Awards and Division Series Predictions

AL ROY: Elvis Andrus (MLB Pick: Rick Porcello)
NL ROY: Chris Coghlan (MLB Pick: JA Happ)

AL MVP: Joe Mauer
NL MVP: Albert Pujols

AL Cy Young: Zach Greinke
NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum (MLB Pick: Chris Carpenter)

Cardinals over Dodgers
Toughest matchup to pick. Cardinals can't hit lefties and have 2 great hitters but no much else. The Cards have much much better SP depth, games 3 and 4 are Piniero-Garland and Smoltz-Padilla in STL. Don't underestimate the Dodgers bullpen with lefties Sherill and Kuo. SP wins in the playoffs and the Cards have more of it. If Torre throws Wolf in game 4 on short rest giving them the potential for 4 LHSP starts, I reserve the right to switch my pick now. Otherwise, Matt Holliday's new friends will play on I think. Clayton and the Dodgers I'm rooting for you so please make me another dumb blogger.

Phillies over Rockies
Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels is too much for any team to overcome even the red hot Rockies in my mind, plus Utley-Rollins-Howard will mash against the Rockies middle relief. The C&C K Factory will make everybody dance now in Philly. Throw out the records and the the pressures. The Phillies will get by the Rockies, but the "wildcard" here is Ubaldo Jimenez who can steal 2 games for the Rockies possibly to give them a shot but I wouldn't bet on it.

Yankees over Tigers/Twins
Red Sox over Angels
I'm taking the northeast aces here again and again, just too much pitching as always. Lester-Beckett-Buchholz & CC-Petitte-Burnett will dominate the opposition as they have all year. If the Tigers get in and Verlander pitches game 2 and they can somehow win another game, they might have the slightest of chances.

On paper the matchups seem very close at first glance but all 8 teams have some holes. Pitching wins in the postseason as the temperature drops. I've also said you need a closer (1990's Braves) so I could just as easily see an all NL West LCS headlined by Street and Broxton but see Phillies-Cards advancing. I'm looking forward to Sox-Yankees and whatever comes out of the NL 5 game crapshoots.