs to go back to the World Series.”

Tyler Good was opposite of Gantz when asked the same question.

“I would have to say Houston tops the Yankees in this series. I feel as if the Yankees are always in the running and I like stories of the underdog so I am going to pick Houston on this one,” Good said.

“I think the Dodgers will go on to the World Series…I feel as if they have not won a championship in a long time and it would be a good matchup for Houston.”

“I am a Pirates fan, so I won’t really be rooting for a specific team…I’m just hoping for a good series,” Good ended with.

Lastly, Josh Reed, a big baseball fan and played baseball for years, explained what his feelings were toward the postseason this year.

“I’m glad it came down to these four teams…they’re all historic programs…with the Yankees pitching against the Astros’ multi dimensional offense will be a great thing to watch,” Reed said.

“It will be great to watch seeing the top two players in the American League MVP race go against each other (Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Jose Altuve of the Astros). And I hope the Yankees can carry this series momentum to the World Series.”

His predictions are in high hopes for the New York team.

“I would like to see the Yankees take the series in seven. As for the National League, it is a great match up between a great Dodgers team and the defending World Series champions,” Reed continued.

“The Dodgers are very explosive and arguably the best team in the league and I don’t think there is much the Cubs can do to stop them. I believe that the Dodgers will take the series against the Cubs in four games.”

But Reed did have some upsetting news for his team.

“Although I would love to see the Yankees take it all, I think the Dodgers are just too much for New York to handle. They have incredible pitchers and as mentioned before an explosive offense and I don’t think the Yankees could stop them. Dodgers win the series in six, but I hope I am wrong.”

As the postseason comes to an end, baseball fans everywhere are getting ready for the greatest moment they could experience, or suffer from heartbreak as their team may fall to the opponent and can only hope for a better outcome next season. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros are the top two teams in the country set to face off in the World Series. Who will be crowned the World Champion?