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First of all, let's eliminate some of the pretenders. Whoever makes it out of the AL Central won't be advancing past the first round. The Tigers and Twins' late season battle for the division title has been a relief during a season in which there were no other playoff races, but it's all for naught—they simply don't have the talent to compare with some of the other teams on the schedule.

In the National League, the Colorado Rockies are most likely to have their hearts broken in the opening round. It's been a nice run but they're not World Series bound, not with their pitching staff. True, a few years ago Colorado enjoyed a miracle run to the World Series, but the magic isn't there this season.

That leaves the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and L.A. Angels for your MLB picks. Right now Boston looks sketchiest, as its skidding into the postseason. The Red Sox have lost five straight games and seven of their past 10; the team backed into the Wild Card and couldn't be slumping at a worse time.

The Angels, on the other hand, are just warming up. Los Angeles has won three straight games, and the team has a little extra motivation this season after the death of teammate Nick Adenhart. The young pitcher was killed in a car accident and the Angels have rallied around him all season, including a few touching moments earlier this week when the team clinched the AL West.

While the Angels would make for the best story, they're still not the best team. That distinction belongs to the Yankees. New York has won seven straight games en route to a 100-plus win season. The Bronx Bombers are living up to their nickname and have scored a league-best 895 runs this season. It's not all about homers, though, as Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia is in competition for the Cy Young.

On the Senior Circuit, the Phillies have battled ups and downs but will still win the NL East by a healthy margin, meaning a shot at defending their World Series crown. Despite a 5-5 record over the past 10 games, Philly is as legit as anyone in the NL.

Same goes for the Dodgers and their spectacular pitching. Unfortunately, L.A. has dropped three in a row; this is a young team, and it's hard to believe it can get by the more experienced teams in the National League.

Finally, there's St. Louis. There's a lot to like on the Cardinals. Albert Pujols has had yet another monstrous season, while St. Louis has studs like Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright to send to the mound. Considering those two can pitch a few times per series, St. Louis has the best odds to make the World Series.

So who will come out on top of World Series odds—the Yankees or Cardinals? Many fans would probably appreciate a St. Louis championship much more, especially for Pujols' sake, but this Yankee team is too good. A great lineup, good rotation and arguably the best closer in MLB history is a recipe for success… and another Yankees World Series title.

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