Baseball Playoff Predictions

American League

Minnesota Twins vs Oakland A's

The team that wins this 5 game series is going to win the World Series. The Twins are the best team in the majors and have been playing like it for the last 4 months. They have the best pitcher in the game in Johan Santana and he scares the hell out of everybody in a short series. But Minny also has the best bullpen in the majors and if they are winning going into the sixth inning of any game that game is over. They will get solid pitching from their other starters but what will really surpirse people and carry them through is their unnderrated offense led by my AL MVP Justin Morneau. With Morneau, Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer in the middle of the lineup they will score runs. And with that pitching staff they won't need to score many to win.

The A's on the other hand are the best team nobody is talking about. Their pitching is just as good as it was when they had Hudson and Mulder it's just that nobody knows these guys. Their biggest problem is they have precious little offense aside from Frank Thomas. I think the Twins will pitch around Thomas and make other guys beat them. The other guys won't. It's another first round exit for thr A's which is too bad becuase I think they are the second best team in the AL.

Prediction: Twins in 4

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Everyone is making the Yankees the favorites to win the World Series but that's only because they are the Yankees. Their lineup is the best in the playofs but their pitching stinks. Mike Mussina is a proven playoff guy but let's see how 19 game winner Chen Meng Wang holds up under the October pressure. Eevn if Randy Johnson is healthy enough to pitch he will get lit up. He just doesn't scare anyone anymore. And counting on Cory Lidle in the playoffs? Please. I think the Tigers can beat them in a short series because Kenny Rogers will want to shove it up the Yanks ass for running him out of NY. And the other Tigers starters are too young to know they should get beat. They don't have any big boppers in the lineup but they all work the count and have good at bats. That will get them by the Yanks.

Prediction: Tigers in 5

National League

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

It's a rule that one NL team has to go to the World Series so whoever wins this series will be the one who gets swept in the WS. This is a tough series to call now that Pedro Martinez is done for the year. With him healthy I think the Mets would have walked through the NL. They have a great lineup and can score a lot of runs. But I'm not sold on their starting pitching especially with Tom Glavine not looking 100%. The Dodgers on the other hand won't score a lot of runs but won't give up many either. Derek Lowe and Brad Penny have proven themselves with big postseasons the past few years and Greg Maddux looks like himself again after going to the Dodgers. Starting pitching makes the difference in this series.

Prediction: Dodgers in 5

San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals

I was rooting for the Cardinals to continue their collapse and miss the playoffs. Then I realized that one of my favorite things about the playoffs is watching Bobby Cox and Tony LaRussa getting outmanaged every year. With Atlanta missing the playoffs I had to root for the Cards because October wouldn't be the same without both of them. The Cards are really bad. Their starting pitching is awful, their defense is weak, their bullpen is a joke and their only real shot in this series is if Albert Pujols goes crazy and hits 5 home runs. The Padres are a pretty good team. They play typical NL ball. Good starting pitching, solid defense and speed on the basepaths. And they can always rely on Trevor Hoffman to close out tight games.

Prediction: Padres in 3