After four months of regular season baseball, the NYCMBL playoffs are finally upon us as the Single-A tournament kicks off this week. Below is a brief glance at the play-in and first-round games on the schedule:

Play-in Games

(7) Gotham City Bats vs. (10) NYC Metros (Thursday, 7 p.m. @Randall's Island 48)

After a solid start to the season, the Bats have faltered a bit down the stretch, winning just four of their last 10 games. Don't let their final record fool you, however. When this team shows up in full force, it can compete with anyone in the Single-A division. It will be interesting to see if the Bats go to ace Zach Durr in their play-in game. Durr has pitched the lion's share of the innings for the team this year, but the Bats have several capable arms, including Nik Tripp and Durr's brother Tyler, who can get the job done.

The Metros are better than their record indicates as well, but will need production from top hitters Steve Murphey and Ned Franklin if they hope to get past the Bats.

(8) Bronx Titans vs. (9) Nassau Yankees (Friday, 7 p.m. @Roberto Clemente)

It's been an up-and-down season for the 2014 finalists, but the Titans could be finding their rhythm at exactly the right time. The Titans are coming off a big sweep of the Manhattan Braves in a double header that showcased the team's arms (including Pete Santiago) and hitters like Miguel Ferreras, who clubbed his third homer of the year. 

The Yankees pitching staff, which has struggled at times this year, will need to find a way to keep the Titans off the basepaths.

First Round Games

(3) Downtown Bulls vs. (6) Skyscrapers (Sunday, 9 a.m. @Governor's Field)

The Bulls and Skyscrapers are among the longest-tenured teams in the league, and both have plenty of playoff experience. These two first-round foes squared off on Sunday, with the Bulls getting the better of the matchup and winning the game 14-4. The Bulls have a veteran pitching staff led by Paul Baumann Jr., who has compiled a 7-4 record while throwing 71.2 innings this summer, but the Skyscrapers have a few arms of their own, with Ramon Perez and Jared Slow leading the way. 

(4) Astoria Mets vs. (5) Whitestone Nationals (Sunday, 4 p.m. @Taft HS)

The Nats were nearly through May before they picked up their first loss of the season, but the second-half has not been kind to the ballclub. Losing their last four games of the season, the Nats finished with a .500 record, which is still impressive given where the franchise was a year ago. 

The Mets and Nats squared off in the last week of the regular season, with the Mets winning both games handily. In a one-game playoff, however, one of the Mets' greatest strengths (their pitching depth) could be something of a non-factor. The Nats have a potent lineup anchored by Chris Dominiak and Francisco Candelario (both of whom are hitting over .400 this year), but the Mets lineup is among the deepest in the league, with seven everyday players hitting over .300.

(1) Wingbar Warriors vs. Winner of Titans/Yankees (Sunday, 12:30 p.m. @Governor's Field)

Whichever team emerges victorious on Friday night will certainly have their hands full on Sunday when they take on the top-seeded Warriors. Wingbar has one of the most dangerous hitters in the division in Jeff Lagares, who is tied for the league lead in homers. The pitching staff, led by veteran lefty Carl Weber, has the second-lowest cumulative ERA in the division. 

(2) Manhattan Braves vs. Winner of Bats/Metros (Sunday, 4 p.m. @Governor's Field)

If John "Showtime" Garcia is dealing, there aren't too many teams that can beat the Braves in a one-game scenario. Garcia has turned in a fine season, leading the league in both ERA and strikeouts, but has pitched only 2.1 innings since July 6. Even without him on the mound, however, the Braves can find ways to win. Veteran leader Mark Perez has had a monster season, batting .500 with 3 HRs and 30 RBIs, and the Braves will expect him to continue to shoulder the offensive load in the postseason.