Detailed Playoff Predections:

[teddy ballgame]

They are also playing arguably the best defense in baseball.

How did you get this? Any team playing Manny and Willy Mo in the OF is nowhere near a top defensive team in my book. But maybe you have some stat backing this up that I've overlooked?

Yeah, the stat would be that they have the highest fielding percentage in the majors. You don't have to put "arguably" in front of it. The Red Sox are playing the best defense in the majors. I'm surprised anyone would think of disputing that.

Also, Belle...posting Chicago's ERA for the past month isn't what Miner was talking about. Post them for the 5 of the last 6 games in which they took 5 of 6 from the Tigers and Yankees.

[rozzz5]

American East: Boston Red Sox: Currently they are two games out, but the combination of Ortiz/Manny/Pena is just ridiculiously amazing.

Ortiz Manny Pena? I laughed out loud when I saw that. Since when did Pena come into the stratosphere of Manny and Ortiz. If you think that he's a big factor that will lead the sox to their first division title in 10 years then you aint watching the same game that I am. By the end of the weekend the Yanks will have the division wrapped up and will begin prepping for the postseason. Mark my words.

[daullaz]

Hey, this is not a shot at you but Belle, what you wrote about the American League West is so far from the Truth. Angels are 5 1/2 games out. They are not going to win the Division. The Angels have the Rangers to worry about. In my opinion the A's will coast into the playoffs. And Frak Thomas is not carrying the team. Research before you talk. All of Oakland's hitters are contributing, but players like swisher and Chavez hadn't for awhile but seem like they are back. If you were to say one player on the A's did carry the team right now, it would be Jay Payton
It's pitching and defense

Oakland A's Past 15 Games:
Frank Thomas: .326 AVG, 2 HR, 11 RBI
Jason Kendall: .286 AVG, 0 HR, 4 RBI
Jay Payon: .280 AVG, 3 HR, 4 RBI
Marcu Scutaro: .262, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Eric Chavez: .238 AVG, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Nick Swisher: .234 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI
Milton Bradley: .233 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Mark Ellis: .225 AVG, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Bobby Kielty: .205 AVG, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Amazingly, they've hit like this and they are still 5.5 games up. Imagine how far ahead they'll be when a few of these .230 guys start hitting .300.

[giants!]

American East: Boston Red Sox: Currently they are two games out, but the combination of Ortiz/Manny/Pena is just ridiculiously amazing. Also Mike Lowell, Coco Crisp, Javy Lopez & Mark Loretta can also be very dangerously.

Saying Javy Lopez can be dangerous is like saying Sal Fasano could be dangerous. and Who the hell is Brian Corey.

[buffalobillsrul2002]

If Beckett, Wells & Lester can just eat innings and get the ball to Mike Timlin, Brian Corey & Johnathon Papelbon without giving up tooo many runs I think they represent the East in the playoffs.

Belle4Hall, Brian Corey???? Corey's not even one of the Sox best 5 relievers. Now if you said Hansen and Delcarmen, then maybe... but really the only 2 good relievers on the Sox are Timlin and Pap.

They also have one of the best lineups in baseball. The Tigers are the most complete team in baseball in my opinon.

I don't know about the lineup thing. Tigers are 7th in the Al in runs scored. They have the most complete pitching staff, by far, in all of baseball, and they might have the best team, but it's because of their pitching, not their lineup.

The lineup isn't great, but its not bad either. Piazza is having a great year and Adrian Gonzalez is devolping into one of the better first basemen in the NL.

The Padres have the 2nd least amound of runs scored in the NL. Their lineup is bad. You are right about Gonzalez and Piazza not being bad this year, but the bottom of that order has been atrocious. Walker's a decent offensive player, not worth the defensive downgrade. Greene, while a great defender is a pitiful hitter (yeah he gets the occasional HR, but his average is poor). Barfield is young, but he's not hitting well yet.

Any team playing Manny and Willy Mo in the OF is nowhere near a top defensive team in my book

Half Massed, you are right about half of this. Wily Mo isn't a very good OF, and that could be trouble for the Sox because of their ballpark. At least Trot Nixon did a good job of getting a good jump on balls. However, Manny has become a great outfielder in LF in that ballpark. He plays the Monster better than anybody since Carl Yastrzemski. And his general OF defense has become better. In Fenway, Manny doesn't need to do much besides play that wall.



