The best time of the year is officially upon us. October baseball has returned, and with that comes playoff beards, cooler weather and way too many close-up camera shots of pitcher’s faces. Excitement is as high as ever for what is shaping up to be a great playoff.
NLDS: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
If you are a casual fan looking for a bandwagon to hop on, look no further. The last year Pittsburgh made a playoff appearance (1992), “Aladdin” was in theaters and Nirvana was in its prime. The Pirates are a great story, but they have their hands full against the Cardinals, who seem to turn it on every October when it matters most. Although they went 10-9 against their division rival this season, it feels like an uphill battle for the Pirates. On the other side, the Cardinals are annual playoff contenders and have as balanced of a team as almost anyone in baseball. The Cards boast a deep starting staff led by Adam Wainwright and arguably boast the strongest lineup in the National League. Their only major question is in the bullpen, as reliever Edward Mujica was removed from the closer role near the end of September.
Pick: Cardinals in 4
NLDS: Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
In what feels more like an NLCS-type series, it is amazing this is an actual first-round matchup. After playing sub-.500 baseball for over two months and circulating rumors of manager Don Mattingly being fired, the Dodgers ripped off one of the most impressive runs in baseball history, going 42-8 over a 50-game span. The Braves, on the other hand, jumped out of the gate on fire but struggled down the stretch. Despite such a successful year, it still feels like previous playoff shortcomings hang over Atlanta’s head, and those doubts will remain until they do some serious damage in October. 
Pick: Dodgers in 4
ALDS: Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays
If you had the Red Sox winning 97 games and securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs, take a bow. Boston, fresh off a 69-93 record and all around miserable season in 2012, hired former pitching coach John Farrell as manager and made a serious effort to change the clubhouse culture. And you know what? It actually worked. The Red Sox led the majors in nearly every offensive category and got solid contributions from the pitching staff all season long. It’s finally fun to be a Red Sox fan again, and all the beards make for a very similar comparison to the 2013 Mississippi State University’s baseball team, which is always a good thing. The Rays come in off huge wins at Texas and Cleveland to win the AL Wild Card playoff and are as dangerous as anyone right now with a dominant starting rotation. I’d be surprised if this series does not go at least five games. 
Pick: Red Sox in 5
ALDS: Oakland A’s vs. Detroit Tigers
This is a rematch of the ALDS last season, which was a five-game thriller that resulted in Detroit winning thanks to a dominant performance from Justin Verlander. The teams are relatively similar to their 2012 versions, only Verlander has not been what we have come to expect from one of the most dominant pitchers baseball has seen in quite some time. Verlander is not even starting Game one — fellow starter Max Scherzer is. Verlander will be just fine, and despite the mediocre season (by Verlander standards), he is still just as terrifying to face as always. It’s hard to put a finger on, but there is just something about this A’s baseball team. Oakland is not flashy — it just wins. This first-round series will be their biggest test yet against Miguel Cabrera and the Tigers, which promises to be an unbelievable series.
Pick: A’s in 5.