2011 MLB Playoff Schedule: Home Teams Will Continue to Dominate MLB Playoffs

The home teams flexed their muscles in Game 1 of their series. The Yankees, Brewers and Phillies showed specifically why they are considered favorites in their series. The Yankees after getting a gift from mother-nature came back on Saturday and blasted the Tigers. 

The six-run sixth inning and the dominating performance from Ivan "Super" Nova display the Yanks ability to score in bunches. Nova gives the Bombers that second ace level starter imperative to win in the postseason.

Dodging Justin Verlander is far more critical for the Yankees than dodging CC Sabathia is for the Tigers. With Nova waiting to go in Game 2, mother-nature dealt the Tigers a blow they will have a hard time rebounding from.

The Yankees will take on the Game 2 challenge of Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer. He has been a good luck pitcher all year who had 15 wins despite his ERA of 4.43 in the regular season. The Yankees will send Freddy Garcia to the mound. He has pitched well of late to punctuate his 12-win season, including six shutouts innings against the Red Sox last week.

Expect the Brewers to take their own 2-0 lead over the Diamondbacks behind Zack  Greinke. Greinke is throwing on three days of rest but he only threw 74 pitches in his last outing.

The Brew Crew rode the power in the middle of the order with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun to a 4-1 win in Game 1. Yovani Gallardo went eight innings and struck out nine. The Brewers are too powerful and the rotation is too strong for the D'Backs.

The Brewers are the only National League team with a chance to derail the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies, after a slow start in Game 1, Roy Halladay turned the master key on the St. Louis Cardinals. Lance Berkman launched a three-run homer to give the Cards the early lead but Doc went to work from there as did the Phillies bats.

This series is slightly similar to the Brewers-D'Backs series. Phillies depth and awesome rotation is too much for the Cardinals. The Cardinals can score runs with anyone but the Phillies' staff has the horses to neutralize them as Halladay did after his rocky first inning.