Here’s how the BDD writers see the World Series playing out with commentary after the graphic:

Andrea Betts (Yankees in 6)
Yankees start the series at home where they have been dominate most of the season. By taking the previous in series in six they are going to be able to maintain their regular pitching rotation intact which will help them out. The Phillies have been at rest for longer and I think they are going to struggle getting things going in the first few games.

Joe Hamrahi (Yankees in 7)
The way I see it, the series will go a full 7 games with the Yankees winning (cringe) yet another (purchased!) title.

But…the Phillies will give New York a run for its “money.” Philadelphia obviously has some potent weapons in Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jason Werth, and Jimmy Rollins. I love the fire in these guys, and I can’t imagine it’s too difficult managing this particular group of players. The problem is…I’m not sold on how well their pitching stacks up against New York. C.C. Sabathia is on fire. Andy Pettitte has been his usual post-season self. And I have a lot more confidence in Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and, of course, Mariano Rivera coming out of the bullpen for the Yankees than I do for just about any of the relievers taking the mound for Philadelphia.

I do believe Cliff Lee will keep the Phillies in contention, but I worry about Pedro Martinez and Cole Hamels. This is not the Pedro your fathers watched fight the Yankees in Boston, and something really looks off with Hamels.

Still, you never know. I won’t underestimate this Philadelphia team, and if any club could be oblivious to the intimidation of the big bad Yankees, it’s the Phillies.

Brian Joseph (Phillies in 7)
The Phillies are from the same city as Rocky and there are plenty of parallels between the successful movie franchise and this World Series. The Yankees are Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago all rolled into one. There are plenty of people, like Apollo in his first meeting with Balboa, who think the Phillies should just be happy to be there. The Yankee fans have more swagger than Lang and maybe even a more vicious knockout punch. Plus, there’s the obvious Drago links — the pressure of an “evil empire” to succeed and there’s the juicing, too. Then there’s the Phillies. A club often described as a team with big talent and a bigger heart, competing with the memory of an important family member/mentor/guide still fresh. And, like Rocky was at times, the Phillies are the defending champs.

Last year, the Phillies helped finish off a Cinderella story by being the clock that struck midnight as the Rays’ carriage turned into a pumpkin. This year, it’s more cinematic similarity as the Phillies take down a classic Fall Classic in 7. Yo Harry, ‘dis one’s for you!

Mark Levy (Yankees in 5)

Jeff Lubbers (Yankees in 6)
Though it may pain me to pick the Yankees they do seem to have just a slightly better overall team, and if their older-than-average roster can produce through the last week of October there’s no reason to believe they can’t produce for another week as well.

Rob McQuown (Yankees in 6)
I’ve picked against the Phillies in both series so far, so I’m sure the Phillies fans are happy to see that I’m picking them to lose yet again! Obviously, anything is possible, but this is a well-constructed and balanced Yankees team, giving evidence to what’s possible with tons of money spent well. The fact that at least 4 games (if it goes 7) will be started by (good) LHP doesn’t do Philly any favors, either.

Eric Polsky (Yankees in 6)
The Phillies will be tough to beat, but the Yankees will prove to have spent their $200 million in offseason money wisely, riding CC’s dominant rubber arm, A.J. who is due for a postseason win, and Teixeira who’s bat is due for some big games.

Zach Sanders (Phillies in 7)
The defending champs will be at it again, as Cliff Lee’s AL experience will prove to be key against a powerful Yankees lineup.

Matt Sisson (Yankees in 6)
It pains me to say that and i’ll be rooting for the Phillies….No one likes the Yankees!

Michael Street (Yankees in 6)
It’s an evenly matched series, with two great offenses, solid defenses and two rotation aces who have been cooking in the postseason. But the Yanks get the edge here for a better bullpen, a greater desire to win, and history—A-Rod will get that monkey off his back once and for all, while the Phils won’t become the fourth NL back-to-back World Series champs.

Doug Thorburn (Phillies in 6)
The Phils will successfully defend their World Championship Trophy, thanks to big hits from their big six throughout the series. Games 1 & 3 could be close duels between the lefties (Lee vs. Sabathia and Hamels vs. Pettitte), but the X factor might be the performance of Game 2 starters Martinez and Burnett. Philly takes 2 of the first 3, and rides that momentum for the win.

Isaac Thorn (Yankees in 5)
Maybe they got mad that I picked the Twins to beat them in the ALDS. Not sure. What i do think is that the Yankees keep getting better. Cliches like “firing on all cylinders” come to mind. The Yankees starters and superior bullpen will aid in their winning yet another ring.

David Wade (Yankees in 7)
I think they’re clearly the better team, but Philadelphia is tough so hopefully they make it an entertaining series.

Bo Wulf (Yankees in 6)

Here are our picks for this year’s LCS and the rock solid logic behind our choices following the graphic:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

OUR PICKS

Bill Baer (Angels in 7)

I was wrong about the Red Sox-Angels ALDS going the distance, but maybe I’ll get it this time. I think the Angels-Yankees ALCS will be the best since 2004 when the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit. It will be interesting to contrast the Angels’ speed against the Yankees’ power.

Andrea Betts (Yankees in 5)

The Yankees and Angels are even coming out of the regular season. No one is going to be able to skate through these games like they did in the ALDS, however the I think the Yankees are the stronger opponent here. The Yankees have the big guns when in comes to homers and their bullpen has been formidable.

