Preview/Prediction

In a perfect world, according to my most favorable teams they divisions would annually end something like this:

American League East: Baltimore Tampa Toronto Boston and New York

American League Central Minnesota Kansas City Detroit Chicago White Sox, Cleveland

American League West: Texas Oakland Los Angeles, Seattle

National League East: Florida, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Atlanta

National League Central: Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Chicago, Houston, St. Louis

The Cincinnati Reds have been a dark-horse pick by a lot of fans for a few years and the team put it all together in 2010. Dusty Baker is now taking his third National League team into the playoffs.

Will this be the year he gets that ring?

The Reds offense, led by slugger Joey Votto and lead-off hitter Brandon Phillips, gets to face the toughest staff in the postseason in the Philadelphia Phillies.

The 2010 MLB Playoffs are finally here!

And though several of the races came down to the final day of the regular season, the American and National League Divisional Series matchups have been set.

Now, it's time for the Rays, Twins, Rangers, Yankees, Phillies, Reds, Giants, and Braves to fight it out for the 2010 title.

And, of course, you'll want to watch each and every game, so follow along to get the 4-1-1 on each Divisional Series matchup.

MLB’s second season gets underway Wednesday. 

While the Yankees, Twins and Phillies have been postseason mainstays recently, the Giants, Rangers and Reds are back for the first time in years; the Braves are making their first appearance since 2005 and the Rays are looking to complete some unfinished business from 2008.

With no real expectation hanging over them, the Cincinnati Reds enter the 2010 playoffs amid little fanfare, overshadowed considerably by their NLDS opponent, the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies. 

Despite winning the NL Central, the Reds face a tough draw in a championship-caliber Philadelphia squad.

Cincinnati Reds:

Strengths: Nothing like starting with the weakest team from the weakest division.

It's pretty simple with the Reds this year. They added a couple of veterans in Scott Rolen and Orlando Cabrera, got an MVP-caliber season from Joey Votto, and did just enough pitching to walk away with the NL Central crown.

The Philadelphia Philles were the proud owners of the NL's best record during the regular season, and hold home field advantage against the Cincinnati Reds in their Division Series playoff matchup, beginning Wednesday.

So why should anyone believe that the Reds, and their recently extended manager Dusty Baker, can topple the heavily phavorited Phils?

Oh, let me count the ways.

A wise-ruling emperor will step down from his throne if it is better for his royal subjects to be governed by a more respected successor.  On the contrary, a stubborn emperor will be forced out.

The Yankees, to me, fall into the stubborn emperor category: they are the long-time personification of the Evil Empire in the Empire State.

After 162 games, the Major League Baseball postseason is finally here.

The 2010 playoffs has it all, from powerhouses like the Yankees and Phillies, to upstart teams like the Braves and Giants.

The games start Wednesday when the Texas Rangers travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Rays, followed by the Reds against the Phillies, and the Yankees against the Twins.

But before the first pitch has even been thrown, it already looks like some teams have positioned themselves as early favorites to play in the World Series.

Last year in the playoffs, Alex Rodriguez was outstanding for the New York Yankees.  He carried the team through the American League Division Series and the American League Championship Series.  Although he struggled in the first few games of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies last year, he had several key hits to help the Yankees become World Series Champions.