MLB Playoff Predictions: Power Ranking the Playoff Teams by Offense

After perhaps the most exciting final day of baseball in league history, the postseason field is set and the playoffs are set to start today.

Most experts will agree that pitching wins championships, but in the same vein, having a great offense to put the pressure on an opposing pitching staff can just as easily win you a title.

What follows is a breakdown of each playoff team's offense, and a look at who could potentially be the difference maker in the postseason.

No. 8: Tampa Bay Rays

Starting Lineup

LF Desmond Jennings
CF B.J. Upton
3B Evan Longoria
RF Matt Joyce
DH Johnny Damon
2B Ben Zobrist
1B Casey Kotchman
C Kelly Shoppach
SS Reid Brignac

Bench (Projected)

C John Jaso
IF Dan Johnson
IF Sean Rodriguez
OF Sam Fuld
OF Justin Ruggiano

The Rays took a hit this offseason when they lost Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena, but they have hit enough this season to back their fantastic pitching staff and they still have some dangerous hitters.

Evan Longoria showed what he is capable of on Wednesday with two home runs, including the walk-off winner to put the team in the postseason, and he will be relied upon to carry the offense. The biggest factor could be how well the top of the lineup does at setting the table, though.

The bench has a little bit of everything, with speed from Sam Fuld, defense from Sean Rodriguez and assuming he makes the roster following his game-tying home run, some pop from Dan Johnson.

No. 7: Arizona Diamondbacks

Starting Lineup

SS Willie Bloomquist
2B Aaron Hill
RF Justin Upton
C Miguel Montero
1B Paul Goldschmidt
CF Chris Young
3B Ryan Roberts
LF Gerardo Parra

Bench (Projected)

C Henry Blanco
1B Lyle Overbay
IF John McDonald
IF Geoff Blum
OF Collin Cowgill

The Diamondbacks are an exciting team with a great mix of power and speed, and you need look no further than star right fielder Justin Upton for the perfect example, as he hit 31 home runs and swiped 21 bases to put himself in the NL MVP conversation.

That said, the team has other options, as Aaron Hill has been huge since coming over from the Blue Jays, catcher Miguel Montero has quietly turned in a 18 HR, 86 RBI season and rookie Paul Goldschmidt has shown flashes of his impressive power, among others.

The bench took a hit when Xavier Nady fractured his hand, leaving Lyle Overbay as the team's top pinch hitter. Don't sleep on Geoff Blum, though, as many remember his dramatic pinch-hit home run for the White Sox in the 2005 World Series.

No. 6: St. Louis Cardinals

Starting Lineup

SS Rafael Furcal
CF John Jay
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday
RF Lance Berkman
3B David Freese
C Yadier Molina
2B Skip Schumaker

Bench (Projected)

C Gerald Laird
IF Ryan Theriot
IF Daniel Descalso
IF Nick Punto
OF Allen Craig

The potency of the Cardinals lineup relies heavily on whether Matt Holliday will be back at full speed, as he has missed time of late with a right-hand injury. Rafael Furcal has also been shelved with a hamstring injury, but it appears that both guys will be ready to go by the opening game.

That said, with the complete lineup healthy, the Cardinals have as potent a 3-4-5 trio as anyone in the game, and their success will depend heavily on if someone besides those three can step up.

Off the bench, the team has little in the way of an impact pinch-hitter outside of 26-year-old Allen Craig, but he has had a very nice season with a line of .315 BA, 11 HR, 40 RBI and could see some huge at-bats in the late innings.

No. 5: Detroit Tigers

Starting Lineup

CF Austin Jackson
3B Wilson Betemit
LF Delmon Young
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
C Alex Avila
SS Jhonny Peralta
RF Magglio Ordonez
2B Ramon Santiago

Bench (Projected)

C Omir Santos
IF Brandon Inge
UT Ryan Raburn
UT Don Kelly
OF Andy Dirks

The Tigers have as deep a lineup as any team in the postseason, as everyone 3-7 is capable of driving in runs and hitting the ball out of the ballpark.

Delmon Young and Wilson Betemit have proved to be huge acquisitions, and if Alex Avila and Jhonny Peralta can continue the surprising seasons they have already had, the Tigers will be in good shape offensively.

