My AL Championship Series prediction

I've never been good at picking series winners, mostly because I tend to pick against teams I don't like...yes, the Yankees, and partly because I like teams with experience...like the Rays, who are out golfing.

So, here I go again, as I try and predict(?) the American League Championship Series winners for 2010.

Yankees.com

Texas Rangers.com

As I stated earlier, I don't like the Yankees, and because I don't, I'm taking the Rangers. 

Oh, and the Rangers happen to have Cliff Lee pitching for them. Lee won two games against the Rays in the A.L. Division series, including game 3, on the road at the Trop.

I guess I should really pick the Yanks to win, so that they will lose, but I really like what I saw from the Rangers.

They ran the bases well, pitched well, hit well...on the road, and won their first ever playoff series in the history of the franchise.

Texas will have their hands full with the defending World Series Champion Yanks, as C.C. Sabathia and Andy Petite will lead a veteran pitching staff that also includes the greatest post season closer ever in Mariano Rivera.

Oh, and the New Yorkers can also hit, and hit some more.

Derek Jeter has more hits than any other Yankee in team history, they have Alex Rodriguez and his 600+ home runs, they have Mark Teixeira, and Nick Swisher, and Curtis Granderson, and Robinson Cano, and well, a lot of hitters.

The Texas offense is pretty darn good to.

Led by possible MVP Justin Hamilton, the Rangers can hit with the best in baseball, and they will be challenged by the Yankees pitching. 

That said, the Yankees staff isn't as good as the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Rangers won that series.

Michael Young, in his 11th season as a Ranger, is one of the bats that compliment Hamilton well.

Elvis Andrus, Nelson Cruz, Jeff Francouer, Ian Kinsler, and Vladimir Guerrero are all solid hitters who can drive in runs.

The Rangers pitchers have got to come through to help Cliff Lee out.

Lee is going to get his starts, but his teammates, the other guys on the staff, need to win some games as well.

C.J. Wilson gets the start in Game 1, going against Sabathia, and Colby Lewis will go in Game 2 against Phil Hughes, who likes the confines of Yankee Stadium more than the road, where the series starts, in Arlington, Texas on Friday night.

In the Rangers pen, rookie closer Neftali Feliz and his  40 saves will be there, should he be needed.

So, all that said, what is my prediction?

I'll take the Rangers in 7 games, with Cliff Lee pitching a masterpiece for the Series clincher.