We asked some of our writers to give us their thoughts on the impending MLB playoff series. Here they are, now with additional Scott and Sean goodness.

Predictions after the jump.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES

CUBS VERSUS DIAMONDBACKS

Wes: How much do you think it would take some enterprising Arizona executive to convince Steve Bartman to throw out the first pitch at just one of the games? I’m not saying Chicago doesn’t have excellent ballplayers — hell, I saw plenty of Soriano when he was playing AAA ball down here in Texas with the Rangers — but if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s curses can’t be broken… until some front-running fanbase goes 100% douche on the rest of the world and finally manages to beat the Yankees. D’BACKS in 4

Zim: People pick the Cubs based on stats and names: Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, Zambrano. But the D-Backs have . . wait for it . . . FOUND A WAY TO WIN this season, even when every statistic says they should not have. They’re young and don’t realize how much pressure there is, while the Cubs organization and ans are in a constant state of waiting for the other shoe to drop. D’BACKS IN 4

Kooder: Cubs, because I can’t name more than two Diamondbacks players, and five games because my boss has already given me the day off to road trip to Phoenix for Game 5 (if necessary). CUBS IN 5

Sean: Arizona, repeat after me: YOU WILL NOT ALLOW THE CUBS TO WIN! Under any circumstances! I can’t stand these “Oh gee, it’s great to be alive” yahoos telling me how wonderful it is “to have the Cubbies back where they belong! Yay!”. The Cubs belong in fifth, right in front of Pittsburgh, right below Cincinnati. Congrats on taking the worst division in world history. I will have Brandon Webb throw a fastball at all of your heads. Now! D’BACKS IN 3

Hebrew Hammer: CUBS IN 4

Thermocaster: Arizona leads the season series 4-2, so they’ve got that going for them. However, the stats would indicate that Arizona is living on borrowed time to a certain degree — they’ve actually been outscored by their opponents this season to the tune of 20 runs. Plus, I’m not sold on their playoff rotation, and while their young bats might help to level out that particular variable, the Cubs have a bit more offense to bring to the table. CUBS IN 4

Scott: CUBS IN 4

 

PHILLIES VERSUS ROCKIES

(First, a word from the editor — Wes did indeed make his picks on Monday evening, BEFORE the 13th inning. Spooky.)

Wes: I thought about making this pick once the tie-break game was actually over, but then I remembered I’m not a pussy. So I predict Colorado beats the Padres; since Philly never wins anything, and because all of the night games mean Jamie Moyer misses dinner at IHOP and gets cranky. The Rockies advance (for the record: the Padres would also advance, if they hadn’t managed to blow a 2 run lead in the bottom of the 13^th inning). ROCKIES IN 5

Zim: Colorado used all of its pitchers Monday, and used all of ts mojo getting into the playoffs. Both lineups are excellent, but the Phillies’ bullpen has been better than people think, and they have a legit ace in Cole Hamels. PHILLIES IN 4

Kooder: Seeing as how these teams went down to the wire, why would their series be any different? My Mountain West Coast Bias begs me to pull for the Rockies, but I think the wear and tear beats down the Rockies eventually against a fresher Phillies squad. Also, Rollins and Holladay decide the only fair way to settle the NL MVP award is by a best-of-7 rounds fencing duel with Louisville Sluggers prior to Game 1. PHILLIES IN 5

Sean: Have I told you how much I hate the wild card? How useless it is to play 162 games, then say it wasn’t enough to choose ONE team from a division? And, if you’re going to have this ridiculous format, why can’t you play a 7-game series? The only reasons I’ve heard is “Oh, it extends the season too long” and “What if it gets cold in Cleveland?”. Yes, because adding a 5-game set did nothing; a 7-game set would be heresy! I love Jimmy Rollins, and this Cole Hamels kid keeps throwing heat. Gimme a cheeseburger and a Ryan Howard to go. Say g’night Rockies dreamers. PHILLIES IN 4

Hebrew Hammer: PHILLIES IN 5

Thermocaster: Honestly, these teams are so evenly matched that picking this series has nothing to do with analytical skill. They’re both red hot, having won like 90 games in a row to get to the postseason. They’re both riding incredible waves of luck, with their main opponents having folded en route to the playoffs. Both are capable of putting quite a few runs on the board, as witnessed by their most recent series against each other, where a team scored 12 runs in two of the three games. Ordinarily I’d go with Colorado just for the inspirational storyline (and the self-defeating psyche of Philadelphia), but the Rockies pitching staff just cannot hold up in this series. Outside of Jeff Francis and Fogg, none of their starters have more than 8 wins on the year. Fogg pitched on Monday, Francis pitches today, and…um…who else? One thing’s for certain - Colorado won’t be able to throw 10 pitchers out there every game, like they did in the play-in game. PHILLIES IN 4

