MLB Playoff 2011 Predictions: Cardinals vs. Phillies Will Be Must-See TV

As is the case in most years, the MLB playoffs are giving baseball fans no shortage of intriguing matchups.

Yankees-Tigers is a series between two teams that ran away with their divisions, Rays-Rangers matches up two relative new kids on the block to postseason baseball and the Brewers-Diamondbacks series will put one surprise team into the NLCS.

As good as those series are, none of those will be the best series of all the division series matchups. That distinction goes to the Cardinals-Phillies series.

If you are a baseball fan, or simply a fan of good sports theater, that series has everything you could ever want.

You have the best team in the league, the Phillies, taking on the hottest team in the league, the Cardinals. You have a team custom-built for a postseason run, the Phillies, against a team that has overcome injuries and inconsistency to be better than the sum of their parts, the Cardinals.

You have the likes of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels going up against the best hitter in the game today, Albert Pujols.

Contrary to popular belief, I think the Cardinals have a real shot at beating the Phillies. It wouldn't surprise me the least bit to see this end up being a full five-game series.

One series does not a conclusion make, but we will get some hard evidence as to which variable matters more in the MLB playoffs, talent or momentum. I'm a huge believer in momentum and intangibles and that's a big reason I have faith in the Cardinals.

Baseball's demise as America's pastime has been greatly exaggerated. If you need proof of that, tune into the Cardinals-Phillies series. I can guarantee you will be hooked.