How the Tigers bench shapes up will be interesting, as they could leave Brandon Inge off after a miserable season, and could also go without a backup catcher with Victor Martinez capable of catching if emergency strikes.

No. 4: Milwaukee Brewers

Starting Lineup

RF Corey Hart
CF Nyjer Morgan
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
2B Rickie Weeks
3B Casey McGehee
SS Yuniesky Betancourt
C Jonathan Lucroy

Bench (Projected)

C George Kottaras
IF Jerry Hairston
IF Craig Counsell
OF Carlos Gomez
OF Mark Kotsay

Getting Rickie Weeks back earlier this month will be huge for the Brewers heading into the postseason, as he provides protection for Prince Fielder and allows the team to move Jerry Hairston into a utility role.

No doubt the success of the Brewers lineup will begin and end with what their two superstars do, and the duo of Ryan Braun and Fielder are capable of carrying a team through the five-game Division Series.

As for reserves, the Brewers don't have much in the way of a bopper off the bench, but veteran Mark Kotsay has had a nice season and the acquisition of the versatile Hairston was one of the better under-the-radar moves of the deadline.

No. 3: Philadelphia Phillies

Starting Lineup

SS Jimmy Rollins
2B Chase Utley
RF Hunter Pence
1B Ryan Howard
CF Shane Victorino
LF Raul Ibanez
3B Placido Polanco
C Carlos Ruiz

Bench (Projected)

C Brian Schneider
IF Wilson Valdez
UT Michael Martinez
OF Ben Francisco
OF John Mayberry

For the first time all season, the Phillies lineup is finally all healthy, and much like the Rangers last season, they may be at their best offensively just as October is rolling around.

The acquisition of Hunter Pence has been huge, as he has not only been fantastic with a .324 BA, 11 HR, 35 RBI line, but he has helped to bring a heavily left-handed lineup as well.

Off the bench, the Phillies have a fantastic utility infielder in Wilson Valdez, and a pair of solid offensive threats in outfielders Ben Francisco and John Mayberry. All in all, their bench could make the biggest impact of any in the National League.

No. 2: Texas Rangers

Starting Lineup

2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
LF Josh Hamilton
DH Michael Young
3B Adrian Beltre
C Mike Napoli
RF Nelson Cruz
1B Mitch Moreland
CF Endy Chavez

Bench (Projected)

C Yorvit Torrealba
IF Andres Blanco
OF David Murphy
OF Craig Gentry

After it seemed as though Michael Young's days with the Rangers were over this spring, he has instead stuck around and made a compelling argument for AL MVP with a line of .338 BA, 11 HR, 106 RBI.

Throw in his incredible versatility (in his past five games, he played 1B, 3B, 2B, SS and DH) and it is clear the Rangers made the right decision to hold onto him.

The team will no doubt shuffle their defensive alignment game-to-game with Mike Napoli seeing time at first to get Yorvit Torrealba into the lineup, and different players assuming the DH role, but that is the luxury the Rangers have with Young.

As for their bench, the Rangers don't have much beyond David Murphy, as there were no late-season acquisitions like last year when they added Jeff Francoeur and Jorge Cantu, but Murphy is solid and will likely see at least a start or two in right field.

No. 1: New York Yankees

Starting Lineup

SS Derek Jeter
CF Curtis Granderson
1B Mark Teixeira
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
RF Nick Swisher
DH Jorge Posada
C Russell Martin
CF Brett Gardner

Bench (Projected)

C Francisco Cervelli
3B Eric Chavez
IF Eduardo Nunez
OF Andruw Jones
DH Jesus Montero

The Yankees have had to deal with an injury to Alex Rodriguez and the sharp decline of Jorge Posada this year, but that has been more than offset by the consistently steady play of Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano, and the monster year that Curtis Granderson has put together.

With 41 home runs and 119 RBI, Granderson has put himself in the AL MVP conversation, and has given the team a huge boost. The X-factor of the playoffs though could be rookie Jesus Montero, who hit .328 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI in 61 at-bats and could see significant playing time.

Aside from Montero, the bench has veteran talent in Andruw Jones and Eric Chavez, who could both find themselves at the plate in crucial situations.