Scott: Has Matt Holliday touched home plate yet? PHILLIES IN 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Wes (Rockies/D’Backs): I miss Chipper Jones, and the days when you could always pick the NLCS because you knew the Braves weren’t about to win it. ROCKIES IN 6

Zim (Phillies/D’Backs): Philadelphia’s lineup is going to stay hot all postseason, and humble pitchers not named Brandon Webb. Dork Cubbies and Red Sox fans always throw out BS about “destiny” and all that, and if there is a team which created its own destiny, it’s Philly. PHILLIES IN 5

Kooder (Phillies vs Cubs): Can’t go wrong with the hot hand. Plus, I’ve been a Cubs fan since the age of 3… I know how these things go. Minus karma points for me already buying plane tickets back to Chicago for Games 3-5 of the World Series. PHILLIES IN 6

Sean (Phillies vs D’Backs): This one’s going to be the best series of the postseason. I want Jamie Moyer in game 1! (Now starting, at 206-years old, Jamie Mo … oh my goodness, he collapsed. And now his body is falling apart. Is that a kidney next to the rosin bag?). Gimme some Utley speed, Rollins hitting and Howard slamming, and the pitching will be enough. Back to the top, 1993 here we come! Someone find Mitch! PHILLIES IN 7

Hebrew Hammer (Phillies vs Cubs): CUBS IN 6

Thermocaster (Phillies vs Cubs): Season series is tied 3-3. Cubs won the set at the start of August, before the Phillies got on their hot streak. With all the emotional weight that the two fan bases will carry through this series, it’ll be a wonder if the stadiums don’t collapse from the strain. PHILLIES IN 6

Scott (Phillies vs Cubs): CUBS IN 6

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES

CLEVELAND VS NEW YORK

Wes: With JD Drew’s horrible allergy to success taking much of the pressure off, glamour boy Alex Rodriguez finally gets the playoff monkey off his back. Bigger bats make all of the difference and, at the end of the day, we learn that Wang is superior to Fausto Carmona. YANKEES IN 4

Zim: Indians have two quality starting pitchers. The Yankees have past-their-prime names. And a lineup that is awesome. But the Indians’ offense is good enough to pull out the series, as if beating the Yanks still means something. INDIANS IN 5

Kooder: Could go down as one of the best Division Series match-ups ever… the scrappy Erie Upstarts vs. los Evil Empire. I personally think the Yanks could have used up all of their juice/mojo/moxy in trying to catch up in the East, and, again, home field rules the day. But the Yanks don’t lose because of A-Rod… my prediction: 11-26, 2 HRs, 7 RBI’s, lots of tears and hugs from Jeter. INDIANS IN 5

Sean: Love this Indians team, think they’re fun, beat a damn good Tigers squad, running into the wrong Yankees team in the wrong year. Let’s face it: We all hate the Yanks, but we know one of these years A-Rod will come through and the Bombers will win the crown again. And it starts here. Rock on Cleveland, back to your burning lake. YANKEES IN 3

Hebrew Hammer: INDIANS IN 5

Thermocaster: When the only guy in your lineup that has sizeable playoff experience is Trot Nixon, there are going to be problems. YANKEES IN 3

Scott: Get your hot seats ready, Cashman and Torre. INDIANS IN 4

RED SOX VS ANGELS

Wes: Let’s just say I was much more excited about this series when I thought I saw ‘Dice Clay’ on the pitching matchups…that would be great. I hate the Red Sox, so I’m not going to pick them. This entire series will turn when Vlad Guerrero takes an intentional ball four over the monster and Dr. Samuel Beckett makes what he hopes will be the leap home. ANGELS IN 4

Zim: Not sure what it is, but the Sox absolutely own the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County near Disneyland of Southern California of California of the West Coast of the United States of America of North America of the World of the Milky Way Galaxy of the Universe of Reality. If the Angels can keep it close enough to see Eric Gagne in the eighth, they’ll have a shot. Vladimir Guerrero cannot carry an entire offense in the postseason, while Boston is expected to have Manny Ramirez back. It could be a sweep. RED SOX IN 4

Kooder: I really believe that home-field advantage will rule the day in the American League, but I also think the Red Sox are strong enough to take one at the Big A … or is it the Big LAoA now? RED SOX IN 4

Sean: Maybe the best matchup in the history of wild-card expansion baseball. Look at the wins, the sluggers, the hitters … and look at Vlady. He’s just too good, and plays without gloves. That wins my heart … and the outbreak of e-coli on his helmet. Tough break Hillary: You can’t talk about the heartwarming Red Sox/Cubbies series. Boohoo! ANGELS IN 5

