AL - Red Sox - Is Beckett healthy? Can Daisuke keep the walks down? Will Lowell be a factor?They’re all valid questions, but history indicates that they'll gut it out and be just fine. Besides, Pedroia and Ellsbury are more than capable of taking over if necessary.
Angels - Every year the expectations are high and every year they respond with a lackluster early exit, so I’m not exactly giddy this time around. On paper, Teixeira, Hunter, and Vlad the Impaler should be unstoppable, but something tells me that the old adage about good pitching always stifling good hitting will ultimately ring true once again.
Sox in 4 (As much as it pains me to admit)
Rays - Are they for real or have they simply performed beyond their means? Whatever the reason, they won the tightest division in baseball despite injuries to Crawford and Longoria, so consider me sold on their ability to win when it counts. They owned Boston down the stretch and have two legitimate number ones in Shields and Kazmir, which gives them a significant advantage in a short series.
White Sox - Sure, it would be great to see Griffey Jr. finally get his ring and Ozzie win a second, but I just don’t see it happening. Their lineup doesn’t scare anyone outside of Quentin (who’s currently not playing) or Dye and the rotation isn’t nearly at the same level as the 2005 championship squad.
Rays in 4
NL - Dodgers - The additions of Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez certainly signify a team hell-bent on winning it all, but can anyone outside of Manny produce in the clutch? If they win, it will be due to a stellar combination of Lowe, Billingsley, and Saito holding it all together.
Cubs - Clearly, they were the best team during the regular season and that rotation is, in my opinion, the most well-rounded of any postseason team, but is 2008 really the year that the supposed curse comes to an end? Sadly, I think the woes will continue, because Ramirez and Lee need help if they’re seriously going to challenge anyone. I can already hear people shouting “What about Soriano?” As a diehard Yankee fan, I’ve sat through one too many 4 or 5 k efforts to know that he can’t be trusted when the game is on the line.
Dodgers in 4
Phillies - Howard, Utley, Burrell, Rollins, Hamels, Myers, Lidge, and Manuel. Any team with this much firepower has no excuse for not bringing the pennant home, so for their sake, they’d better come through.
Brewers - Sabathia has been a one-man wrecking crew since the deadline, but how much is enough? How many starts on short rest can be endured before things head South? My main concern is whether or not the bullpen has anything left after stumbling into October, but if Gagne can somehow be relevant again, they may have a fighting chance.
Phillies in 4
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