"Experts" Playoff Predictions

With All-Stars, Awards, and Standings all projected, all that's left is the playoff picks! Without further ado, here's how our "experts" see the post-season playing out, all the way to picking their champion!

Peter
ALDS
#1 Cleveland Indians over #4 Los Angeles Angels, 3 games to 1
-The Angels robust pitching staff will help them steal a game and keep each game close, but in the end Cleveland's bats power them into the ALCS.

#2 Texas Rangers over #3 Tampa Bay Rays, 3 games to 0
-The Rays will have just squeaked into the playoffs over their AL East rivals and won't last long.  Texas simply has too much offensive firepower to be stopped, especially with two elite starting pitchers giving them the leg up in games one and two.

NLDS
#1 Philadelphia Phillies over #4 Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 1
-The Dodgers have too much talent not to win at least one playoff game, but the Phillies are not going down this early. With four aces going strong, it'll be tough to keep the Phillies from rolling in the postseason.

#3 Arizona Diamondbacks over #2 Cincinnati Reds, 3 games to 2
-Although Cincinnati will put up a fight, this balanced and talented Arizona team will knock them out of the playoffs. Expect a surprisingly high scoring game one between Randy Johnson and Johnny Cueto. Ian Kennedy and Wade Miley will be the difference, pitching the DBacks into the NLCS.

ALCS
#2 Texas Rangers over #1 Cleveland Indians, 4 games to 2
-In a match-up between the two most impressive offenses in the league, the difference will be Yu Darvish and CJ Wilson. As risky as it is, I count on those two winning both of their starts, leading Texas to the World Series.

NLCS
#1 Philadelphia Phillies over #3 Arizona Diamondbacks, 4 games to 3
-In a shockingly tense series, the Diamondbacks push the series to seven games. Simply put, they have the kind of lineup to score 3 or 4 runs occasionally against those aces alongside the staff to hold the Phillies to 1 or 2. But in the end, stud hitters like Abreau, Rolen, and Pence will push the Phillies to the World Series!

World Series
Philadelphia Phillies over Texas Rangers, 4 games to 2
-The Phillies finish their inevitable march to a World Championship behind great pitching and timely hitting. The Rangers are able to neutralize their speed with Pudge's +11 arm and have the cache of bats to break through against the Phillies aces, but in the end it won't be enough. Wild prediction: Chase Utley takes home the World Series MVP, driving in 8 runs and hitting 2 key HRs during the six game series!