MLB Playoff Picks

A double-dip Wednesday! Read all about it. I tried to combine the Jets and baseball into one post, but then I rambled for centuries about Braylon Edwards, and here we are. Let the record show that although these predictions are late, I have not watched the Rockies-Phillies game that is already underway. No unfair advantages here--not even a couple of innings. So let's get it done. I will understand if you pick the opposite of what I predict. My football picks have not done anything to combat that.

Twins vs. Yankees
I'm going to go ahead and give the Twins a chance in this series, which seems to be blasphemy across the nation. Yes, I thought the Tigers would escape with the Central division, but the Twins made me believers. On the surface, the Yankees have a better lineup, better pitching, are coming in rested, and have home-field advantage. Sweep? Perhaps. But why do we always forget about the MOJO? The Twins have trucks full of it. They are on fire, yet come into the series with absolute house money. They have already climbed a mountain everyone told them they couldn't climb. I don't care how talented the Yankees are. Nobody, nobody, NOBODY was going to beat the Twins in the Metrodome yesterday. They were not going to allow that. If they can channel that for one or two games, we got a series here. Yankees will probably win something like 16-2 tonight because I don't think the Twins have slept yet. But I think they get to Burnett in game 2, and the insane crowd of game 3 steals a win. Call me a lunatic, but this mamma jamma goes back to Yankee Stadium for a game 5. Oh it's true. It's damn true. Viva Carl Pavano!
Yankees in 5

Red Sox vs. Angels
Don't I know you? Both teams are probably saying this looking at their schedules, since the Angels and Red Sox have met in the playoffs every year since the Civil War. The Red Sox always win. They have the rally monkey cryptonite. But hey, the Mets lost more than 90 games this year--screw the past. These Angels finally faced some competition in the AL West this year, which makes them a stronger unit. Scott Kazmir will show why Anaheim acquired him and win a game. The 'Idiot' Red Sox of yesteryear knew how to flip the switch and turn up the turbos when the playoffs came. I'm not sure this club can snap out of their late-season crappiness so easily this year. Swing, monkey, swing!
Angels in 4

Rockies vs. Phillies
I really don't know here. This seems like an 8-9 matchup in the NCAA basketball tournament. Either team could sweep, it could go 5 with every game going to extra innings. Nothing would shock me here. Colorado took down the Phillies with ease 2 years ago on their magical run to the World Series. The Phillies, being the defending champs, won't be snuck up on again. I can't back a team whose most dominant pitcher is named Ubaldo. Can't do it. Brad Lidge blows one game, putting Philly fans in a very queasy mood heading into the NLCS.
Phillies in 4

Cardinals vs. Dodgers
The series I'm most excited about in the first round. I've liked the Cardinals for the past few weeks to win the NL pennant, but I'm very fearful of the recent avalanche of people that think the same thing. Nobody is giving the Dodgers much of a chance here, after their crappy finish and nearly losing the division in an embarassing way to the Rockies. I'd like to go bold, saying Manny will go ballistic and carry the Dodgers (and everyone knows he has the ability.) But it's pitching, pitching, pitching. Carpenter and Wainwright cannot be argued. Wish I could, though. I hate going with the crowd.
Cardinals in 5

Championship Series
Angles vs. Yankees
Again, the Angels ask, 'Don't I know you?' This time though, they are excited to ask the question. Much like the Sox own the Angels, (um, except this year...bear with me) the Yankees hate seeing the Angels this time of year. LA runs too much, they get clutch hits, their pitchers pitch out of their minds. It's a nightmare for them. If the Red Sox were to win the first round, the Yankees would know from their furious season series that they have the upper hand in momentum. But with the Angels, it is permanently branded into the core of this team that they are going to have trouble. It's supernatural. Once the Angels know that they can finally beat Boston, ain't nothing stoppin' this express. Torii Hunter is MVP of the series, Joba Chamberlain sports an ERA over 6.00 for the post-season, riots erupt in Gotham. Swing on, Monkey.
Angels in 6

Cardinals vs. Phillies
A pretty interesting series if it comes true. Pujols vs. Howard. St. Louis' two Cy Young candidates testing their skills in Philly's bandbox. Power against balance. I like the Cardinals. The Phillies are defending champs, but it was only in '06 when St. Louis threw off the energy in baseball's atmosphere by beating the Mets and eventually winning the World Series. If Carpenter and Wainwright are enough to get through the Dodgers, they are enough to get through the Phils as well. Oh and Brad Lidge, remember Albert Pujols? Me too. He is your series MVP.
Cardinals in 5

World Series
Angels vs. Cardinals
Now here's a matchup I can be proud of. As I said, I hate going with the grain, and I don't think I did here. The Cards are popular, but many expect the Angels out in the first round. And those that think they survive round 1 know for sure they will get killed in round 2. So the Halos and Redbirds duke it out for the title. I'll be honest here, I didn't think much of the Angels until a touching Sports Illustrated article about the team responding to Nick Adenhart's death and all. I fell in love reading it. This team's got something working with them this year (plug in Christopher Lloyd reference here) and they can do it. St. Louis will get too comfortable with their pitching winning all their postseason games, and their lineup won't make up for when Carpenter and Wainwright stumble against Anaheim. Vlad Guerrero MVP. California knows how to party.
Angels in 6


Thanks for reading, everyone. And the way my football picks have gone, enjoy the Angles getting swept by Boston in the first round.