by Brian Williams

Created on: October 02, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

In 2008, the defending World Series Champions, The Boston Red Sox, have a great chance to repeat as champions, if history serves me correctly, they won't make it. The playoff picture looks like this, The Tampa Bay Rays won the A.L. east, The Angels won the A.L. west, by 20+ games, and in a one game playoff The White Sox won the A.L. central over The Twins. In the National League, The Dodgers and Manny Ramirez won the N.L. west, The Cubs won the N.L. central for a second straight time, and The Phillies clinched the N.L. east. The wild card teams were Boston and Milwaukee. The Brewer earn a playoff berth for the first time since they advanced to the World Series in 1982. Of all of these teams, my prediction is The Tampa Bay Rays versues The Milwaukee Brewers!

The Los Angeles Angels won 100 games, while The Chicago Cubs repeated as division champs to earn the best records in baseball, yet I expect a burnout for both of these teams. Last season, The Colorado Rockies shocked the baseball world in winning the National League, The Rays and the Brewers are this years version of cinderella. Evan Longoria has helped pace this team with power hitting. He is my vote for American League Rookie of the Year! C.C. Sabathia, was one win away from The Indians advancing to the World Series last year. With a midseason trade to the Brewers, Milwaukee is playing baseball in October! Sabathia is my pick for the N.L. Cy Young award, it would be his second straight if he gets it! The Brewers fired Ned Yost, which made Yost one of the select few to be fired in September, even though his team was 20 games over .500. Dale Sveum did the rest in dramatic fashion, with a New York Mets collaspe for the second straight season, it would be the Brewers who would capatalize. The Rays had a brawl in Fenway Park. The writing was on the wall then that The Rays were no slouches! In September, The Rays made a comeback for the ages as a late innings double stymied Boston that would all but wrap up the American League Eastern Division!

Manny Ramirez is my pick for N.L. MVP, but The Dodgers are one year away. I expect the Dodgers to advance to the next round, but in the N.L.C.S, paint the series beer yellow! Ramirez will get his, but look for The Brewers to be inspired, one win in Chez reviegn, and the Brewers could clinch the National League at Miller Park! The Red Sox will look like champions against the Angels, but in the A.L.C.S. the Red Sox are in for a rude awakening! Tampa will not only win their series in 5 games against the White Sox, but Tampa will have the same hatred for Boston, just as The Red Sox hated The Yankees! It will be different for Boston, being the hunted and not the hunter. Boston consumed itself for 86 years, being jealous of Yankee Nation, but The Rays have a different attitude that not only crowned them divison champs, but hungry to add to the Red Sox's long list of playoff disappointments!

In the World Series, The Rays versues Brewers matchup will be epic! Neither have ever won, and miscues will be the key to this Series. C.C. will win two games in this series, but with the American League winning the All-Star game this season, this series will go 7 games, and game seven will be in Tropicana Field! When Milwakee was in the World Series against St. Louis, that series went 7, but The Cardinal prevailed at Busch Stadium, after The Brewer toke a 3-2 lead in that series. History will work against the Brewers, and like The Brooks and Dunn song went Milwaukee will have a "tear in their beer". Nobody gave the Rays a chance and with good reason, however when a team flys under radar like Tampa did, The Rays will get pitches to hit! Put it on the board Rays in 7 for the World Series Championship!

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