They asked 18 folks at ESPN and ESPN.Com to pick the Divisional series, Championship series, and World Series winners. I will also chime in:

Round 1:

ALDS

New York vs Minnesota

(ESPN: 12 picked yankees, 6 picked Minnesota)

Hate to say it Twins fans, you have a team that's lost 15 straight against the Yankees, GOING BACK to 2001, and the starting pitching is back to form, and Rivera looks unhittable once more. Getting to him, however, is the problem. BUT, the Twins don't have enough to stay with the Yankees. Sorry, Twins, it's one and done this time around.

Foz's Pick: Yankees in Four (I dislike picking sweeps)

Boston vs Oakland)

(ESPN: 17 picked Boston (!), 1 Picked Oakland)

(obligatory disclaimer: I am a long time fan of the BoSox)

I think the Sox will win it as well, but I'm very VERY surprised that so many ESPN folks chose the BoSox over the A's. Great move by Grady Little to make Lowe the game 3 starter, he's 11-2 at Fenway, and knowing you can come with Pedro twice in a short series helps a lot.

Wakefield is pitching in a ballpark MADE for a knuckleball pitcher, with the huge foul ground in game 2.

The A's will greatly miss Mark Mulder, who will miss this series (and likely the rest of postseason, even if the A's go all the way). That will be a difference maker.

Foz's Pick: Sox in 5.

NLDS:

Atlanta vs Chicago

(ESPN: 12 picked Chicago to win, 6 picked the Braves)

Wow. Get the best record in baseball with 101 wins, and get NO respect. I think that the voters are picking the Cubs because of the starting three that will likely go in this series. But remember, preperation is key, and the Braves have had a LOT of time to prepare for post season play. They'll be fresh and rested for the Cubs, who had to work for it till the next to last day of the season.

I really in my heart want the Cubs to win. I hate Atlanta's dominace over that division, but if there is a time that the Cubs will fall, it is now. The Braves take this one in a struggle.

Foz's Pick: Braves over Cubs in 5.

San Francisco vs Florida

(ESPN: 16 picked the Giants, 2 picked the Marlins)

The story of the Marlins is a feel good special. Not since Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn led the Indians to the World Series in Major League II has a team fit the formulaic plot. But sorry boys, there's no happy ending in this one. The Giants are too good for the Marlins. But don't worry..Marlins, there are already talks about a sequel ;)

Foz's pick: Giants in Four.

ALCS:

(10 picked Boston, 5 Picked New York, 2 Picked Minnesota, 1 Picked Oakland)

Foz's pick to get here: Yankees vs Red Sox

I have to turn in my membership to Red Sox Nation to get here, because otherwise, there is no way I could discuss this rationally. The Sox have a slightly better hitting staff, the Yanks have the slightly better starters (assuming that teams go 3 deep, if they go 4 deep, the advantage tips a bit more the Yankees way).

What this series will come down to is relievers and closers. And that's where the Yankees have the advantage. BK Kim is so the Yankees Bitch that before a late season series between the two teams, manager Grady Little announced to the WORLD that Kim would not close in the Yankees series. So who closes for the Sox? Whoever it is, does not compare to Mariano Rivera. The hurt continues, and I'll be hurting too. But it's the right pick.

Foz's Pick: Yankees over Red Sox in 6.

NLCS

(ESPN: 8 Picked San Francisco, 7 Picked Chicago, 3 Picked Atlanta, 0 Picked Florida)

Foz's Pick to Get Here: San Francisco vs Atlanta

This season's done the impossible. Make Barry Bonds a sympathetic character (due to the death of his father earlier this year) . Unlike the Marlins, who have promised not to pitch to Bonds, Atlanta hurlers are hoping to go after Barry with both barrels.

Barrels that will be desposited in McCovey Cove. The Giants could have tied the Braves for home field, but decided not to make up a rainout against the Mets. They have the easier first round series, and have a slightly better team. That's why I'm making this pick:

Foz's Pick: Giants over Braves in 5.

World Series

ESPN:Giants (5), Red Sox (4), Yankees (4), Braves (3), Twins (2) (Oakland, Chicago and Forida 0)

Foz's Pick: Yankees vs Giants

Ugh. If this was the 50's and both teams were still in New York, maybe I'd be more interested ;). But while this is a TV executive's dream (second to only the Cubs vs Red Sox "Curse vs Curse" series), I think the Giants have too much pitching and enough Barry Bonds (anyone want to give odds on Clemens throwing at him?) to win it all, and to drive Steinbrenner, in the immortal words of Chris Crawford, "Nucking Futs"

Foz's Pick: Giants in Six.

So what's it like being Marmel's bitch? :)

Screw logic, I'm picking the Sox and Cubs.

Sheesh... if those two teams make the WS, I'm not watching it.

Fair analysis Foz. The bullpens are all too often the deciding factor in post-season series (see Anaheim lat year)

If it is Yanks/Sox, the Yanks do have the edge in the pen.

Should be some great games throughout the playoffs.

Best of luck! :)

Anyone see this week's baseball prospectus article about predicting the playoffs? Quite interesting. The premise is that, basically, there's a 55% chance that the team with a better record in the regular season wins (throughout a sample of about 200 historical series). Not something worth betting the mortgage on, but a slight advantage, and I suppose from year to year, it depends on the team...

SI

Originally posted by SirFozzie
Foz's Pick: Yankees in Four (I dislike picking sweeps)

And I just got my tickets for games three and four in the mail today. :) (Twins in 4, Santana will lead the way)

Screw logic! Cubs beat the Red Sox 4 games to 3.

To win it all!!!:D