Playoff races heating up down the stretch

        The 2008 baseball season has been an exciting one. The Rays have been surprising baseball all season long. The Yankees have been pretty disappointing, and the Astros are making another late postseason run. Here's what I predict will happen in the last 3 weeks of the season and in the playoffs:

Rest of the season predictions:

       The Rays will barely hold off the Red Sox in the AL East. They are getting just enough hitting to win and their pitching has been fantastic. The only concern is the health of Troy Percival. However, the rest of the bullpen can help if Percival struggles. If Evan Longoria comes back strong, it will take a lot of pressure off of Carlos Pena.

       The White Sox will hold off the Twins. The White Sox have been inconsistent in the second half of the season, but I love their lineup. Carlos Quentin, Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Ken Griffey Jr. and the boys will carry them to the playoffs. Ozzie Guillen is a strange person, but he is good manager.

       The Astros will fall short of the playoffs. This is one of the best stories of the year, but I think they started a little too late on their playoff push. Their fate depends on what the Brewers do. If the Brewers can avoid a repeat of the 2007 season, the Astros will have to wait until next season. No one expected them to be this close this season. Cecil Cooper has done a great job.

       The Dodgers will continue to pull away from the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks have been awful the last few weeks. They are having a collapse similar to the Mets and the Brewers of 2007. The Dodgers are getting better. It is interesting that the 2008 playoffs will include Joe Torre, but not the Yankees.

Playoff predictions:

A.L.      

       If the Rays can get home field advantage throughout the playoffs, they will make it to the World Series. They are having a fairy tale season that doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. Their biggest challenge will be the Angels. They play similar styles of baseball. The managers know each other very well.

       Because of their recent World Series wins, you can never count out the Red Sox. They find ways to win in the playoffs.  However, I will go out on a limb and say that the Rays will make it to their first World Series. The fairy tale will continue.

N.L.

         The National League seems harder to figure out. The Cubs looked like the obvious choice until a month or so ago. Now, the Cubs are struggling with injuries and not putting other teams away. I still like their pitching. They have enough depth to overcome one of their key starters getting injuries. If Harden and Zambrano both go down with injuries, the Cubs will not get far in the playoffs.

       The Phillies, the Mets, and the Brewers have all been struggling lately. I think the Mets and the Brewers will make it in the playoffs this year, but not get very far. The Dodgers have been the hottest of the playoff favorites lately, but I don't think they have enough hitting to make it to the World Series. My prediction is that the Cubs will make it to the World Series. They will make it through their injuries and have a strong postseason.                                                                               

       So, my prediction for the 2008 World Series is the Rays versus the Cubs.