Joe Hamrahi (Yankees in 5)

The Angels got terrific outings from John Lackey and Jered Weaver in the ALDS against the Red Sox. In order to stay in this series, they’ll have to do that again. I just don’t see it happening. The New York lineup is too deep and explosive. The Yankees pitchers will face a more formidable lineup this time, but again, their rotation is deep, well rested and battle tested.

Brian Joseph (Yankees in 6)

The Yankees are better at almost every position, have favorable pitching match-ups and the greatest postseason closer in the history of the game. Anything can happen in a short series but this feels like the Yankees year.

Jeff Lubbers (Yankees in 6)

Now that the Yankees have broken the curse of the ‘04 Red Sox there’s no reason to believe they won’t return to their old ways even more and return to the World Series.  Going with a three-man rotation would benefit the Yankees as well by not having to start Chamberlain.

Mark Levy (Yankees in 6)

Dean Lima (Angels in 6)

The front of the Angels rotation will continue to dominate.

Rob McQuown (Yankees in 6)

Why not? Finding flaws in the Yankees seems like nitpicking — the defense is a little old, the fourth starter situation isn’t great, Burnett’s not an ideal #2. These are dwarfed by the great offense and overwhelming bullpen. There are not enough weaknesses here for Mike Scioscia to exploit, though the Angels should be able to take a couple of games to keep it lively.

Eric Polsky (Yankees in 7)

This could turn out to be one of the best AL Championship Series in history and it is very difficult to pick a winner. The talent of the Yankees is matched by the effectiveness of the Angels. I’m giving the edge to the home team, if for no other reason than the Angels will have one more cross-country flight to deal with.

Zach Sanders (Angels in 7)

Destiny seems to be on this team’s side and it’s hard to pick against that.

Matt Sisson (Yankees in 6)

Unlike the Red Sox, the Yankees have been hitting and are a far better team than the Angels. I also don’t see Weaver and Lackey pitching like they did in the LDS.

Michael Street (Yankees in 6)

The Angels shook off their BoSox curse but New York has too much talent for Scioscia and the “Smallballers” to compete.

Doug Thorburn (Yankees in 5)

Yankees sport the best lineup in baseball, and depending on how CC performs on short rest, they could have the edge on the mound in 3 of the first 4 games. Joba in the ‘pen provides some insurance in case a quick hook is necessary.

Isaac Thorn (Angels in 6)

Two great teams here… Perhaps a three-man rotation will put too much stress on New York’s starters and bullpen. Kendry Morales may upstage Mark Teixeira.

David Wade (Yankees in 5)

A-Rod continues to shed anti-clutch label and hits seven homers in the series and bloodies his face in Game 2 making a diving leap into the stands to catch a pop-up and then performing the Heimlich manuever on a nearby fan that swallows his hot dog whole in the presence of such awesomeness. Some of his homers will be against Brian Fuentes who is almost as bad as Brad Lidge.

Bo Wulf (Angels in 6)

Lackey outpitches Sabathia and the emotional ride for the Angels continues.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

OUR PICKS

Bill Baer (Phillies in 6)

As long as the Dodgers don’t allow Hiroki Kuroda to pitch every game, the Phillies have a pretty good shot. They’re better hitters, fielders, and base runners, arguably have a better starting rotation. The Dodgers are going to need to keep the games close enough until their bullpen can come in and take control. But just think: we haven’t even seen the Phillies’ offense gel save for that ninth inning at Coors in Game 4.

Andrea Betts (Dodgers in 7)

The Dodgers surprised me against the Cardinals.  They also lost last year to the Phillies in the NLCS so I think that they’re going to be playing with a vengeance.  The Dodgers starting pitching isn’t incredibly strong, but I think their bullpen will get them through.

Joe Hamrahi (Phillies in 6)

The Dodgers absolutely shocked me with their first round sweep of the Cardinals. Were the Los Angeles bats that potent or did the St. Louis pitching just fall flat? I’ll give L.A. some credit but I really worry about Randy Wolf, Clayton Kershaw and Vicente Padilla going up against a Philadelphia lineup that can beat you in so many ways. And while I’m not about to say Brad Lidge has turned things around, his first round success could bode well for his confidence going into a more crucial seven game series against the Dodgers. I’ve watched this Philadelphia team too many times to bet against Utley, Howard, Rollins, Werth, Ibanez, Victorino, and company.

Brian Joseph (Phillies in 6)

Anyone else experiencing deja vu? Last year, the Dodgers shocked everyone by sweeping the NL Central winner while the Phillies knocked out the Wild Card in four. Both teams are better than last year’s version but the Phillies have much better starting pitching.

Jeff Lubbers (Phillies in 5)

Without Cliff Lee the Phillies would not return to the World Series.  But with the masterful midseason acquisition the Phillies stand as good of a shot as other previous champions at repeating, difficult as it may be.

Mark Levy (Dodgers in 7)

Dean Lima (Dodgers in 6)

I do think the Dodgers pitching will do a good job vs. the Phillies lineup and the Dodgers will pound the Phillies arms. I love the Dodgers bench as well.

