B1G in the 2016 MLB Playoffs

October.

What a wonderful month. Not only does it contain my birthday but the leaves are changing, the weather is becoming more crisp or B1G-esque, and football kicks into high gear for both the NCAA/NFL.

But do you know what ties it all together? It's MLB playoff time.

Roughly six months and 162 games later we finally get to figure out who is the best team in baseball and unlike the NHL or NBA where half the league shows up it's been whittled down to eight ten (thanks, Bud!) making that final push.

From all across the B1G landscape there are many different walks of life regarding MLB fandom. Some Buckeye bro/broettes are probably excited for Cleveland's first Central division title in about a decade. Terp fans all across the Old Line State and inside the Beltway are glad the Orioles and Nats advanced. Pretty sure there's only like a hand full of Hawkeye fans that are NOT card carrying members of Cubbie Nation. Some of you out there may even root for Yankees Jr. the Red Soxs although I don't know why.

Unless your team is still fighting in October you may be wondering who to root for (edit - not the Mets) (additional edit - Fuck the Mets) as we close out the season. Use this handy guide as a way to find some B1G alums as well as those within the B1G footprint that are in the postseason.  It may just peak your interest long enough as we all watch the Cubs eventual storming to the title and Chicago's subsequent burning to the ground.

AL

Red Sox

Matt Barnes RP UCONN

Travis Shaw 3B Kent St.

Slim pickens here, although you shouldn't be rooting for Evil Empire with a Funnier Accent anyway.

Indians

Perci Garner RP Ball St.

Jeff Manship RP (fuck) Notre Dame

Rajai Davis CF UConn-Avery Point

No B1G love from one of the rust belt teams in the playoffs although Kipnis is an Illinois native who went to Arizona St.

Rangers

Jake Diekman RP Cloud County (KS) CC (Wymore, Nebraska)

Nick Martínez SP Fordham

Jared Hoying LF Toledo

Ryan Rua LF Lake Erie College

So far MAC: 3 B1G: zlich. Ouch. Also interesting is the Rangers have a dude from Alaska on the team (Barnette-ASU).

Blue Jays

Danny Barnes RP Princeton

Brett Cecil RP Maryland

Matt Dermody RP Iowa

Jason Grilli RP Seton Hall

J.A. Happ SP Northwestern

Bo Schultz RP Northwestern

Jackpot finally as the team from the Great White North has a few B1G alums where most are in the bullpen. The Blue Jays have been the only club for Dermody who was drafted by them in 2013 whereas Cecil has been with Toronto since '09. Out of the two NW alums Happ has been around in both the NL and AL before landing in Toronto again and was drafted initially by the Phillies back in '04. Schultz was undrafted and started out with the D-backs a couple years ago and has been with Toronto ever since. Shout out to the Ivy League too for having a Princeton alum up there.

Orioles

Brad Brach RP Monmouth

Oliver Drake RP Navy (Beat Army)

Brian Duensing RP Nebraska

Trey Mancini 1B (fuck) Notre Dame

Nolan Reimold LF Bowling Green

Duensing was part of the Nebraska's 2005 CWS team and was drafted by the Twins in the 3rd round. He was a starting pitcher initially but now has moved on to relief work for Baltimore.  Got a service academy representing as well.

NL

Nationals

Tanner Roark SP Illinois

Blake Treinen RP South Dakota State

Chris Heisey CF Messiah

Jayson Werth LF

Roark was initially drafted back in 2008 by the Rangers but has only played for the Nats since '13. Also mentioning Jayson Werth since he is the big bro of former Husker volleyball player Hannah Werth and winner of the "Dude that looks like he spent the last 12 years in the wilderness to, like, get away from the government, maaaaaaaaan" award.

Cubs

Kyle Hendricks SP Dartmouth

Spencer Patton RP SIU-Edwardsville

Joe Smith RP Wright State

Kyle Schwarber LF/C Indiana

Schwarber may have been out for the season but he certainly will be a force once he gets back into the Cubs' lineup. Another Ivy League shout out for Dartmouth.

Dodgers

Rich Hill SP Michigan

Brock Stewart SP Illinois St.

Micah Johnson 2B Indiana

Hill started off with the Cubs when he was drafted back in 2002 and has been a journeyman of sorts mainly in the AL before landing at the Dodgers the latter half of this year. Johnson was drafted in 2012 by the White Sox but played two of his three years with the Dodgers.

Mets

Jerry Blevins RP Dayton

Kevin Plawecki C Purdue

Curtis Granderson RF UIC

Fairly new to the MLB Plawecki went undrafted but ended up signing with the Mets as a backup catcher.

Giants

Ty Blach RP Creighton (Fuck CU)

George Kontos RP Northwestern

Joe Nathan RP SUNY-Stony Brook

Jeff Samarafaicsnargwdzxvija SP (fuck) Notre Dame

Conor Gillaspie Wichita State

Joe Panik 2B St. John's

Kontos was drafted by the Yankees back in '06 but decided to bail on that sinking ship after one year and has been with the Giants ever since. Gillaspie gets a special shout out since he's a local boy (Millard North High School) even though he went to play for the Shockers.