[ot-caption title=”U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian Keaton, mimics a grenade toss for the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of baseball’s NL Division Series between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants in Nationals Park, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, Pool)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/final.jpg”]

It is early October, and for baseball fans, that means the most exciting time of the year: the MLB Postseason. The American League features opening round division series match ups between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles as well as the Los Angeles Angels and the Kansas City Royals. On the National League side, the Washington Nationals open against the San Francisco Giants, while the Los Angeles Dodgers face off against the St. Louis Cardinals. There are many competitive teams in this year’s postseason, so the World Series picture should be interesting as the playoffs wear on. Here are this year’s World Series predictions given by Type One’s sportswriters:

Ariana Altieri, staff writer: San Francisco Giants

I think the Giants will win the World Series. This is because they already have the upper hand against Nationals, leading the series 2-0 and seem to have a strong lineup. Also, the combined hitting average for the Giants is higher than that of the Nationals, which helps boost their chances of winning the World Series for sure.

Noah Baker, staff writer: Detroit Tigers

My prediction for the MLB World Series Champions is the Detroit Tigers. They have a great pitching core, but more importantly they have the weapon of Miguel Cabrera.

William Becker, staff writer: San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are the team to beat this year, quite simply, they are a team that knows how to win in October and it is that experience and drive that will once again make them the champions.

Sofia Caro, staff writer: Los Angeles Angels

The LA Angels are my favorites to win the World Series by far. Their record of 98-64 and their home record of 52-29 are second to none. They rank #1 in the League for runs with 773 overall and their slugging percentage of .406 rank fifth in the league. With Howie Kendrick at second base later this week, the Los Angeles Angels will be able to beat the Kansas City Royals and roll on to win the World Series.

Samuel Dern, staff writer: Kansas City Royals

In my opinion, fresh off of a thriller in the Wild Card game, the Kansas City Royals will shock the baseball universe and win the World Series. Good pitching out of the bullpen and stellar defense especially in the infield will be crucial as the Royals progress through the brackets.

Emily Ferrando, staff writer: Los Angeles Angels

I think the Angels are going to win the World Series due to their power hitting lineup and quality pitching. Their lineup is very balanced, and they have some of the best power hitters in the game. Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, and Albert Pujols are just some of the premiere players on their roster. Starting pitchers Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson are very dominant and reliable players. When it comes time for the 9^th inning, closer Huston Street enters the game, and almost always seals the win for his team.

Matthew Fine, staff writer: Kansas City Royals

The Royals are going to win the World Series because of their ability to win in extra innings. Of the three games they have played so far, the Royals have won all of them in extra innings and they will continue to do so if they can stay hot.

Nicole Kone, staff writer and photographer: Kansas City Royals

The Royals will play the Cardinals in the World Series and will ultimately win. Both teams have excellent pitching and defense, but the Royals have been hitting very well recently, and that should give them the edge necessary to beat the Cardinals.

Mark Rabin, staff writer: Kansas City Royals

The Royals clawed and scraped their way into the playoffs, playing with a sense of excitement being that this was their first time in the playoffs in 29 years. They have a great pitching staff lead by James Sheilds and having just beaten the Angels pretty easily will look to make quick work of the Orioles on their way to the World Series.

Christian Robinson, staff writer: Los Angeles Dodgers

My pick to win the World Series is the Los Angeles Dodgers. LA is coming off of a great season, securing the second seed in the National League, and has many skilled players that work well together. These highly talented players include Yasiel Puig, an All-Star outfielder and great hitter, Dee Gordon, another Dodgers All-Star that plays second base, and Clayton Kershaw, who was also an All-Star pitcher. This trio is surrounded by reliable role players that complement these All-Stars, and give them an excellent chance of winning.  Although they started off the playoffs with a disheartening loss to Cardinals, the team should get back on track to beat St. Louis in the series, and eventually advance to the World Series to win it all.

Jack Rubin, staff writer: Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals are the most complete team overall, and they are getting hot at the perfect time. Their starting pitching rotation has been key for them all season, and getting Bryce Harper back in July gives them the offensive push they need to compete with some of the best teams in baseball.

Owen Scrudders, staff writer: Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are in the top 10 in both ERA and runs scored. They won their first 2 games against a good Detroit Tigers team, and I expect their momentum to carry them to their first World Series title since 1983, as they have been playing their best baseball recently.

Jacob Wolpert, Section Editor: Washington Nationals

Despite being down 2-0 to the Giants, the Nationals will bounce back and ultimately reach and win the World Series.The Nationals have one of the best pitching rotations in all of baseball, with Doug Fister and Jordan Zimmerman leading the pack with their sub 3.00 ERAs. To put things into perspective, Steven Strasburg is considered just the 4th best pitcher on the roster. Besides strong pitching, the Nationals have a surprisingly formidable offense led by the aggressive Bryce Harper. At just 21 years old, Harper is one of the game’s rising young stars, and his power hitting and clutch play will be key to bringing the first ever World Series pennant to Washington.

Although it is still early, this year’s MLB postseason already looks to be exciting as ever, with 4 games going to extra innings, including an 18 inning thriller between the Giants and Nationals. There is no clear cut favorite to win as of right now, however, the Royals are making a strong case for this year’s “underdog team” that could possibly sneak in the World Series. Only time will tell how the rest of the postseason picture plays out, so keep watching this year’s coverage of the 2014 MLB Posteason to find out who moves on and who will be packing their bags and going home.

Sources: ESPN