Rob McQuown (Dodgers in 6)

With Padilla appearing to be for real, the Dodgers starting pitching is strong and led by two lefties. The Phillies pitching is very left-handed, also, but the Dodgers hit lefties better than righties, even with Manny taking a 50-day “vacation”. Dodgers are very marginally better through eight innings and have a staggering advantage in terms of closers which should be enough.

Eric Polsky (Dodgers in 6)

The Dodgers were impressive at home in the NLDS as they seemed to recapture some of their dominant mid-season form. Their effective pitching against lefties sets up well against a lefty-heavy Phillies lineup.

Zach Sanders (Dodgers in 7)

Broxton vs. Lidge will end up being the big story in this series with the big man coming through when it counts.

Matt Sisson (Phillies in 7)

No way the Dodgers starters can do it again. No way! Phillies ride Hamels and Lee all the way.

Michael Street (Dodgers in 7)

A deeper bench and stronger bullpen makes the difference as the Dodgers get revenge for the 2008 NLCS.

Doug Thorburn (Phillies in 7)

Philly’s top 6 bats trump the big 3 of the Dodgers, and Ethier can’t hit lefties, so the Phillies have the edge in the early innings. The Dodgers’ elite relieving corps could play a big role in this series, especially if Philly’s shaky ‘pen falters.

Isaac Thorn (Dodgers in 6)

Andre Ethier… another monster series from him could propel Joe Torre’s squad to the World Series. I also have to hop on the Vicente Padilla bandwagon. If Hiroki Kuroda can return and offer up a quality start, that would be a huge help.

David Wade (Phillies in 7)

The aforementioned Lidge is perfect in this series while throwing nothing but sliders in every appearance, but the Phillies are good enough to sew up three of the games before it gets to him. Werth will be series MVP.

Bo Wulf (Dodgers in 7)

Manny finally gets hot and the rest of the offense explodes against any non-Cliff Lee pitcher.

Here are our picks for this year’s LDS and the rock solid logic behind our choices following the graphic:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

NEW YORK YANKEES vs. MINNESOTA TWINS

Schedule

Wed. 10/7 (6:07 p.m.) at New York — CC Sabathia (19-8) vs. Brian Duensing (5-2)
Fri. 10/9 (6:07 p.m.) at New York — A.J. Burnett (13-9) vs. Nick Blackburn (11-11)
Sun. 10/11 (Time TBD) at Minnesota — Andy Pettitte (14-8) vs. Carl Pavano (14-12)

IF NECESSARY:
Mon. 10/12 (Time TBD) at Minnesota — To Be Determined vs. Scott Baker (15-9)
Wed. 10/14 (Time TBD) at New York — To Be Determined vs. To Be Determined

OUR PICKS

Bill Baer (Yankees in 3)
There is no team in baseball as dominant as the Yankees and the Twins don’t have enough in any facet of the game to overtake the big spenders.

Andrea Betts (Yankees in 4)
The Yankees are coming off the fire of a stellar second half.  The new stadium has produced the most home runs in the majors this year, and the Yankees have more often than not, have been the ones earning those homers.  Provided Sabathia doesn’t have another outing like last Friday’s game, the Yankees should be set to come out of this series in four.  The home field advantage is only going to make it that much better for the Yanks.

Joe Hamrahi (Yankees in 3)

Brian Joseph (Yankees in 3)
It took an extra game for the Twins to get to the postseason but it will take the minimum for the Yankees to eliminate them. They’re just that much better than the Twins.

Jeff Lubbers (Yankeees in 5)
Minnesota’s magical run will end when it must face stronger competition from outside the AL Central.

Mark Levy (Yankees in 4)
Yankees are the best team.

Rob McQuown (Yankees in 4)
Mauer and Kubel “solve” Burnett but it’s only one game.

Eric Polsky (Yankees in 4)
The good feeling Twins’ run will come to an abrupt end as they run into a Yankees juggernaut but not thanks to A-Rod who got his October RBI and home runs out of his system on Sunday.

Zach Sanders (Yankees in 4)
Just can’t see the Twins overpowering the Yankees and CC Sabathia.

Matt Sisson (Yankees in 3)
Powerful line-up and home field advantage with the best home record in the majors.

Michael Street (Yankees in 3)
The too-tired Twins, lacking Morneau, can’t match up to the powerful Yankees.

Doug Thorburn (Yankees in 3)
A Twinkies lineup sans Morneau will struggle to outscore a fully stacked Yankee team.

Isaac Thorn (Twins)
It seems like a crazy pick to make and it may prove to be. I can see Minnesota winning this behind Michael Cuddyer and Joe Mauer’s bats. A monster series from Delmon Young seems possible to me. Perhaps the Twins will continue to make the most of every opportunity, playing near mistake-free ball. CC Sabathia may end up getting roughed up, and if he does that will go a long way in helping Minnesota advance.

Bo Wulf (Yankees in 3)
The Metrodome bows out to the firepower of the Yankees.

