Division Series previews and predictions

Wow, what a regular season! It all came down to the last day to determine who was playing who in the playoffs in the American League and who would get the last two spots in the National League. Plus, there are five new teams in the playoffs this year, that were not in last year. Who says there is no parity in baseball? But, now it comes down to the quickest month for a sports fan, October and the short series, best of five or seven games to determine a winner and who moves on.

American League

Rangers vs. Rays

A series of two teams who did not make the playoffs last season, and of two who struggled down the stretch. The reason for this is because both clinched playoff spots relatively early, with no real struggle down the stretch. The Rays punched their ticket to the postseason on September 28, while the Rangers punched theirs on the 25th of September. Both teams are strong in the pitching department, especially in starting pitching and the closer role. The aces for each are quite comparable to each other, with David Price for the Rays and Cliff Lee for the Rangers. Both are left handers, both like to work fairly quickly and both have postseason experience. The difference being for Price is that his came out of the bullpen for the shockingly good 2008 Rays, and he has never started a postseason game, while Lee baffled seemingly everyone who faced him in last year's playoffs when he was with the Phillies.
The rest of the rotation for the Rangers, who are experiencing the postseason for the first time this century, is inexperienced, but good, they have their former closer C.J. Wilson set up to go in game two and Colby Lewis in game three. The Rays will probably have Price, Matt Garza and James Shields. It should be interesting with the pitching, but I think there will be a lot of offense, as both teams are loaded top to bottom with speed and mashers. The Rays big question is going to be is Evan Longoria going to be back to play sa he has been injured with a quad injury for the past week.
this series is going to go five, and really, I think it is a coin flip, but I'll go with the Rangers in game five and Lee, the Rangers have never won a postseason series in their three attempts, and they have got to do it sooner or later.

Pick: Rangers in 5.

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees

The Minnesota Twins have not won a World Series since 1991, and the New York Yankees won just last season, on their way, they knocked out the Twins. The Twins are out for revenge, and this Yankees team looks to be the weakest of the ones they have faced since 2002. The Yankees rotation behind CC Sabathia is in shambles and you will not know what will happen behind them. The Twins rotation does not put fear in you, but they pitch to contact and they are consistent. Plus, the Twins have home field in the first round, which they have not had in the past against the Yankees. Plus, they seem to be a lot more comfortable in Target Field than they were at the Metrodome.
Granted, the Yankees have their usual cast of hitters, but in the playoffs, they say you cannot win without good pitching, and I think that's where the Yankees will falter. The Twins lineup is not the best, especially when Joe Mauer has not been hitting all that well and their former MVP Justin Morneau is out. The Twins will really need Delmon Young to continue to play well for them to keep up with the Yankees hitting. This series could go five as well, but I think that the Twins pull it out in four.

Pick: Twins in four.

National League

Cincinnati Reds vs Philadelphia Phillies

The defending National League champions are rolling on all cylinders right now. The Phillies have the best starting trio in all of the majors right now with H2O, Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt. Those three pitchers went 13-1 combined in the final month of the season. Roy Halladay is going to start game one for the Phillies. It's what he wanted once he came to Philadelphia in the offseason, after pitching for 12 seasons without a playoff appearance in Toronto. The Phillies have also been hitting very well, and they got back Jimmy Rollins, their spark plug at the top of the lineup just in time after a calf injury. Plus, the middle of the lineup with Jayson Werth, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, who all hit over 25 homers again seem to be rolling.
The Reds on the other hand are entering the postseason for the first time in 15 seasons. they are a young team without a care in the world seemingly. The Reds were in control over the weakest division in baseball, the central seemingly for the entire season. They really took control after the perennial champion Cardinals swept them in Cincinnati. The Reds then went on a tear while the Cardinals stumbled in August in September. The Reds do have a MVP canidate in Joey Votto who will be the key in the series for the Reds. Cincinnati also has some good pitchers going for them, with Edinson Volquez in game one, who has not faced the Phillies since 2008 and is 2-0 lifetime against them. Then, they have some good starting pitchers along with perhaps the most electrifying relief pitcher in the game, Aroldis Chapman, who throws 105 mph and throws a nasty slider. It could be an interesting series, but I just don't see the Phillies having too much trouble with the Reds.

Pick: Philadelphia in 3.

San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves

These two teams waited until the final game of the season to punch their tickets to the postseason. The Giants won the NL West, while the Braves won the Wild Card thanks to the Giants winning over the Padres. Both teams are also coming into the postseason after playoff droughts of 5 for the Braves and 7 years for the Giants.
The Giants bread and butter is their starting pitching, that's what makes them go, they have three pitchers which rival the Phillies big three with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez. The Giants offense has not done much, but is capable of doing a lot, with the Giants starting lineup looking somewhat different from their opening day lineup. The Giants brought in Pat Burrell to get offense from left field and they have potential Rookie of the Year Buster Posey behind the plate to replace Bengie Molina who they traded to Texas. Both Posey and Burrell are doing well, and could be trouble for the Braves. The Giants also have a lights out closer in Brian Wilson, who only blew five chances all year.
The Braves have come into the playoffs limping and have their entire infield different from opening day. Don't believe me? Well, a look around the diamond denotes that Chipper Jones was the opening day starter at third, now Omar Infante. Yunel Escobar at shortstop, now Alex Gonzalez. Martin Prado at second, now Brooks Conrad. Troy Glaus at first, now Derrek Lee. Plus, Infante and Conrad were originally supposed to be on the bench, but were pressed into starting through injuries. this team is a mismatch of players all around, with the only two starters playing in the same position from opening day being Rookie of the Year candidate Jason Heyward in right and Brian McCann at catcher. This team almost seems like a team of destiny for Bobby Cox's last season as manager with all of the mismatching and injuries to Jones, Prado, Jair Jurrjens at starter. But, like I said, ALMOST, as much as I'd like for Bobby Cox, one of the games classiest people to go out on top, he'll be knocked out in the first round.

Pick: San Francisco in 4.