2011 MLB League Divisional Series

Wow!!! What an exciting ending to the 2011 MLB regular season! The St Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays both clinched wild card berths in game 162 with the aid of historic collapses by the Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox (respectively).  We all can only hope that the thrilling late inning drama of those games can carry over into the post season which is about to start.

The National League Divisional Series features the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies vs. the St Louis Cardinals. The surprise of the year Diamondbacks I think will continue shock with their pitching and move past the Brewers, who may be playing their last set of significant games with Prince Fielder (who they may lose in the off season). The Fielder factor may give the Brewers a sense of urgency and some positive emotion but I think they will fall short to the Dbacks. The Phillies are debatably the best team in the majors and their 102 victories in the regular season back up their argument. But the Phillies are built to win the World Series not the regular season - anything short of a championship would be a huge disappointment. I don't think they will be upset in the NLDS; they will beat the Cardinals. I look forward to seeing their all-world pitching rotation featuring Roy Halladay this post season.

The American League Divisional Series features the New York Yankees vs. the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees are not the "Big Bad Wolves" that they used to be but they still have a very talented team. The Tigers boast the best pitcher in the majors in Justin Verlander but he is matched against the Yankees C.C. Sabathia who isn't so shabby himself. I think the Yankees talent and experience will push them to the next round. The defending American League champion Rangers are looking to go all the way this year but the team that they defeated in the ALDS last year is looking for some revenge. The Tampa Bay Rays have lost a lot of their talented players from last year when they were favored to beat the Rangers. But this year I think they will get a little payback and defeat the more talented Texas team.

Let the playoff games begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!