DIVISION SERIES TIME!

Hi, I'm The Rabbi, video editor of On The Sportslines.

The baseball playoffs are here! It's weird how there seems to be a split of the old (The Phillies, The Yankees, The Twins, and the Rays, all who have had runs in the postseason over the last 3 years), and the new (The Reds, Rangers, Braves, and Giants, all who have had 5-10 year layoffs from real October baseball). With that being said, here are predictions and 3 quick storylines from each of the Division Series.

Rays-Rangers

1. Familiarity. This is only the Rangers 4th trip to the postseason and the first time they aren't playing the Yankees. This is only the Rays 2nd trip to the postseason, and considering that most of the players have 16 games of playoff experience from 2 years ago, it's fair to say the Rays are the more experienced ballclub.

2. Rangers stars need to deliver. Josh Hamilton is only hitting .147 at Tropicana Field and Cliff Lee has lost to the Rays thrice this year (although two came with Seattle).

3. Carlos Pena. He can bop the homers (28 of them), but batted .196 this year. Almost unheard of numbers, even in this day and age. I wonder how that works in the free agent market when playing for a contract.

Prediction: Rays are a good match up for the Rangers and they won't succumb to pressure. Rangers in 4.

Twins-Yankees

1. Yankee dominance. Until a May 16th victory, the Twins had lost 12 straight games- regular and post-season to the Yankees. Add to that three playoff victories in series over the last 7 years. However, this will be the first time the Yankees have to beat the Twins without home field advantage. Speaking of....

2. Target Field! The Twins had one of the best Home Records in the regular season. The change of venue (it's gonna be below 50 for starting pitch Wednesday) may help. The Twins lost all 5 of their games in the Metrodome versus the Yankees in those 3 playoff series.

3. Andy Pettitte. Beat the Twins Twice this year, and will need to be that pre-July self to help the Yankees to the ALCS. Pettitte will start game 2, and if needed Game 5 on normal rest.

Prediction: The Yankees would look awful against anyone else, but I feel like they turn it on here. But it's not easy. Yankees in 5, and if that happens it would be the first DS Game 5 in 5 years.

Reds-Phillies

1. This could get crazy. Even though the Phillies won the season series 5-2, they lost 2 of 3 in Cincy, and they had 4 game sweep the closest way you can, winning 3 of the 4 in extra innings, and 2 straight 1-0. That was the first time the Phils won 1-0 games back to back in 97 years.

2. Joey Votto. If The Reds have any chance of winning, they'll need Joey Votto's regular season numbers again. He had a .324-37-113 year, making him 2nd in average, 3rd in homers, and 3rd in RBIs. This is why Votto is probably gonna get an NL MVP at the end of the season.

3. H20- the pitching version. After the Phillies got Roy Oswalt via trade on July 29th, the trio of Roy Oswalt (The o in h20, Roy Halladay, and Cole Hamels (the 2 H's) went 20-7. The fact that a #1 starter like Hamels in 2008 is now a #3? Scary.

Prediction: Well, there's been so many sweeps in the playoffs over the last few years, I gotta see another one here. Phillies in tres.

Giants-Braves

1. Bullpen. These two have darn good bullpens. For The Braves, Peter Moylan has had 85 appearances and an under 2 ERA. Braves closer Billy Wagner's final season was a stellar 40+ save one. As for the Giants, all it did in the crunch time of the final week of the season is not let up ONE earned run.

2. But can the Giants hit? The Achilles heel to end all Achilles heel's. Aubrey Huff was 2 for 23 against the Braves. Buster Posey was 1-11. Freddy Sanchez and Juan Uribe were both under .200 at the plate against Atlanta as well. Probably the worst hitting of all 8 playoff teams resides in San Fran.

3. But can the Braves continue to pitch? Bobby Cox will put out 2 veterans: Derek Lowe, one of the hotter pitchers in the game and reliable Tim Hudson in Games 1 and 3. Tommy Hanson, someone who has a lack of postseason experience gets the middle game. Can he hit the mark in his 1st postseason start?

Prediction: Braves in 4. I feel like this is the only series that can go either way, and Atlanta's second life and slightly better hitting will prevail.

I will be posting more frequently throughout the month as the baseball playoffs hit full swing, and college football hits it's stride. In fact, stay tuned about the SEC in the upcoming days, and a true look at why Les Miles is getting the criticism he is. Till then, I am out.