Sept. 29 | ESPN.com's baseball playoff coverage

What a great time of the year for sports fans! The baseball playoffs should be something special. Think about it, there are so many great possibilities for the World Series. The Red Sox and Cubs could break through. What about another Bay Area series between the A's and Giants? The Yankees could get back to the Fall Classic. How about the Contraction Series between the Marlins and Twins?

Everyone has an opinion on the World Series matchup ... and here are my baseball playoff picks:

American League Division Series
TWINS-YANKEES
The New York Yankees have had the Minnesota Twins' number (14-0 the past two regular seasons). Minnesota has played great ball in the second half this year, but the Yankees' playoff experience and the starting rotation should be too much. Look for manager Joe Torre and Co. to move on. Slugger Jason Giambi will get hot in the postseason.

RED SOX-A's
I really think the Oakland Athletics will miss injured starter Mark Mulder in this series. Boston has too much firepower with Nomar Garciaparra, Manny Ramirez and Co. Ace Pedro Martinez is ready too. I'll take the Red Sox to move on.

American League Championship Series
RED SOX-YANKEES
Wow, this will be something special, a Maalox Masher series. Imagine what it would be like to see Roger Clemens in Fenway one more time! Derek Jeter vs. Nomar Garciaparra! Each game, the crowd will be rockin' and rollin'! In a tight series, I have to go with the Yankees advancing to the World Series for the sixth time in eight years.

National League Division Series
CUBS-BRAVES
The Chicago Cubs have a talented pitching duo, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood -- a great benefit in a short series. The Atlanta Braves lost to manager Dusty Baker in the NLDS last year when Baker managed the Giants. I'm going for Shock City, with the Cubs getting the upset win.

MARLINS-GIANTS
The Florida Marlins are a Cinderella in the postseason, with 72-year-old manager Jack McKeon at the helm. Florida can run, run, run -- but the San Francisco Giants and Barry Bonds should get past the Marlins. Giants ace Jason Schmidt should be too tough in Game 1, and the Giants will use that momentum to move to the NLCS.

National League Championship Series
CUBS-GIANTS
Dusty Baker vs. the Giants! Awesome, baby with a capital A! Prior and Wood vs. Bonds ... special matchups! This is a special season in the Windy City, so I'm picking the Cubs to go to the Fall Classic. Will they win it for the first time since 1908?

World Series
CUBS-YANKEES
Cubs vs. Yankees, Chicago vs. New York. Baseball would love that! My pick to win it all: Joe Torre, my paisan, and the Yankees celebrate once again, winning their fifth world championship in eight years. Clemens goes out with another ring. Yankees in 6.