Remember the sport known as America?s pastime? You know the game that seems to extend their season for an entire year? Of course you know the league that has suffered the worse public relations disaster in the history of professional sports, but has somehow lived to reach another postseason? On the eve of their playoff openings, by now you know I?m talking about Major League Baseball. Eight teams will vie for the right to reach the game?s greatest stage, the World Series. For some, like the Yankees, reaching the Fall Classic is a must. For others, like the Tigers, advancing to the World Series would bring new life to a franchise that has spent the 2006 season coming back to life. Regardless of whom you?re following, and whether or not your favorite team even made it to the playoffs, the postseason always means great baseball. For starters unlike my favorite league, the NBA, baseball allows only four teams from each league to advance to the playoffs. The NBA allows a ridiculous sixteen teams to compete for the championship, that?s more than half of the entire field. MLB seems to have the best recipe for exciting postseason play, and this fall shouldn?t be any different. The races in the National League were closer than they have ever been, with the Dodgers and Padres jockeying for positioning up until the last few innings of the regular season. And while the American League won?t provide us with another Yankee-Red Sox October battle, there is still hope for a Subway Series later this month. While I feel sorry for the many members of Red Sox Nation, I think the Yankees and their fans took a big sigh of relief when the Sox were eliminated from playoff contention. Although Boston seems to bring out the best in New York, it?ll be nice for manager Joe Torre not to have to deal with any additional drama heading into the ever-important ALDS. Here?s how I see the Divisional Series playing out Yankees over Tigers ? New York is simply too playoff-tested for the Tigers to pull off a shocker this week. The Yankee line-up is too dangerous for the Detroit pitching staff to handle, even if the Yankee rotation doesn?t perform up to their standards. Twins over A?s ? The Twins won the AL Central Title by just one game over the Tigers, but they look more primed for postseason success than their division rivals. Minnesota has the offense firepower (a batting champion in Mauer and an MVP candidate in Morneau) and the pitching staff (Santana) to fend off Billy Beane?s men. Mets over Dodgers ? The loss of Pedro Martinez isn?t enough to count the Mets out just yet. Young guns like Jose Reyes and David Wright are chomping at the bit to taste postseason success, and the Dodgers won?t be able to match their level of play. Cardinals over Padres ? A lot of people are counting the Cards out due to their late season fold, pun intended. However, I think you have to go with the experience and who has best players in this case. St. Louis has edge in both experience and talent, with the always-dangerous Albert Pujols. Those are my picks and I?m sticking to them. That is unless there are more steroid allegations, corked bats, Bartman balls, or kids named Jeffrey Maier in the stands this October? Andrew can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]