Playoff predictions

Thanks to Danks and Thome the White Sox are in the playoffs. The matchups are now set, and games kick-off tomorrow. No better time to analyse them.

NL

Phildadelphia vs. Milwaukee
Expect a few 15 run games. The balance of quality offense vs. quality pitching here is shocking. The Brewers have Sabathia and that's it. Philly has Hamels (not so good lately), Myers (even worse) and Moyer (64 years old). Offensively though we're going to see Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, JJ Hardy, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. It probably won't be pretty but the series will be exciting.

Hard to see the Phillies losing this series. Offensively the teams are a wash, with maybe a slight edge to the Phillies. But on the pitching front the Phillies win out. You have to expect one of Hamels and Myers to pitch a great game, Jamie Moyer has been fantastic of late, and Joe Blanton is servicable. The Brewers have Sabathia and then literally no one. The fact that the Phillies beat the Brewers 5-1 in the season series (with a recent sweep) doesn't bode well for the people of Milwaukee. Phillies sweep.

Cubs vs. LA Dodgers
The best team in the league against the hottest. Top to bottom the Cubs are hands down the best team in the NL and the best placed to go to the World Series. That said playing the hot Dodgers in a 5 game series is no sure thing. If the Dodgers can grab one of two in Chicago all of a sudden they're in excellent shape. The Cubs have some questions. Zambrano has been out of sorts, Harden is a 6-inning pitcher, and Ryan Dempster has never done this before. A big hit here or there and catching a few breaks could have the Dodgers going to the NLCS. That said you have to like the Cubs. The Dodgers hot streak has come against mediocre teams and the Cubs have been the best team since day one. I think Billingsley gets the win against Zambrano but the Cubs take two in LA. Cubs in 4

AL

Tampa Bay vs. White Sox
The White Sox are the worst team in the postseason. They owe more to the failures of Cleveland and Detroit than they will ever know. Some big hits and clutch pitching has aided them over the past three days and they'll enter Tampa full of confidence. But aside from the Ramirez slam against the Tigers yesterday the offense without Carlos Quentin has been stagnant and the rotation of Vasquez, Buehrle, Danks and Floyd is far from frightening. In fact you'd take the Rays top three guys over any of them. The Rays are a better team offensively, defensively and on the pitching front. Add homefield advantage to that and nothing looks good for Chicago. Tampa Bay sweep

LA Angels vs. Boston
The marquee matchup of the first round. You could make a case that this is the World Series right here, the two most complete teams in baseball. They say that the 5 game format helps the weaker team, but here I think it favours Anaheim. They only have to face Josh Beckett once, and the Sox have less time to get Lowell and Drew healthy. I think the series might come down to the huge game one matchup of Lester and Lackey. A must-win for the Angels because I don't see the Angels winning at Fenway. I don't they'll have to though. Angels in 5