A guide for the 2015 AL Playoffs when you're avoiding football and your team didn't make it

With the Diamondbacks' 2015 season official complete, you are likely moving your attention elsewhere. In fact, there's a high probability you already have, and you're not even reading this. But if you are, and are subsequently wondering how to spend your leisure time in October, let me suggest you continue watching baseball because playoff baseball is always great.

Sure you could watch a lesser sport, such as basketball, hockey, or handegg, or even watch a good sport such as football, but the magic of playoff baseball is tough to beat. The history, the drama, the hyperbolic articles attempting to guilt you in to watching: it's all there.

Let me be your guide in determining which teams are actually playing, and possibly helping you decide which, if any, you should casually support.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals might have almost won the whole thing last year, taking it down to the very end of Game 7 against the Giants, but their recent history of ineptness should still make them a feel-good team. Should is the operative word, given that at the beginning of the season they attempted to brawl with any team they thought disrespected them. Kansas City has since calmed down, but it's not a good precedent.

Former D-backs on the team: None.

Last Championship, Total: 1985, 1.

How flippin' sweet are the uniforms: Base uniform is a little plain and looks a lot like the Dodgers, but not bad

Possible historical World Series rematches for 2015: Cardinals (1985)

Toronto Blue Jays

They haven't been particularly relevant since the early 90s, so they either provide the opportunity to engage in useless nostalgia, or the novelty of rooting for the only Canadian team.

Former D-backs on the team: Chad Pennington.

Last Championship, Total: 1993, 2.

How flippin' sweet are the uniforms: Kind of  cool but the typography hurts my heart

Possible World Series rematches for 2015: None!

Texas Rangers

They're kind of the Buffalo Bills of baseball in that they're usually awful but then suddenly had a good run and made a couple championships, only to lose them both (the second in a hilariously tragic manner). Your ability to root for them is probably inverse to how much you hate Prince Fielder.

Former D-backs on the team: None.

Last Championship, Total: None.

How flippin' sweet are the uniforms: Pretty generic, tbh. They also can't seem to decide if they want red or blue to be the main color

Possible World Series rematches for 2015: Cardinals (2011)

New Yawk Yankees

In the funhouse mirror that is baseball Twitter, the Yankees aren't hated but instead are the edgy underdog. Okay, maybe that oversells it a bit, but online baseball circles seem to be more okay with the team that has won 27 World Championships than the average baseball fan. Your ability to root for them is probably inverse to how much you hate Alex Rodriguez.

Former D-backs on the team: Stephen Drew, Didi Gregorius, Chris Young.

Last Championship, Total: 2011, 27.

How flippin' sweet are the uniforms: Maybe a little plain now, but iconic, of course

Possible World Series rematches for 2015: Mets (2000), Dodgers (1981, 1978, 1977, 1963, 1956, 1955, 1953, 1952, 1949, 1947, 1941), Cardinals (1964, 1943, 1942, 1928, 1926), Pirates (1960, 1927), Cubs (1938, 1932).

Houston Astros

Houston has been laughably bad the past few years, then managed to turn it around ahead of schedule and are in the playoffs for the first time since 2005 when they lost to the White Sox. There's a few feel good stories this year (Royals, Pirates, Rangers, maybe Cubs), but Astros have the recent awfulness combined with no historic success. Also, they're named after the space industry, which is easily the coolest inspiration in baseball.

Former D-backs on the team: AJ Hinch, Oliver Perez, Chad Qualls, Tony Sipp.

Last Championship, Total: None.

How flippin' sweet are the uniforms: Sneaky flippin' sweet! The redesign seems a little plain, but navy and orange is a great combination, and the overall look just works. D-backs, pay attention

Possible World Series rematches for 2015: None.

Now that you're more familiar with the Junior Circuit's lineup, who are you pulling for? Sound off in the comments.