Playoffs Round One

Baseball Playoffs: GET EXCITED!

My Mets, were not statistically eliminated till September, but we all knew that since August they didn't have a snowball's chance in hell. I say, "we all" because everyone in the world but me believed this by July, and when I started not believing in August we had a quorum.

Anyway, onto the teams that earned a spot.
First Match-up in the NL
Dodgers vs Cardinals
Two games have been played already, Dodgers are up 2-0. Now, this gives them an advantage, and Manny isn't hitting well, yet, which also gives them a chance, because we know in the past he has turned in on. Ask any Cubs fan about last year where he hit a homerun off a ball that nearly hit his shoestrings.
I still want to give the Cardinals a chance in this one though. Mostly because they have two of my favorite players, Holliday and DeRosa. Also, these guys were the biggest portion of last year's "What the hell are you doing?!?!" moves last offseason. As in, "Colorado, you let one of your franchise players get away!" and with the Cubs "Oh, we moved DeRosa, let's add to the Laundry list of bad moves Hendry has made this year." There is still the Pujols factor, ask Brad Lidge about that one.


Rockies vs Phillies

God I hate the Phillies.... Cliff Lee was good in Game one, and pretty boy Cole Hamels couldn't be the pitcher he was last year. Hmm, I wonder why? Manuel really doesn't know how to space out his starters like he did last year. You're throwing Lee one day and Hamels the next? They are similar pitching styles, you basically gave them a 7 inning preview of what they were going to see the next day.
I know they want to have their lefties pitch more because of Colorado's history against lefties, but you need to have some sort of variation in starters regardless. Because of this and a huge hatred for the Phillies, and the city of Philadelphia itself, I pick the Rockies

On to the Alternate League, I mean American.... Stupid DH

Angels vs Red Sox
Lester got beat against Lackey last night for Game 1. Well, the Angels are too good a team to not win one. They however need to turn around and beat Beckett, and the Red Sox have to beat Weaver. Advantage Red Sox Big time. The Angels have deeper Starting Pitching, tilts the tables for them, a little. I still think the Red Sox have the better top 3 Starters that can go on short rest and they also have a known powerful offense. Let's face it, Torii Hunter is good, but Vald has fallen a bit, so I don't think the Angels can keep up.
Short but sweet, my pick is the Red Sox

Yankees vs Twins
Twins got in last minute, unfortunately, I had Detroit making the playoffs. The twins have mediocre starting pitching, but an offense that can rally. They have possibly the best closer on the planet in Joe Nathan, and one of the leagues best hitters in Joe Mauer. However, they are missing the Morneau.
The Yankees are the Yankees, they won 103 games. They're good. Top offense, which isn't good for the Twins where their best starting pitcher won 15 games. It pains me to say this, but especially without Morneau the Yankees are in position to sweep. I think the Yankees best Pitching is CC, the Pettite, then Burnett, and it really doesn't matter from there, because the 4th pitcher is going to face the other teams 4th, and in a battle of mediocre pitchers the team that can hit the long ball wins, advantage Yankees.
Also, ringing on a point from above with the Phillies and Rockies. Notice, Pettite's postseason experience and success would have him as one of the top two pitchers for the Yankees, but Girardi is pitching Burnett in game two. Even though CC and Pettite are two different types of Lefty pitchers, Girardi sees the need to mix up Left/Right/Left. Ah, someone who understands the game.