I'll be honest, I thought there was going to be a lot more variety when I asked the ladies to submit their to-the-point Division Series predictions. Here's the Clifton Phifer Notes version:
I'd say we're being biased in that we ALL picked the Phillies to take down the Reds in the first round, but let's be honest. The Reds haven't been in the playoffs since Deanna was in kindergarten. Charlie has had the past four years to figure out how to manage this team beyond Game 162, and because of that, all the media outlets have Philadelphia picked hands down to win the series. Angela, Kelly & Janet are the only ones of us that feel confident in a sweep, and it's hard to argue with them after what the Phils did to the Reds in the season series, but I'm going to go ahead say the Official Baseball Lady Prediction is Phillies in four.
There was very little (ok, zero) variation in our second NL pick, as well. Liz and Cyn feel the Braves are going to battle for Bobby and push their series with the Giants to five games with the Giants coming out on top. Natalie and Dee are eyeing a Giants sweep but as Natalie mentioned, it depends entirely on which Barry Zito shows up to the party. As for the rest of us, we're calling the Official Baseball Lady Prediction as Giants in four. Even though there hasn't been a playoff game in San Fransisco in seven years, the Giants played their tails off to earn their crown in the West. The fall of the Padres may have helped a little, but this is a crew that has their eye on the prize and they're not going to let a patchwork Atlanta Braves team steal it out from under them.
Over in the American League we have a little bit more of a shakeup. Janet and Cyn were the only gals to peg the Yankees to take down the Twins, but not without a struggle. None of us are predicting a sweep in this matchup, and I'm thrilled to bring you the Official Baseball Lady Prediction of Twins in five. It was an overwhelming consensus that the Twins and Yankees are both going to have to show up ready to fight to the finish in what I think is actually going to be the most exciting series of the first round of the playoffs. The Yankees have all the moving pieces necessary to wrap up the AL, but I'd be lying if I said they didn't back into the postseason on a wing, a prayer, and everyone not named AJ Burnett. If they Yankees can figure out a rotation that doesn't consist of CC, CC, and more CC, they have a shot, but with too much uncertainty lying on the pitching staff, I have to give this one to Minnesota.
Finally, we look at the Rays and the Rangers. Liz is the only one of us to predict a sweep, giving the nod to the Rays in three. Natalie and I are the lone rangers (ha) picking Texas in four and five games respectively. The Rays were the hurdle to leap over in the AL East all season long, giving the Yankees a run for their money right up until the last day of the season. The Rangers, however, held down the West without question practically from day one. Let's be honest, though, their division consists of the Mariners (biggest bust of 2010 if you ask me), Oakland (who finished with a respectable .500 record all things considered), and the rehabilitating Angels (who gave away their entire team in the offseason). The Official Baseball Lady Prediction is Rays in four.
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