2010 MLB Playoffs Preview/Predictions

I'll go opposite of typical preview articles here and just get down to business first. This way you can get my Division Series picks up front and scroll down if you want a break down.

ALDS
Yankees over Twins in 4
Rays over Rangers in 5

NLDS
Giants over Braves in 3
Phillies over Reds in 3


What the heck? Let's pick the next two rounds as well:

ALCS
Yankees over Rays in 5

NLCS
Phillies over Giants in 6

World Series
Yankees over Phillies in 6
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Time to break. it. down. I don't see either NLDS matchup as very competitive. Admittedly, I watch very little of the older, but lesser, league and only feel threatened by the Phillies in a potential World Series matchup. The top three starters for the 2008 world champs/back-to-back NL pennant winners are just beastly. Roy O. is 7-1 since coming to Philly and you've seen what Hamels can do in the postseason. The interesting angle here will be Roy Halladay as he hasn't pitched in many meaningful games throughout his career. His work ethic is well documented and he terrifies me more than any other pitcher in the bigs when on the bump vs. the Yankees. I can see him coasting through his starts like Cliff Lee did for them last year. Unless Phillips/Votto/Cueto go off in front of an intense home crown in G3, I don't see this series ending in anything but a sweep.

The Giants Lincecum-Cain-Sanchez rotation slots in right behind the Phillies as the scariest in the playoffs. I love Tim Hudson but also remember him not doing much in the ALDS when the A's had their run. He's 1-3 all time in eight postseason starts, with none since 2005. Maybe East Coast Bias isn't real, I was under the impression that Kung Fu Panda was some awesome hitter, he had 13 HRs this year and batted just .268. Yeesh. Besides that, the Giants have good depth in the lineup and I see them getting just enough runs each game to run the Braves and Bobby Cox out of town.

The Yankees are the Twins' daddies. Though they sport a 9-2 record in the ALDS vs. Minny, as Derek Jeter said yesterday "The past has nothing to do with this year." Well, this year the Yankees are 4-2 with series wins at Target Field and Yankee Stadium. Those two New York losses were started by Sergio Mitre and Javier Vazquez, who might combine for one IP this series. CC and Andy should do what they did last year and because of the Yankees' three-man rotation, they'll pitch four of these games. If Carl Pavano wins a game in this series, I will light my television set on fire.

Rays and Rangers is the most intriguing matchup of the first round. The Rangers new emphasis on pitching put the club in a position to coast through the final month of the year without Josh Hamilton for most of it. They have so much pop between him, Vladamir Guerrero, Michael Young and Nelson Cruz and I love what the table setters are doing in Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus. Lee is a certifiable of an ace as anyone else in the playoffs and you figure he's getting two starts. I think C.J. Wilson is tired, so I'm not sure what to expect from him. The Rays have plus players everywhere but up the middle (save B.J. Upton) where they put John Jaso behind the plate and a double-play combination of Sean Rodriguez and Jason Bartlett. Price and Garza are a clear cut above Shields and Davis so you have to hope they can get the job done. I see this series as being the first DS to go five games since 2006.