Hebrew Hammer: RED SOX IN 4

Thermocaster: The easy pick a day ago was Boston, with a combination of offense and pitching that would be able to handle the Angels in a short series. But with the news that Tim Wakefield is out for the first round, that changes everything — Matsuzaka isn’t ready for the pressure of American playoff baseball (and no, don’t give me any of that WBC crap), and Schilling is no longer trustworthy on the mound in clutch situations. Tight series, but home field ends up not being what it used to be. ANGELS IN 5

Scott: RED SOX IN 5

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Wes (Angels/Yankees): I come from a broken home, so this series is especially solemn for me. I believe strongly in the power of love, and the importance of family, so there’s no way I’m going to pick against Roger Bomman getting his father back. That, and the managerial showdown between Joe Torre and George Knox is bound to be epic – with one keeping a pitcher on the mound as he is literally dying of lung cancer and the other being a character Danny Glover played in a movie once. ANGELS IN 5

Zim (Red Sox/Indians): Having finished wiping the sweat from their brow after barely holding off the Yanks, The Red Sox will beat either Sabathia or Carmona in an early game, and that will be it. RED SOX IN 5

Kooder (Red Sox/Indians): The upstarts fall to the old timers in this one. I see Manny getting stronger as the postseason goes along to go along with another ridiculous ALCS from Big Pappi. Plus, in my mind, you always go with the team with the best pitcher, and that, my friends, is Josh Beckett. Also, Jow Borowski is closing games for the Tribe. I mean, seriously, love the ex-Cub-done-good story, but his good fortune is due to end before the World Series. RED SOX IN 6

Sean (Angels/Yankees): This is a team of destiny pick. Steinbrenner is on the fritz and wants one final run from A-Rod before he becomes players/owner/gm/ceo/journalist/popcorn seller for the Cubs. No, this isn’t the best team the Yankees have put out, but they’re playing the best outside of Philly. And while history says the Angels win, I just kicked history in the nuts. YANKEES IN 5

Hebrew Hammer (Red Sox/Indians): RED SOX IN 6

Thermocaster (Angels/Yankees): We should be thankful for this series, if for no other reason than it saved us from the doomsday scenario of another Red Sox-Yankees ALCS. If recent baseball history has taught us anything, it’s that you’re far better off being the wild card team in the AL playoffs. I predict that Tim McCarver cries at least once during this series, for no apparent reason. YANKEES IN 5

Scott (Red Sox/Indians): This might be the best series in the playoffs. INDIANS IN 7

 

 

WORLD SERIES

Wes (Angels/Rockies): Playoff MVP Vlad Guerrero continues his hot play, this time roping a series-clinching double from the on-deck circle. K-Rod preserves the win and the Rockies head back to Denver to enjoy the mountains. Tony Danza is prominently involved. ANGELS IN 5

Zim (Red Sox/Phillies): Games will start at 8 p.m. Eastern time, which means that this generation will continue to shun baseball since they have to go to sleep before games are over, We’ll get to hear Red Sox fans start their whining anew. Chase Utley will be the MVP. PHILLIES IN 7

Kooder (Red Sox/Phillies): The National League is just inferior to its American League brethren, what else do you need to say, really. Thanks to players from other teams determining home field advantage (sure, the Red Sox would have had it anyways if you went with the best record, but seriously Bud, it’s time to stop this ASG farce), the Sox jump out 2-0 and, instead of waiting until the return trip to Boston, decide to clinch it in front of the Philly crowd to make them even more insufferable and miserable. RED SOX IN 5

Sean (Yankees/Phillies): Rematch of the 1950 World Series when the Yankees won 4-0 on the heels of Whitey Ford shutting down the Phils for eight innings in game four. This one will be different: Philadelphia has the strength and the hitting, but all the karma is on the side of A-Rod. He’ll be the difference in every series, and bring New York it’s 989th world title. YANKEES IN 6

Hebrew Hammer (Red Sox/Cubs): CUBS IN 7

Thermocaster (Yankees/Phillies): Everything about this matchup points to the Yankees winning. A-Rod is hot, the pitching staff blew through their opponents in the AL playoffs, Brian Cashman is a genius, George Steinbrenner has calmed down, Joe Torre is ready to be canonized, etc. Plus, you’ve got the cloud of doom that is Philadelphia fandom bearing down upon the Phillies. There’s no way the Phillies have a chance in this series…right? PHILLIES IN 6

Scott (Indians/Cubs): Even without Jake Taylor, Rick Vaugh, Roger Dorn and Pedro Cerrano…..INDIANS IN 6