After a long six months of baseball, the smell and sounds of fall ring in another year of playoffs for America’s pastime. Thirty teams began, but only ten remain, all of them vying for baseball’s ultimate glory: a world championship. We’ve seen so much this season, but now we prepare to experience the best.

Before I begin, it’s worth noting how playoffs work in baseball. Last year, a second wild card team was added into the mix, giving the playoffs a total of ten teams. For each league, two wild card teams play in a winner-take-all game with the winner advancing to play the number-one seed. The division series is a best-of-five series with winner then advancing to the championship series, which is a best-of-seven series. Then, winners then advance to the World Series, another best-of-seven series. Whew…

National League Division Series

            Before the series begins, the Cincinnati Reds must travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates in one of the two winner-take-all games. This is the first trip to the postseason for the Pirates since 1992. In fact, 2013 was their first winning season since 1992. Therefore, with this game in Pittsburgh, I believe the crowd will carry the Pirates over the Reds, and then pit them against another division foe, the National League best St. Louis Cardinals.

While I’ll be rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates the whole way, there is a very small chance that they can get past the Cardinals. St. Louis is simply equipped with a better pitching staff and a, better lineup. I expect the Cardinals to oust the Pirates in four games.

The second division series in the National League features the East division champs Atlanta Braves facing off against the West champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves cruised to a division title in a division where their foes simply underperformed. Led by stars such as catcher Brian McCann and outfielder Jason Heyward, the Braves have a impressive team, even without ace Tim Hudson, whose season ended prematurely with an injury earlier in the season. The Braves, however, are facing the hottest in baseball; the Dodgers who were nine and half games back in their division near the end of June. Since then they put together perhaps the greatest run in baseball history. Led by superb pitching and pure star power from pitcher’s Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and the biggest star in baseball this year, leftfielder Yasiel Puig. In the end, the Dodgers have just have more power in their pitching rotation and their starting lineup. In my mind, the Dodgers advance to the NLCS in four games over the Atlanta Braves.

American League Division Series

The Tampa Rays defeated the Texas Rangers in a wild card tiebreaker game on Monday to secure the second wild card spot in the American League. The Rays will travel to Cleveland to battle the Indians who have been sort of a surprise, being led by manager Terry Francona. Now, they get their chance to prove themselves against Tampa Bay. In the end, however, I’m picking an upset, with Rays beating the Indians on Wednesday.

The momentum for the Rays ends there however, as the Rays meet their division foe Boston. The Red Sox pulled off an impressive season, leading to a division crown. The decision is quiet easy, seeing as the Red Sox have a very powerful lineup coupled with a good starting rotation. I expect the Red Sox to find their way into the ALCS easily, winning in five games.

American League Division Series

The defending American League champions, Detroit Tigers have put together another fine season led by incredible pitching from Max Scherzer and the best hitter in baseball, Miguel Cabrera. Their opponent, the Oakland Athletics, are two-time defending division champion with a team of largely unknowns. The A’s, however, simply find a way to win.

Last year, the Tigers fought hard against the A’s in five games in this same situation en route to the World Series. This year, however, I am picking the Athletics to beat the Tigers in much of a replay from last year. This will be a hard fought, full five-game series with the A’s moving on to the ALCS.

National League Championship Series

In the NLCS, I expect the Dodgers to face off against the Cardinals. While this will be a very tough series, I still believe whole-heartedly that the Cardinals will win this series and go back to the World Series as they did in 2011. The Cardinals just have better pitching, a more complete lineup, and a better coaching staff managing all of it.

American League Championship Series

            As much as I personally despise the Boston Red Sox, they are simply the best team in the American League. While the Oakland A’s do present a formidable challenge, they don’t have the same firepower as the Red Sox. In an easy decision, I believe the Red Sox represent the AL in the World Series, winning in five games. I will, though, be rooting for the A’s to pull of the upset.

World Series

            It all comes down to this. The Boston Red Sox vs. the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2013 Fall Classic.

These two teams did meet before in this situation back in 2004, with the Red Sox winning in a four game sweep, famously ending their 86-year championship drought, dubbed the “Curse of the Bambino.”

In 2013, however, I’ll be picking the St. Louis Cardinals. I believe their better pitching through their rotation and their bullpen, along with a lineup that, top-to-bottom, is better than the Red Sox. If the Cardinals can rekindle any of the magic from 2011, they will be the champions.

Still, whoever wins, we’re in for a great postseason. And in the end, all we should do is simply appreciate what we are experiencing: America’s pastime at it’s best. To baseball fans everywhere, enjoy.