On Friday Major League Baseball announced game times for the NLDS and ALDS through Tuesday of next week, which will cover up to Game 3 of the National League Divisional Series.
The postseason kicks off on Friday with the Braves and Cardinals playing the first ever play-in wild-card game at 2:07 p.m. PT. The Braves are favored, but know this: if the final game of Chipper Jones career is a one-game playoff loss, it would be both sad and fitting. The Rangers host the Orioles at 5:37 p.m. PT. No, "Orioles" is not a typo. Both games are on TBS.
The Athletics get the "real" playoffs started when they travel to Detroit for Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday at 3:07 p.m. PT. As Oakland will have to throw their bats at very fast Justin Verlander pitches, it's no surprise that the Tigers are heavy favorites (-190 money line and -1.5 runs).
San Francisco's an even scarier bet in their first game, which will be at 6:37 p.m. PT on Saturday following the A's game; both of these are also on TBS. The Giants are -130, which is good because you'll be betting on Matt Cain. But it's bad because you're betting on a scary Reds lineup and the dynamic Johnny Cueto. If San Francisco doesn't win this one, Giants fans should be very scared about the series as a whole.
Speaking of scary, how about some morning baseball! Game 2 of the ALDS will feature the A's playing the Tigers at 9:07 a.m. PT on Sunday. This is the one game that's not on TBS, as it'll air on MLB Network.
The winner of the Cardinals/Braves play-in game will play the Nationals in Game 1 of the other NLDS later that afternoon (12:07 p.m. PT, TBS) and then the Yankees will travel to either Baltimore or Texas after that (3:15 p.m. PT).
The Giants will have the Sunday nightcapper, as first pitch for Game 2 of the NLDS is scheduled for 6:37 p.m. PT. Madison Bumgarner's taking the hill for San Francisco. Either Bronson Arroyo or Mat Latos is a good bet to start for Cincy. Load up on the Giants when the line comes out.
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Monday will feature a pair non-Bay Area-centric games, as Washington will play in either St. Louis or Atlanta for the second game of that NLDS, with first pitch going down at 1:37 p.m. PT. The "late" game that "night" will be either the Rangers or Orioles hosting the Yankees at 5:07 p.m. PT.
Tuesday's a Bay Area party though. The Giants get things started at 2:30 p.m PT when they travel to Cincinnati for Game 3. The guess here is that Tim Lincecum ends up getting the start, but it could also be Barry Zito and ohmygod what happened to the Giants rotation all of a sudden?
Oakland will host a playoff game -- at least one! -- when the Tigers come O.co for Game 3 of their NLDS that night, with first pitch going down 6:00 p.m. PT.
The rest of the A's and Giants games are on an as-necessary basis and MLB will announce times later.
