By Mike Corasaniti

Chicago White Sox 

The White Sox hold a 2-game lead over the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. And in no sense is that something to be comfortable with. When you include the team's mediocre performances last week (which included a series defeat at the hands of the Royals), the team should be even less comfortable.

But the White Sox have proved countless detractors wrong this season by just being where they're at right now. A.J. Pierzynski, with 23 home runs and a batting average flirting with .300, has become one of the biggest leaders on the team again while building his resume as the dark horse MVP candidate. If Chris Sale and the rest of the starting pitching can stay solid these next couple months, they could have a shot at a pennant. That is, of course, if they can get past the team that has won the American League pennant the past two seasons.

Texas Rangers

As much as everyone loves watching Josh Hamilton hit four home runs in a game and push the limits of a near .400 batting average, there was just no way it could continue all year. That's not to say in the slightest however that Hamilton and his 99 RBI plus 32 homers can't carry this team once again–not that they need him to.

What makes the Rangers so scary is that they have proven they can play like absolute crap (such as through the whole month of July) and still come back to pound your team into the ground when you least expect it. A team where players like Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, and Nelson Cruz can not worry about being the hottest player on the team can do that to you.

The Matchup

This matchup could be a lot of fun, but at this point it would still be pretty easy to call.

Chris Sale is scary, and you should be scared of him. And in a world without Jared Weaver or Justin Verlander, the Cy Young would be all but locked up. But the Texas Rangers have a pair of pitchers to keep up with Sale in Yu Darvish and Matt Harrison, which would make this matchup a lot more about the offense. Unfortunately for the White Sox, any time you're going to try to get in a home run derby with the Texas Rangers, you're probably going to lose.Rangers 3-2


If the season ended today, the Chicago White Sox (62-52) would win the AL Central and earn the No. 3 seed in the AL Playoffs. They would go on to play the No. 2 Seed Texas Rangers (67-47) in the American League Division Series.

By Mike Corasaniti

Wild Card: No. 5 Cleveland Indians/New York Yankees at No. 4 Tampa Bay Rays

Everything is a little shaky in the seeding department right now with Cleveland and New York sharing the same record (27-23) and Tampa Bay and Baltimore being tied atop the AL East with the White Sox at the same mark (all three teams are at 29-22). But Birdland took two out of three from the Rays in May (giving Tampa the four spot) as well as two out of three from Chicago in April (putting the White Sox at No. 3), so for logistics sake the Orioles are No. 2. 

Match-up: As far as the Wild Card goes, ITSET, the Rays wouldn't be stopped by either the Yankees or Indians, so the five spot doesn't really matter. Rays 1-0

ALDS: No. 3 Chicago White Sox at No. 2 Baltimore Orioles

After winning 12 out of their last 13, the White Sox (29-22) are sitting pretty atop the AL Central as one of the hottest teams in baseball. With eight straight wins under their belt, a lot of their winning ways can be credited to left fielder Dayan Viciedo who has 13 RBI in their current streak. As some of the teams they've played in the past few weeks aren't exactly top of the crop (Twins, Cubs, etc.), the Chi Sox are still a team that needs to prove themselves, but so is the team they'd be facing in this hypothetical division series.

To say that the Orioles (29-22) are the surprise of the season so far is an understatement, but it unfortunately seems like their time in first place is running out (13 losses in May sure didn't help). But with their three-game series at Tampa Bay looming, Baltimore still has some hope to hang on for a playoff spot. They will need Adam Jones (not to be confused with Pacman) to keep slugging and Jason Hammel to keep killing it on the mound, but if they do, don't count on the Birds to be going away any time soon.

Match-up: The White Sox have the tools to make a playoff run, the Orioles would need to spend a few more weeks near the top of the division to prove that they do too. White Sox 3-1


ALDS: No. 4 Tampa Bay Rays at No. 1 Texas Rangers

Want to guess who leads the league in all four major offensive categories? Hint: it's not the Astros. The Rangers (31-20), led by Josh Hamilton and his 21 homes runs, are absolutely killing the ball. And with Nelson Cruz getting his swing back, this team is starting to look like it's scary self. If it's pitching staff can keep performing behind Yu Darvish, it doesn't seem like the boys from Arlington will have any problem "Cruz-ing" past whatever team ends up winning the Wild Card.

Match-up: Rays, Orioles, Yankees, no matter who is thrown at Texas the first round, it won't even be close. Rangers 3-0


ALCS: No. 3 Chicago White Sox at No. 1 Texas Rangers

Chicago is hot, exploding on offense, and is enjoying some nice consistency from it's pitching staff, which really would help them ITSET. But whenever Texas is involved in a prediction, my job is going to stay pretty easy.

Match-up: Even if Hamilton's bat goes cold, Darvish starts giving up a ton of runs, and Nelson Cruz can't find the swing that has made him such a force, it's going to take a lot to stop this team from winning it's third straight pennant. Rangers 4-1