Scuffed Balls

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies This is the one team that gave the Phillies a hard time this season but that will not continue in the NLDS. Get out the brooms this will be over quick and hopefully for the Cardinals it will be painless. The starting rotation for the Phillies is just too much for Pujols and the boys especially with Holliday and Furcal struggling with nagging injuries. The Phillies are for the most part finally healthy and did not coast into the playoffs by stepping up and ruining there division rival Braves season in the final 3 games.  Verdict- Phils in 3. Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers The popular pick is to jump on the Rays bandwagon with there last minute heroics but reality needs to set in. The defending American League champs have been under the radar all year getting absolutely no respect with all attention going towards the media darlings Red Sox,  you know, the greatest team ever! Anyway, the moves at the trade deadline by the Rangers to get Adams and Uehara filled there major need in the bullpen. The move to put Ogando in the pen for the playoffs is outstanding and gives the Rangers a stranglehold from the 6 inning on. The Rays maxed out there euphoria high wednesday night and the Rangers will bring them down to earth with a relentless lineup from 1-9 and 3 lefty underrated starters. The Rays have excellent starting pitching but David Price is not himself right now and maybe there 5th best starter going into the postseason.  Verdict- Rangers in 4. Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers In what will be the most entertaining of all the Division series, you have a matchup of  two young enthusiastic teams with a flare for the dramatic. Nobody expected the Dbacks to be here but the rolled to the NL West tilte led by manager Kirk Gibson this is a dangerous team. The Brewers have the best home record in all of baseball at 57–24 and that will when it's all said and done be the deciding factor in this series. The brewers have a better bullpen and a deeper lineup but the Dbacks are a scrappy bunch and somehow always fine a way to get it done in the end. The duo of Braun & Fielder  will be too much for the Dbacks and i just don't see Hudson & Saunders being able to hold the Brewers lineup down in games 2 & 3. Verdict - Brewers in 5. Detroit Tigers vs New York Yankees It doesn't get much better than Verlander vs C.C. in game 1 and possibly game 4 but this series will be more than those 2 aces. Ivan Nova is very underrated and has not received the attention he deserves even being in the bright lights of New York. Nova's 16 wins are impressive but the rest of the Yankees starting rotation is not. Garcia has done a nice job but i do not see him shutting down a deep and not talked about enough lineup. I don't think i even need to mention A.J. Burnett and Colon has lost about 5 mph off his fastball a major factor in leaving him off the playoff roster. Phil Hughes's back issue is a concern which is why he has been moved to the bullpen. Porcello, Scherzer and Fister (best trade deadline deal this year)   give the Tigers a decided advantage and when add Verlander  piching twice in a short 5 game set, it's just too much for any team let alone the Yankees to overcome. The Tigers also break about even with the Yankees with there bullpen. I would give the edge in bullpens to the Yankees but Soriano and Logan have struggled down the stretch for the Yankees leaving only Robertson and Rivera to be counted on. Schlereth, Coke, Benoit and Valverde should compliment the stellar Tiger starting staff and give them just enough to get them past the Yankees and on to the ALCS. Arod's injuries and lack of playing time leaves him rusty leaving a void in the Yankees once dominant lineup. Look for the Tigers to pitch around Cano and take there chances with Swisher, Martin, Posada.         Verdict - Tigers in 4.