————————

LOS ANGELES ANGELS vs. BOSTON RED SOX

Schedule

Thu. 10/8 (9:37 p.m.) at Los Angeles — John Lackey (11-8) vs. John Lester (15-8)
Fri. 10/9 (9:37 p.m.) at Los Angeles — Jered Weaver (16-8) vs. Josh Beckett (17-6)
Sun. 10/11 (Time TBD) at Boston — Scott Kazmir (10-9) vs. Clay Buchholz (7-4)

IF NECESSARY:
Mon. 10/12 (Time TBD) at Boston — Joe Saunders (16-7) vs. To Be Determined
Wed. 10/14 (Time TBD) at Los Angeles — To Be Deterimined vs. To Be Determined

OUR PICKS

Bill Baer (Angels in 5)
This is probably the most even match-up among the Series. I wouldn’t be surprised if neither team wins a game by a margin of greater than 2 runs throughout the LDS.

Andrea Betts (Angels in 5)
The Angels have had the lighter season and easily were able to claim the lead in the AL West, but Boston has struggled with some rough patches throughout the season.  Los Angeles also has the home field advantage.  The Red Sox, compared to their record at-home, have been a bit sloppy on the road.  They will put up a fight, but LA will close this one out in the fifth game.

Joe Hamrahi (Red Sox in 5)

Brian Joseph (Angels in 5)
It’s an annual tradition for me to pick the Angels over the Red Sox. Not the best annual practice, I know.

Jeff Lubbers (Red Sox in 4)
Because it wouldn’t be a postseason as we know it without the Red Sox eliminating the Angels.

Mark Levy (Angels in 4)
The Angels’ small ball approach will take out Boston’s bullpen.

Rob McQuown (Angels in 5)
Great series! If Lackey beats Lester in Game 1, it’s all over and the Angels still have a shot if they lose Game 1.

Eric Polsky (Angels in 5)
The Red Sox have owned the Angels in the postseason in recent years but this year’s version of the Angels own home field advantage and an effective offense that will ride a Gave 5 monkey rally into the ALCS.

Zach Sanders (Red Sox in 4)
I see the Red Sox taking one on the road from the Angels and both at Fenway. If it goes 5, the Angels win.

Matt Sisson (Red Sox in 4)
Boston’s hard throwing pitchers will limit LA’s ability to get on base and without runners on base, their running game is nothing.

Michael Street (Red Sox in 5)
The Angels still can’t shake the Boston jinx.

Doug Thorburn (Red Sox in 4)
Sox have the edge both in terms of lineup depth and strength at the top of the rotation, while Boston’s stronger bullpen gives them superior ingredients to the special sauce.

Isaac Thorn (Angels)
The Red Sox still have an incredibly talented roster but seem more mortal than in years past. Boston has seemed to be an up and down team this year. The Angels will get the clutch hitting from Vladimir Guerrero and Kendry Morales that they need to squeak past Boston.

Bo Wulf (Angels in 5)
John Lackey wins 2 and Morales is introduced to the national stage.

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES vs. COLORADO ROCKIES

Schedule

Wed. 10/7 (2:37 p.m.) at Philadelphia — Cliff Lee (14-13) vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (15-12)
Thu. 10/8 (2:37 p.m.) at Philadelphia — Cole Hamels (10-11) vs. Aaron Cook (11-6)
Sat. 10/10 (9:37 p.m.) at Colorado — To Be Determined vs. Jason Hammel (10-8)

IF NECESSARY:
Sun. 10/11 (Time TBD) at Colorado — To Be Determined vs. Jason Marquis (15-13)
Tue. 10/13 (Time TBD) at Philadelphia — To Be Determined vs. To Be Determined

Our Picks

Bill Baer (Phillies in 3)
The Phillies are better than the Rockies in a lot of ways and where the Rockies are better than the Phillies, it’s only by a slim margin. Look for te Philly left-handers — both the hitters and the pitchers — to dominate.

Andrea Betts (Phillies in 5)
The defending World Series Champs are returning to defend their title and although I don’t see them making it all the way through, I think they are more than strong enough to come out on top over the Rockies.  The Rockies have some holes in their line up.  It won’t be a cakewalk here, especially as the Rockies have been pretty impressive at home, but the Phillies do have home field advantage to start them out.

Joe Hamrahi (Phillies in 4)

Brian Joseph (Phillies in 4)
Lee and Hamels are “ace quality” and Blanton, Happ or Martinez are better than Hammel and the Marquis that showed up in the 2nd half. If for some reason they aren’t, the Phillies lineup can overcome a bad outing.

Jeff Lubbers (Rockies in 4)
Because it’s really, really difficult to repeat in this day and age.

Mark Levy (Rockies in 5)
The Rockies are hot and I feel an upset.

Rob McQuown (Phillies in 4)
HFA, 2 great SP, and the ability to crush Rockies’ RHP.

Eric Polsky (Rockies in 5)
Colorado’s penchant for late-inning heroics this season will carry over to the postseason where they will overcome a Phillies team with late-inning collapses.

Zach Sanders (Phillies in 4)
With Lee and Hamels, it’s hard for the Phillies to lose in Round 1.

Matt Sisson (Phillies in 4)
Better top of the rotation pitching for the Phillies.

Michael Street (Phillies in 4)
Colorado’s magic runs out as Philly has too much talent and home field advantage.

Doug Thorburn (Phillies in 4)
Hamels, Lee and home field makes a 2-0 lead heading to Colorado a very real possibility.

