Each team plays 162 games.Most teams are 21 games in.That leaves 141 games left to play.That is a lot of baseball, but that doesn’t mean it is too early to make postseason predictions.Well, it might be. But I’m ready to take the criticism I will face in October for the postseason picks I am about to make.Let’s start with the National League’s division winners.NL West: San Francisco Giants. I’m a very big believer in having a strong pitching rotation, and that is what the Giants have.As of Wednesday their staff had an MLB-low 2.65 ERA, and it doesn’t seem to be in danger of rising. Three of the Giants’ starters have an ERA under 2.00, and one of those starters is Barry Zito. Zito is 3-0 for the first time in his career and looks like the pitcher the Giants paid so much for when they signed him as a free agent prior to the 2007 season. Zito hasn’t posted an ERA below 4.00 or had a winning season since he signed that contract. If he can keep pitching like this along with the reigning NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and the emergence of Jonathan Sanchez, who is averaging more than 12 strikeouts per nine innings, the Giants’ pitchers should be one of, if not the best, pitching staff in the majors. NL Central: St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are going to run away with this division. This isn’t just because the rest of the division is just plain awful but because the Cardinals are so good in a division that is so bad. St. Louis is the only team in the Central that is above .500. The Cardinals have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball featuring first baseman Albert Pujols who is tied for second in the NL with seven home runs and is one of the best hitters ever.The lineup also features left fielder Matt Holliday and an emerging center fielder in Colby Rasmus. Rasmus is tied for fifth in the NL with six home runs after hitting only 16 last season. Not only are they hitting well, but the Cardinals pitch well also. The Cardinals’ 2.70 ERA is the second-lowest in the majors.This combination of good pitching and good hitting make the Cardinals my favorite to represent the NL in the World Series. NL East: Philadelphia Phillies. I like this team to win the division but not the National League. They have a strong lineup, but I have concerns about the rotation. Roy Halladay is eating up the NL hitters, but the rest of the Phillies’ rotation has been shaky to say the least. None of the Phillies’ starters aside from Halladay have an ERA below five, but the Phillies’ lineup will produce enough runs to make up for the inconsistent pitching.NL wild card: New York Mets. The Mets have a very talented lineup, but I’m concerned about their ability to stay healthy. But they should be able to hold off the San Diego Padres and earn a wild card berth.The AL playoff picture is a tad more complicated — well, at least the wild card.AL West: Seattle Mariners. I like the Mariners because I trust their pitching. The Los Angeles Angels don’t look like they will dominate the division like they have in the past, and I don’t trust the young arms of Oakland who currently leads the division. The Mariners have a solid lineup, and the Seattle rotation will be one of the best in the AL when left hander Cliff Lee returns from injury.AL Central: Minnesota Twins. The Twins currently have the second-best record in the majors — and that isn’t a fluke. The Twins have a lineup that features the reigning MVP catcher in Joe Mauer and 2006 MVP Justin Morneau in addition to a rotation that seems solid all the way through. Both left-hander Francisco Liriano and Carl Pavano seem to be back. Liriano’s ERA is less than 1.00, and Pavano has won three of his four starts. With the rotation pitching well and the lineup putting up runs, the Twins should be able to comfortably win that division.AL East: Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have the best record in baseball, but that isn’t the most impressive part. What is impressive is the Rays are 9-1 on the road. The young lineup and young rotation know how to win, and I like them to hold off the New York Yankees to the take that division.AL wild card: New York Yankees. The Yankees have too much firepower and too much pitching to not make the postseason.I’ll take the Twins to beat the Cardinals in the World Series. See you in October.
Amos Morale is a 22-year-old history senior from Houston. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_amosmorale3.
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