Anyways, here are my prediction

AL:

East: Yankees (Red Sox field better, lineups are about even, starting staffs are both pretty bad though Yankees' is better, and believe it or not, the Yanks bullpen is better and deeper than Boston's.)

Central: Tigers (Polanco's injury can be replaced; they still have that 6 game lead, plus they have much better pitching than the White Sox)

West: Oakland (they've opened up that 5.5 game lead, and although I think the Angels team is better, I don't believe they can catch LAA.)

Wild Card: White Sox - most ridiculous lineup in baseball, Thome/Konerko/Crede/Dye/Pierzynski is simply ridiculous. Solid, deep bullpen, and a starting staff that is overrated but eats innings.

NL


East: Mets (huge lead, easiest pick)

Central: Cardinals- I think that the Reds are due to fall down, especially Arroyo. Their lineup is also young, which scares me a little. The one big advantage the Reds have is in that bullpen though. The Cardinals are much more experienced than the Reds, plus they ahve a proven ace, plus have they have Pujols/Rolen.

West: LA Dodgers- I think they improved their team the most at the deadline. They ahve a solid staff (especially if Maddux keeps pitchign the way he has), and their lineup has gotten much better. Again, a lack of experience scares me here.

Wild Card: Phillies- I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but the Phillies have been playing great lately. The bullpen scares me now, but that lineup is really tough even without Abreu. Also, the SP is very good.

[jvmillion83]

AL East- Yankees- This is best rotation the Yankees have had since 2003. They have their toughest road trip of the season coming up which might put a bump in the road but expect them to rebound nicely in the remaining schedule. The bullpen is finally coming together. Lead by Rivera, Scott Proctor and Ron Villone have been the two pitchers to finally give the Yankees some reliable middle relief. Also you cannot forget their lineup which will continue to come back in late games and put lots of pressure on opposing pitching.

AL Central- Tigers- The Tigers looked like they had the 2nd wheel come off in Chicago this weekend but Leyland continues to push his team towards the next leg of the race, evidenced by their series in Boston this weekend. Their starting rotation may experience some fatigue late down the stretch here, especially Verlander but they still have the best rotation in the AL.

AL West- Angels- Oakland still is up 5.5 games but I still believe the Halos are the most complete team in baseball and think 5.5 games isnt that much at this point of the season to make up. Saunders is starting to emerge as a viable 5th starter for them down the stretch. They have it all from a hit and run lineup to good defense to a lights out bullpen. I know I'm going to get torn apart for not picking Oakland but I just think the Angels all around are that good.

Wildcard- White Sox- It was either them or the Red Sox but I'm picking the White Sox. I really think the White Sox are the better team here. They have a much deeper team than Boston all around. They have a better more balanced lineup. They have 4 and 5 starters who will give you wins against subpar teams of the AL. Also their bullpen is deeper than Bostons.

NL East- Mets- Obviously they will hold on

NL Central- Cardinals- I really don't think the Cardinals are that good but the Reds are fatiguing and Houston is still has more holes than St Louis.

NL West- Dodgers- At the beginning of the season, the Dodgers arguably had the deepest team in NL but they underachieved greatly. They made a few trades to tweak their squad and get something going. 17 out of 18 games later, this team has changed dramatically and they now have everything. From young exciting players from Martin to Eithier to all star vets like Kent and Nomar to speed in Lofton and Furcal to the best rotation in the league and a great bullpen.

NL Wildcard- Stros- I think the Astros have the pitching and face too many bad teams down the stretch to falter. They've had the September magic working for them the last few years and these guys have been there before and know how to get into October.

Playoffs
White Sox over Yankees
Detroit over Angels
Detroit over White Sox
Playoffs
Mets over Astros
Dodgers over Cardinals
Dodgers over Mets

World Series
Tigers over Dodgers

[BritSox]

ALE: Yanks
ALC: Tigers
ALW: A's
ALWC: ChiSox

Tigers beat A's
Yanks beat ChiSox

Yanks beat Tigers

NLE: Mets
NLC: Cards
NLW: Dodgers
NLWC: Who care, they'll get swept anyway. Er....Reds.

Mets beat Reds
Dodgers beat Cards

Mets beat Dodgers

Mets beat Yankees

[teddy ballgame]

Just a heads up, you have LA beating the Cards and then the Cards in the LCS Brit.

[BritSox]

Just a heads up, you have LA beating the Cards and then the Cards in the LCS Brit.

Though I'd actually edited it before i read that.

[teddy ballgame]

Woops, shouldn't have said anything then. My bad.