Playoff Teams

[Frijolito]

NL East - Florida
NL Central - Milwaukee
NL West - Dodgers
NL Wild Card - Mets

AL East - Yankees
AL Central - White Sox
AL West - Angels
AL Wild Card - Rays

Milwaukee defeats the White Sox in 7 games for the world title.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

Milwaukee defeats the White Sox in 7 games for the world title.

Fox would hate that - so even being a RSox fan I am all for it!

[OldFatGuy]

Fox would hate that - so even being a RSox fan I am all for it!

LOL, yeah about the only series Fox would hate more would be the Rays/Marlins classic. Fox would probably try to back out of that one.

[chuckwillard]

Back from vacation, seriously sunburned, and wondering if its possible for a single dad to talk to an attractive woman, much less get her number, get a date, or anything further...

I digress. On with the picks.

AL East
Tampa Bay. I thought they'd fold when they lost 7 straight headed into the break. But they bounced back and look more solid now than before that.

AL Central
Chicago. More pieces, more veteran leadership, and two of the most accomplished power hitters currently active (Thome and Griffey). That Quentin kid's no slouch either.

AL West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim/Fullerton/Riverside/Rancho Cucamonga. Aside from having the most abominable name in American professional sports (outside MLS), they also have a damned scary lineup and freakishly good pitching. In fact, I'm going to call them right now for between 105-108 wins.

AL Wild Card
Boston. Yeah, yeah, its a little bit of a homer pick. But I really like the Manny deal. I'm a big Jason Bay fan. I just wish they hadn't given up Moss in the process, he had real upside. I just think they have more in the tank going down the stretch than the Yankees, and the Twins are definitely set up to fade back. Barring a major push by Texas or Detroit, I think the Sox should get in with the Wild Card.

ALDS
LAA def. BOS 3-1. Beckett is an Angel-killer. Otherwise they get swept for the third time this year by the Halos.

TBR def. CHW 3-2. This should be a really, really good series. I think Tampa has more upside and better starting pitching with Shields, Kazmir, and Sonnanstine (sp?). The White Sox rotation is not what it was in 2005.

ALCS
LAA def. TBR 4-1. I'll give the young'uns a game. But the Angels are scary good.

NL East
Here's the bigger question. Does anyone want to win this division? Every time someone gets in front, they tank. Badly. My preseason pick (Braves) turned into a freaking trauma ward, and they may have five rookies in their rotation by the end of the season. Plus, they bailed on the season by dumping Teixiera (sp?). I'm going to guess Philly. I think they're the most talented team (although the Marlins are no more than a year away, barring Loria antics). If they can get any sort of consistency from their pitching, they should be hard to beat here.

NL Central
Cubs. C.C. notwithstanding, they're more talented, deeper, and they've been there. They'll take it by 2-3 games, probably decided in the final series of the season.

NL West
Arizona until yesterday. Now, how do you pick against the Dodgers in the worst division in baseball? It's like putting Manny in AA and letting him see if he alone can carry a team to a league title. I still think they're short of 90 wins though.

NL Wild Card
Milwaukee, both because they have the best talent, and because neither of the other divisions are close to strong enough.

NLDS
MIL def. PHI 3-2. Close series, but the Brewers are the more talented team, and definitely have the better pitching. You can get 3 starts combined out of C.C. and Sheets in a series like that, and that should do it.

CHC def. LAD 3-1. The greatest collection of ex-Red Sox on the planet (Manny, Nomar, Derek Lowe) doesn't match the Cubs' firepower, with Fukudome, Lee, Ramirez, and Soto. Plus the Cubs can run out Harden and Zambrano for 3 games total, and Kerry Wood should be back in shape to be closing games out.

NLCS
CHC def. MIL 4-3. It'll be close, and a classic along the shores of Lake Michigan (not much of anywhere else, the Cubs will have much the fan advantage nationwide). Harden/Zambrano vs. Sabathia/Sheets. Prince, Hardy, Braun, and Hart vs. Fukudome, Lee, Ramriez, and Soto. This should be good baseball all around.

World Series
LAA def. CHC 4-2. The Cubs are easily the best team in the National League. But that's not saying much. They'll get 2 (maybe) against the Angels, but no more. It'll be a much easier path for LA of Anaheim etc. to get their second title.

[OregonDuck1989]

Oregon, you don't think the Rockies will win it?!?!

lol let's just say this.

I'm shocked and amazed the Monforts didn't move anyone during the deadline. I thought for sure they would dump Fuentes or even Holliday.

I'm still scared of Holliday moving next season. But as long as he doesn't move to New York I'm good now.

But if the Rockies win the NL West. I will give someone a million dollars.

[etothep]

lol let's just say this.

I'm shocked and amazed the Monforts didn't move anyone during the deadline. I thought for sure they would dump Fuentes or even Holliday.

I'm still scared of Holliday moving next season. But as long as he doesn't move to New York I'm good now.

But if the Rockies win the NL West. I will give someone a million dollars.

I'll call dibs on being that someone

[HoustonGM]

Ah I love seeing fans make predictions, and just making their prediction be their favorite team winning it all...

[chuckwillard]

Do you take me for an Angels fan? I seem to recall predicting my team would lose the division (but win the Wild Card), and then get bounced in the Divisional.

[OregonDuck1989]

I'll call dibs on being that someone

K. Does Pay Pal allow million dollar transactions?

lol

[HoustonGM]

Do you take me for an Angels fan? I seem to recall predicting my team would lose the division (but win the Wild Card), and then get bounced in the Divisional.

I wasn't talking about you, heh. I don't know who your favorite team is (although now, reading your post, I'd go with Boston?).

[chuckwillard]

Yes, I'm a Sox fan. I try not to be too much of a homer in my posts. I lived in Boston for several years as a child (actually born in Baltimore, but don't remember it). My first major league game was at Fenway in 1985, when I was 8. My dad claims I watched the Bucky Dent game with him, but he probably means I was crawling around on the floor with a toy train or something, since I was about 18 months old at the time. My first real heartbreak was Buckner.

I'll consider it a compliment to my objectivity that you didn't know my rooting interests already...

[Arctic Blast]

AL East - Rays
AL Central - White Sox
AL West - Angels
Wild Card - Red Sox

NL East - Phillies
NL Central - Cubs
NL West - Dodgers
Wild Card - Brewers

Angels over Phillies in the World Series.

[Slingshot]

AL East - Boston Red Sox
AL Central - Chicago White Sox
AL West - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
AL Wild Card - Tampa Bay Rays

NL East - New York Mets
NL Central - Chicago Cubs
NL West - Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card - Milwaukee Brewers

[RedsoxRockies]

Ah I love seeing fans make predictions, and just making their prediction be their favorite team winning it all...

WHat makes you think that? I bet you don't know my favorite teams

[Slingshot]

WHat makes you think that? I bet you don't know my favorite teams

A question for you though: If the Rockies meet the Red Sox in the World Series, which team will you root for?