Isaac Thorn (Phillies)
Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels forming the one-two punch of Philadelphia’s playoff rotation could prove just as important as Jorge De La Rosa’s exclusion from the Rockies’ NLDS roster due to injury. While Philadelphia’s closer issues loom large in my eyes, I think Colorado will be overwhelmed by the Phillies’ two lefties.

Bo Wulf (Rockies in 4)
Phillies’ bullpen falters and Tulowitzki goes off.

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS vs. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Schedule

Wed. 10/7 (9:37 p.m.) at Los Angeles — Randy Wolf (11-7) vs. Chris Carpenter (17-4)
Thu. 10/8 (6:07 p.m.) at Los Angeles — Clayton Kershaw (8-8) vs. Adam Wainwright (19-8)
Sat. 10/10 (6:07 p.m.) at St. Louis — Vincente Padilla (12-6) vs. Joel Pineiro (15-12)

IF NECESSARY:
Sun. 10/11 (Time TBD) at St. Louis — Chad Billingsley (12-11) vs. To Be Determined
Tue. 10/13 (Time TBD) at Los Angeles — To Be Determined vs. To Be Determined

OUR PICKS

Bill Baer (Cardinals in 4)
The Dodgers are weaker than when we last saw them in the post-season in ‘08. They lack starting pitching depth and their offense has looked lethargic on the whole. If they can bring a tie game or a slight lead into the late innings, they have a chance at winning some games. Getting to Carpenter and Wainwright will be an ordeal for the Blue Crew.

Andrea Betts (Cardinals in 5)
Although the Cardinals could be considered the underdog against the Dodgers, I see them eking this one out.  The Dodgers have been struggling late in the season.  Carpenter and Wainwright are looking good for the Cardinals and have been solid against L.A.  Also Albert Pujols, enough said.

Joe Hamrahi (Cardinals in 4)

Brian Joseph (Cardinals in 3)
Vincente Padilla is the 3rd option for the Dodgers? If the Dodgers have to beat the combination of Carpenter/Wainwright more than once, I don’t see it happening.

Jeff Lubbers (Cardinals in 5)
Without Matt Holliday the call would be the Dodgers but it’s too difficult to pitch around two powerful sluggers.

Mark Levy (Cardinals in 4)
Pujols not Manny.

Rob McQuown (Cardinals in 5)
It rarely works out this way but it’s hard to imagine Carpenter or Wainwright losing.

Eric Polsky (Cardinals in 4)
The MVP and 2nd half MVP will team up with the Cy Young winner and Cy Young runner-up to shut down the Dodgers’ train that has been slowly running out of gas.

Zach Sanders (Cardinals in 3)
Too much uncertainty for the Dodgers rotation for them to beat Carpenter/Wainwright.

Matt Sisson (Cardinals in 4)
Carpenter/Wainwright/Pujols… Dodgers starting pitching can’t match.

Michael Street (Cardinals in 5)
A very even match-up comes down to St. Louis’ superior starting pitching.

Doug Thorburn (Cardinals in 5)
The Dodgers’ depth won’t overcome the Cardinals’ top-heavy roster in a short series.

Isaac Thorn (Cardinals)
Albert Pujols has become very difficult to pitch around, and I feel confident that like the Phillies, St. Louis pitching staff is going to prove to be the decisive factor in this series.This series parallels the other NL series, where one team trots out a Chris Carpenter or Cole Hamels, and the other squad counters with Randy Wolf or Aaron Cook. While Wolf and Cook are good pitchers, they are not of the same caliber as their opponents. Vicente Padilla starting Game 3 for LA also gives me pause.

Bo Wulf (Cardinals in 5)
Too much starting pitching and Pujols.

The Good

Adam Dunn over 33.5 HRs – Even though the big guy fell two bombs short of what would have been an amazing five straight seasons with exactly 40 homers, this one was almost too easy.

Brian McCann +3.5 HRs vs. Magglio Ordonez – This turned out to be the biggest blowout of my “wins,” with McCann edging Ordonez 21 to 8, and I’m not sure why the line was this way to begin with. Ordonez was clearly on a downward trend, and McCann, in the prime of his career, hit two more home runs than Ordonez in 2008.

Florida Marlins +7.5 wins vs. Atlanta Braves – I was quite high on the Marlins, as I, theoretically, would have also gone with the over on 76.5 wins. The Marlins outperformed their preseason expectations, grabbing 87 wins to the Braves’ 86, and yet they still might fire their manager. Go figure.

Chicago Cubs under 91.5 wins –The prohibitive favorite in the NL Central entering the year, the Cubs had quite the forgettable year, and trail only the Mets in terms of NL disappointments.

Milwaukee Brewers under 80.5 wins – I would have just barely hit this one by a half-game, so a very nice line by Vegas. Apparently they had a very good handle on the Brewers, as you’ll see below.

The Bad

Ryan Braun over 33.5 HRs – Braun ended up with 32 jacks, so they were right on point here also. It is a little surprising though that Braun played seven more games than last year and managed to hit five less homers in his 25-year-old season.

Jaime Moyer under 11.5 Wins – Another one nailed by Vegas, as Moyer ended up with 12 wins. I stand behind this bet though, considering Moyer’s performance, and if it weren’t for two wins picked up in relief during rain-delayed games, this would be a win.

