4 Under-The-Radar Players Who Will Decide The SBLM Playoffs

Baseball is unpredictable - it's a big part in what makes it so interesting. In basketball, 99 times out of 100 the best team (this team typically has the best player) wins. In football, the best quarterback typically takes home the title. That's because in those sports a singular person can determine so much in a single game. A star ball handler or an elite quarterback will have the ball in their hands 95-percent of the time their offense takes the court or field. Sure, a pitcher is similar to those positions in a lot of ways, but a pitcher can only play once every four or five days. Because of this, time and time again players who might not get the recognition of their peers end up shining in the baseball postseason. We saw it with Howie Kendrick in the World Series last year, and a guy like Steve Pearce the year before. We know stars like Wade Landry and Gustav IsRealDaddy will perform as they always do, but baseball almost always comes down to the "other guys". Going down the list of teams, we identified one guy on each of the four playoff rosters who could give their team a shot at the title.

Ashweather Cett - LF - Chicago Storm - It's going to be tough sledding for the underdog Storm due to this format. The fourth-seeded Storm must traverse through three straight series while ceding home-field advantage to a trio of strong contenders. IsRealDaddy is one of the best all-around players in the SBLM, and Jermaine Cole has terrific stuff and figures to be a legit hurler for the next several years at the professional level. But position for position, the Storm simply don't stack up to their opponents. Just like a boxing match, there's always a "puncher's chance", and the Storm will need to rely on the long ball for any shot at making a run. Cett is a bit more Chris Davis than Nelson Cruz in his approach, but he did slug 13 bombs in 117 games, leading the Storm in that category.

Ian The Igloo - SS - Las Vegas Centurions - The Centurions were my mid-season pick to explode over the last part of the season, and they finished off the year strong on a 37-23 record following a 30-30 start. Vegas rode an elite pitching staff to the top record in the East, and they will obviously need the rotation clicking on all cylinders if the want to move forward after its initial series against the undermanned Storm. On the other side of the diamond, the Centurions could potentially make a significant run if they can get their bats going. Igloo is one of the top defensive middle infielders in the game, but isn't known for his skills at the plate. However, the Centurions shortstop ended the season on a sizzling hot streak, slugging .708 with a 1.131 in the final few games of August. If he can keep that up, the Centurions will be a dangerous out given their strength on the mound.

Lefty Mitchell - SP - Pittsburgh Pioneers - The 2-seed Pioneers are a forced to be reckoned with at the dish, but their inconsistent staff kept them from securing the top seed and ultimately earning a bye until the final round of the postseason. Ezekiel Bridges and Captain Hook owned good records, though left a bit to be desired for their overall performances over the year. The back half of the rotation, specifically Mitchell, need to step up in a big way. Mitchell will likely take the ball in a crucial game of a series at one point or another this postseason, and his 5.89 ERA certainly doesn't help ease the fears of Pittsburgh fans. He's a talented arm with solid stuff, but needs to keep his confidence up or else he could squander a game for the Pioneers.

Ryoma Fukushima - C - Sherbrooke Mohawks - The captain of the Mohawks doesn't have quite the firepower of some of his teammates, but he is the heart and soul of this team. When he plays well, the team seemingly rallies around him. You can almost precisely nail down the time when the Mohawks started becoming a powerhouse within the SBLM, and it nearly lines up with Fukushima's improvement as a hitter. His skill as a game-caller are well known, but if he's also swinging the bat at a high level it's hard to imagine anyone taking down the Mohawks this year.