American League Pennant

by Mike Izzo

While the National League West Division and Wild Card are going down to the final game of the season (the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies have already clinched playoff berths), the American League is making it relatively simple for baseball fans.

Minnesota Twins

So I’m supposed to buy that Carl Pavano can lead a rotation to a championship? Sorry, I can’t do that, but if he can actually pull it off, he will have Francisco Liriano, who is having a comeback year of his own, to help him out. Also, manager Ron Gardenhire is one of the best in the game. He knows how to get the most out of his players, which is why we see a small market team like Minnesota in the playoffs so often.

(Justin Morneau's return could bring a significant boost to the Twins' playoff success.)

Joe Mauer is one of the best in the game and you can bet he is chomping at the bit to get himself a World Series ring. As the undisputed leader of the team he will do everything he can to make that happen. What their playoff hopes will really come down to is the status of Justin Morneau, who took a cleat to the head in June and hasn’t been heard from since. I’m not sure what exactly “post concussion symptoms” means, but it must be worse than it sounds. He’s supposed to be back at the Twins’ practice facility on Friday, though. If he’s back in time for the playoffs it could be the extra boost the team needs.

Texas Rangers

Imagine, hearing Joe Buck shout, “The Texas Rangers have just won the AL Pennant thanks to the pitching of… Colby Lewis and C.J. Wilson!” I know, it sounds strange to me too, but it’s a definite possibility. Sure Cliff Lee is the undeniable ace of the staff but he has had a very shaky last two months and if Texas plans to win, they’re going to need help from the two pitchers that have been solid all season, both posting earned run averages in the mid 3’s.

(Watch out for Josh Hamilton in the postseason.)

With Josh Hamilton returning just in time for the playoffs to lead an explosive offense along with Vladimir Guerrero and Ian Kinsler, this lineup could punish the second and third starters in any series. Just because they may lose game one, don’t count them out.

Tampa Bay Rays
David Price and Matt Garza are a heck of a tandem in the playoffs, probably the best in the AL. Garza, though, has been known to blow up on occasion, which could really hurt his team in a five game series. This team will need to rely on how the bottom of the order produces. Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford are going to do just fine, but if just one other player (B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena, or Ben Zobrist) can string together a couple of great games, this team could return to the World Series.

(The Rays will need production beyond Crawford - above - and Longoria.)

New York Yankees
Last year the Yankees were able to win in October by using only three starting pitchers: C.C. Sabathia, Andy Petite, and A.J. Burnett. Well C.C. looks better than ever, but Petite doesn’t look like he has fully recovered from a back injury and A.J. doesn’t belong anywhere near a pitcher’s mound at the moment.

(Phil Hughes will have a more significant role in this year's postseason for the Yankees.)

That likely leaves Phil Hughes to be the number two pitcher in the playoff rotation. Aftera great first half to the season in which he made his first All-Star appearance, his production has really fallen off in the second half. He reached his innings pitched limit too quickly, which might cost him and the Yankees in the long run. Let’s not even get started about Javier Vazquez, who proved to the world that he is destined to pitch decently on small market teams with no chance of making the playoffs.

(Despite some pitching woes, the Yankees can rely on arguably the best closer in the league.)

Some people just can’t handle the pressure. So unless the Yankees plan on throwing C.C. out there every night, repeating as champions looks a lot harder than expected. But, the hitting is good, and you can always count on the best closer in history Mariano Rivera to save the games that they have a chance to win. No other team can say that.