MLB Playoff Predictions

American League Championship Series (ALCS): Yankees in 6

The Yankees might be the best team in baseball. The Angels might have the most complete batting lineup in baseball. The Yankees’ superior pitching gives them the edge in this match-up.

National League Championship Series (NLCS): Phillies in 7

The Dodgers have good pitching and great batting when Manny Ramirez is on his game but the addition of Cliff Lee gives the defending champs the advantage.

World Series: Yankees in 6

The Phillies have been able to overcome Brad Lidge up to this point, but I think he will blow a game that will cost them the series. Pressure performers Texiera and A-Rod will both have big series’.

Vatsal Bajpai

Pretenders: Philadelphia Phillies. Jimmy Rollins has struggled and Cole Hamels has not shown the same stuff that won him the NLCS and World Series MVP last year. They will not be troubled by LA.

Contenders: LA Dodgers and the LA Angels of Anaheim. The Dodgers have a solid bullpen and great batting throughout their line-up. However, their starting pitching is awful, made up of Philly cast-offs. The Angels have speed, a great offense, and are spurred by the memory of Nick Adenhart.

World Series: The Yankees. The best team money can buy.

Stefan Dylewski

ALCS: Yankees in 7 games over the Angels.

This will be a very tight series, but the Yanks have the better bullpen and more power in their lineup.

NLCS: Dodgers in 6 over the Phillies.

I don’t like the Phillies pitching without a good third starter or a strong closer.

World Series: Yankees over the Dodgers in 6. A $210M masterpiece, the Bombers are a complete team. Texiera wins World Series and American League MVP. Maybe revenue sharing doesn’t work.

Lisa Phillips

ALCS: Yankees. The Angels showcased their drive with a surprising sweep of my beloved Red Sox. But you’d be stupid to bet against the Yankees in this series. They didn’t play .636 baseball this season on a fluke.

NLCS: Phillies. Brandon Lidge redeems himself and remembers how to pitch when it counts! Or at least I’m hoping so. The Phillies’1-2 pitching punch in Cy Young winner Cliff Lee and 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels is overpowering.

World Series: Phillies. Admittedly, the Yankees are the best team in baseball on paper. But no one else has the balls to bet against them, so I’m doing so. The Phillies showed last year that they perform when it counts. Big-gun starters win World Series; with Hamels and Lee covering games 1,2,4,5, and 7 in the series, it’ll be tough to get past them.