October Madness

With the Major League Baseball postseason starting later today, I decided Joe and I should make our own predictions on the winners of each series. Sometime later in the week, we will let you know who we think should win postseason awards. So, without further ado...

Division Series winners:
My AL picks: Yankees, Athletics
My comments: While I hate picking against the Tigers, my pick as late as early September, I just do not see them beating the Yankees unless Verlander and Bonderman pitch like they did in the first half. Minnesota will be a tough opponent, but I think this is the year the A's have things bounce their way.
Joe's AL picks: Yankees, Athletics

My NL picks: Mets, Padres
My comments: Even without Pedro Martinez, I think the Mets have one series win in them. I think their pitching will step up and their bats will be able to handle the L.A. pitching. With Pedro out for the postseason, the Padres have the best pitching in the National League and should carve up a Cardinals team that limped into the postseason.
Joe's NL picks: Dodgers, Padres

Championship Series winners:
My picks: Athletics, Padres
My comments: Pitching rules. The A's will have to shut down a powerful Yankees lineup while also finding ways to score runs, and I think they can. The Padres will continue to ride their pitching to win a close series.
Joe's picks: Athletics, Dodgers


World Series winner:
My pick: Athletics (MVP Barry Zito)
My comments: In what could be a classic series, every game should be close, and we can only hope we see at least one matchup between Rich Harden and Jake Peavy. Though Zito is my MVP pick at this point, it will likely be whichever starter leads the team in innings (assuming that pitcher wins all of his starts). The real key to the series, though, is Joe's World Series MVP pick. He needs to provide support for Frank Thomas in the lineup. He needs to keep his momentum from September going.
Joe's pick: Athletics (MVP Nick Swisher)