Tampa Bay Rays over 87.5 wins – I stand by this one too, since the Rays fell apart down the stretch and still only fell four games short of getting to 88. The Rays were my biggest weakness going into the season – I was convinced they were going to be a better team than in 2009 and would be one of the three best teams in baseball, along with their two AL East counterparts. I feel hard on Joe Maddon’s crew, also circling their + 6.5 win spread against the Red Sox, + 7 win spread against the Yankees, and +1400 odds to win the World Series.

The Ugly

Oakland A’s + 7.5 wins vs. Anaheim Angels – I was definitely guilty of wearing PECOTA-colored glasses when it came to the AL West. This looked like a cinch to me at the time, and I also targeted the A’s over 81.5 wins and the Angels under 89.5. I’ve learned my lesson to never question the Angels again, as they ended up besting the chic preseason-pick A’s by a mere 22 games.

Colorado Rockies under 77.5 wins – Another team I couldn’t have been more wrong about. I questioned the Rockies pitching and was down on the offense following Tulowitzki’s dismal 2008. I wasn’t the only one who was wrong about the
Rockies though, as they bested their Vegas projection by 14.5 games and, of course, snagged the NL wildcard.

New York Mets +0.5 wins vs. Philadelphia Phillies – Oh, the misery. It seems like years ago that the NL East was considered to be another toss-up between the Mets and Phillies, and, as a Mets fan, I was too optimistic. You can’t expect an offense with no depth to succeed when relying on four good players who all played at least 159 games the year before.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

National League — Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

Pujols received all 10 first-place votes and walked away with a landslide victory. Pujols has a shot at a Triple Crown with a strong second half as he sits first in homers with 32, first in RBI with 87 and fourth in batting average at .332 — just .017 behind leader Manny Ramirez. Pujols also leads the NL in on base % (.456), slugging % (.723), OPS (1.179), runs scored (73), total bases (222), walks (71), runs created (100) and extra base hits (55).

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins (0/4/1)
Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers (0/3/0)
Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies (0/1/5)
Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies (0/2/0)
Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants (0/0/3)
Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers (0/0/1)

American League — Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins

Not as dominating as Pujols, Joe Mauer picked up eight first-place votes and a second and third place vote on the other two ballots. Some would probably attribute Minnesota’s success to Mauer’s return but they are 32-32 in games where Mauer appears and 32-29 when he starts compared to their overall record of 45-44. It is Mauer’s Major League high .373 average and American League high .447 on-base % and .622 slugging that have impressed. In 64 games this year, Mauer has 15 homers — two more than his previous career high — and is on track to win his third batting title.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Torii Hunter, Los Angeles Angels (0/4/1)
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays (1/1/1)
Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins (1/0/2)
Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays (0/2/1)
Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox (0/1/1)
Jason Bay, Boston Red Sox (0/1/0)
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (0/0/1)
Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay Rays (0/0/1)
Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners (0/0/1)

CY YOUNG

National League — Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

In a two-horse race, last year’s Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum is our choice ahead of Arizona’s Dan Haren. Lincecum grabbed seven of the 10 first-place votes while Haren picked up the other three with Haren appearing second on the other seven and Lincecum second on the other three. The National League’s All-Star starter went 10-2 in 18 starts and owns an ERA of 2.33. His three complete games, two shutouts, 149 strikeouts and .833 winning percentage all lead the National League. He’s the ace of the Giants pitching staff which is the main reason why the Giants are currently sitting at the front of the Wild Card race in the NL.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Dan Haren, Arizona Diamondbacks (3/7/0)
Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants (0/0/3)
Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins (0/0/3)
Javier Vazquez, Atlanta Braves (0/0/2)
Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers (0/0/1)
Johan Santana, New York Mets (0/0/1)

American League — Zack Greinke, Kansas City Royals

Like Pujols, Zack Greinke dominated the voting and was our unanimous selection for Cy Young. All 10 votes went to Greinke who slowed down after a hot start but still finished the first half with a 10-5 record and 2.12 ERA (best in the American League). His five complete games and two shutouts are the best in the AL and in 127-1/3 innings, Greinke has allowed just three homers. With 129 strikeouts, the emerging Royals ace has averaged more than a strikeout per inning and his 1.076 WHIP isn’t the best in the AL but it’s definitely impressive.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays (0/5/2)
Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners (0/4/5)
Edwin Jackson, Detroit Tigers (0/1/1)
Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers (0/0/1)
Jarrod Washburn, Seattle Mariners (0/0/1)

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

National League — Colby Rasmus, St. Louis Cardinals

Colby Rasmus stood out amongst all voters with seven of 10 first-place votes. The Cardinals rookie outfielder is hitting .278 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 82 games. With 56 starts in center field and 10 starts at the corner outfield, Rasmus cracked the outfield in St. Louis and looks here to stay. Rasmus has heated up over the last two weeks of the first half where he hit .356/.431/.667 with four homers in 13 games.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

J.A. Happ, Philadelphia Phillies (1/3/3)
Randy Wells, Chicago Cubs (2/1/1)
Casey McGehee, Milwaukee Brewers (0/2/4)
Tommy Hanson, Atlanta Braves (0/2/0)
Seth Smith, Colorado Rockies (0/1/0)
Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates (0/0/1)

American League — Ricky Romero, Toronto Blue Jays

In 13 starts, Romero has a 7-3 record and solid 3.00 ERA in 87 innings. Since June 5, Romero is 5-1 with a 2.38 ERA in eight starts, all eight being quality starts. Of Romero’s 13 starts, he has 11 quality starts including 24 consecutive scoreless innings from June 21 to July 6.

Romero was not a unanimous choice with four first-place votes, three second-place votes and a third place votes. Fellow rookie pitchers Brad Bergesen and Andrew Bailey garnered the next most support and were bunched in with position players Elvis Andrus and Nolan Reimold.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Brad Bergesen, Baltimore Orioles (1/3/2)
Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics (1/3/1)
Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers (2/0/2)
Nolan Reimold, Baltimore Orioles (1/1/2)
Jeff Neimann, Tampa Bay Rays (1/0/0)
Brett Gardner, New York Yankees (0/0/1)
Vin Mazzaro, Oakland Athletics (0/0/1)

MANAGER OF THE YEAR

National League — Joe Torre, Los Angeles Dodgers

Technically, Torre and Giants manager Bruce Bochy tied if using a points system but Torre received one more first-place vote than Bochy who appeared on eight of our ballots compared to Torre who appeared on just six. Torre’s Dodgers have looked invincible in the first half — with or without Manny Ramirez in the lineup — so that made Torre the pick though not unanimous. Torre’s Dodgers are owners of the best record in baseball at 56-32 and own a seven game lead over Bochy’s Giants who are 49-39.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants (3/3/2)
Ken Macha, Milwaukee Brewers (2/0/1)
Tony LaRussa, St. Louis Cardinals (0/2/3)
Charlie Manuel, Philadelphia Phillies (0/2/1)
Jim Tracy, Colorado Rockies (1/0/1)
Fredi Gonzalez, Florida Marlins (0/1/0)
Cecil Cooper, Houston Astros (0/0/2)

American League — Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels

Since he won the Manager of the Year Award in 2002, Mike Scioscia guided the Angels to four division titles but was not given the recognition for his managerial success. The first half of the season saw numerous injuries tear apart the Angels’ roster but Scioscia made the right decisions and that has the Angels at the top of the American League West. Scioscia’s support wasn’t overwhelming but he did collect four first-place votes and a second-place vote which gave him more support than any other AL Manager in the first half.

Others Receiving Votes (1st/2nd/3rd)

Ron Washington, Texas Rangers (2/3/2)
Jim Leyland, Detroit Tigers (2/1/1)
Don Wakamatsu, Seattle Mariners (0/3/1)
Terry Francona, Boston Red Sox (1/1/1)
Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays (1/0/0)
Joe Girardi, New York Yankees (0/1/2)
Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins (0/0/2)
Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox (0/0/1)

OUR WORLD SERIES PREDICTIONS!!! (With 1st Half Picks Crossed Out)

Bill Baer — Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies Los Angeles Dodgers
Joe Hamrahi — New York Yankees over Chicago Cubs Los Angeles Dodgers
Brian Joseph — Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers over Philadelphia Phillies
Jeff Lubbers — Boston Red Sox over Milwaukee Brewers Los Angeles Dodgers
Gavin McCormick — Boston Red Sox over St. Louis Cardinals
Rob McQuown — Chicago Cubs Boston Red Sox over New York Yankees Los Angeles Dodgers
Eric Polsky — Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Dodgers
Zach Sanders — Boston Red Sox over Los Angeles Dodgers
D.J. Short — Boston Red Sox over Philadelphia Phillies
Michael Street — Los Angeles Dodgers Boston Red Sox over New York Yankees Los Angeles Dodgers

Our choice for this year’s World Series champions? The Boston Red Sox!

Actually, the Red Sox were chosen by five of our writers. Boston was followed by the Yankees (2), Cubs (2), Dodgers (1) and Indians (1). The oddsmakers agree with us to with the Red Sox and Yankees both 11/2 favorites to win the World Series.

The American League was not as clear cut as it seems with the Yankees and Red Sox splitting the panel 5-5. I was the only one to not stick with the chalk in the AL with my choice of the Cleveland Indians to win the American League. With the overwhelming support received for the Red Sox to take down the World Series compared to the Yankees lukewarm support, the Red Sox were chosen to win it all.

In the National League, the Cubs (5) were the most supported to get to the World Series but only one of the five had them winning it all. The Dodgers (3), Phillies (2) and Brewers (1) rounded out the predictions for National League glory.

Surprisingly, the Angels and Mets received no LCS selections. I know I’m an admitted Mets hater but out of 11 knowledgable baseball people, not one felt the Mets would at least win the National League? As for the Angels, it seems that a lot of people are scared off by their rotation concerns and no one has really given any credence to how good they have looked this spring… at least no one on this panel.

With the economics of the game in flux and that likely to lead to some early season moves as some teams aim to position themselves better financially and possibly sacrifice success on the field, this year may be affected by trades more than last year. So, even if we’re right in some cases, it won’t be for the same reasons that led us to that conclusion.

But it won’t stop us from making predictions… and it won’t stop anyone else, either! And it won’t stop us from taking credit when we’re right.

As with all of the other predictions, here is a graphical breakdown of our selections, first by playoff participant and second by postseason advancement:

And now how the playoffs will shake out:

In the American League, the first round went to Grady Sizemore and Mark Teixeira who both earned the preseason admiration of 3 predictors. While Justin Morneau was tapped by 2 writers as their selection, we asked the five who didn’t select Sizemore or Teixeira to break the tie and left Morneau out of the running. Again, it was close… with Sizemore edging out Teixeira, 3-2. The BDD support goes to Sizemore but only because we can choose just one candidate.

Like the American League, the National League had two players receive 3 votes — Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez. Same as the AL, one player — David Wright — received 2 votes but was excluded from consideration in the second round of voting. Unlike the AL, the National League run-off between Pujols and Man-Ram wasn’t close with Pujols scoring a unanimous 5-0 win over Manny. Here’s our predictions:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Grady Sizemore, Indians — 3 (3)
Mark Teixeira, Yankees — 3 (2)
Justin Morneau, Twins — 2
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers — 1
Matt Holliday, Athletics — 1
Alex Rodriguez, Yankees — 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Albert Pujols, Cardinals — 3 (5)
Manny Ramirez, Dodgers — 3 (0)
David Wright, Mets — 2
Milton Bradley, Cubs — 1
Ryan Braun, Brewers — 1
Chase Utley, Phillies — 1

As for our ‘09 predictions, neither league had a pitcher get more than half the support of our predictors. But one came pretty darn close.

In the American League, we’re fairly confident the Cy Young winner is coming from the East. Nine out of 11 writers selected an AL East hurler. Of the seven different pitchers selected, only CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett received multiple selections. Sabathia’s 3 was the most in the AL, ahead of Halladay and Burnett who each were selected twice. The projections have been very kind to Sabathia and the BWAA might feel like they owe him one for last year and give him a little extra support, so this selection might be our best shot at prediction glory.

In the National League, Cole Hamels grabbed five preseason nods with only Brandon Webb picking up more than one predictive plus. While Hamels’ Phillies only garnered enough support to be our Wild Card representative, almost half of us chose Young King Cole to build on his postseason dominance. Here are our predictions:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

CC Sabathia, Yankees — 3
A.J. Burnett, Yankees — 2
Roy Halladay, Blue Jays — 2
Josh Beckett, Red Sox — 1
Zack Greinke, Royals — 1
Felix Hernandez, Mariners — 1
Jon Lester, Red Sox — 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cole Hamels, Phillies — 5
Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks — 2
Tim Lincecum, Giants — 1
Roy Oswalt, Astros — 1
Johan Santana, Mets — 1
Edinson Volquez, Reds — 1

According to us, it’s likely you won’t see the Rookie of the Year on Opening Day for the second straight season. Baltimore’s Matt Wieters was selected by six of our predictors with Tampa Bay’s David Price behind Wieters with three. Neither will start the season on the roster. Toronto’s Travis Snider will and he was tapped by two of our predictors. Snider has the advantage already since he’ll be in the lineup on Opening Day for the Blue Jays. Not surprising, of all rookies, Wieters owns the highest predicted Value Over Replacement Player (according to Baseball Prospectus 2009) at 59.6, nearly triple the next rookie on the list.

In the National League, the choice was a little less clear but Florida’s Cameron Maybin’s four selections was enough to outpace the rest of the field although he was not a true consensus selection. Like Wieters, Maybin is predicted to have the highest VORP in his league at 23.5. St. Louis’ Colby Rasmus was the only other National League player to be selected by more than one predictor and his beating out of Joe Mather for the final roster spot in St. Louis might help his case. Here’s our predictions:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Matt Wieters, Orioles — 6
David Price, Rays — 3
Travis Snider, Blue Jays — 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cameron Maybin, Marlins — 4
Colby Rasmus, Cardinals — 2
Dexter Fowler, Rockies — 1
Kenshin Kawakami, Braves — 1
Andrew McCutchen, Pirates — 1
Jordan Schafer, Braves — 1
Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals — 1

Manager of the Year was where the responses varied the most. Our American League selection was not a consensus with only two managers — Joe Girardi and Bob Geren — selected multiple times. In the end our “consensus” pick was based on our consensus standings and since the group had Girardi’s Yankees moving on to the postseason and Geren’s Athletics at home watching, it made more sense for our selection to be Girardi. (Exactly how can you be Manager of the Year when you are handed a $200-plus million payroll?) It wouldn’t be the first time Girardi earned the award — he was MOTY in 2006 with the Marlins.

Over in the National League, Dodgers manager Joe Torre was selected by six out of 11 writers. Only Lou Piniella (2) received duplicate support making Torre our runaway choice in the NL. A two-time MOTY winner (in ‘96 and ‘98), one would have to expect the Dodgers to improve on their 84-win ‘08 season and not just make the playoffs. Here’s our predictions:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Joe Girardi, Yankees — 2
Bob Geren, Athletics — 2
Terry Francona, Red Sox — 1
Ron Gardenhire, Twins — 1
Trey Hillman, Royals — 1
Joe Maddon, Rays — 1
Mike Scioscia, Angels — 1
Ron Washington, Rangers — 1
Eric Wedge, Indians — 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Joe Torre, Dodgers — 6
Lou Piniella, Cubs — 2
Bobby Cox, Braves — 1
Ken Macha, Brewers — 1
Charlie Manuel, Phillies — 1