How we rate the postseason field of 8

Baseball's playoffs Friday, and anything can happen. The final few hours of the regular season proved as much. Still, some teams enter October in better shape than others, and USA TODAY's Paul White ranks the eight contenders vying for a World Series title:

1. Philadelphia Phillies

Their best asset: Pitching, pitching and more pitching — that's exactly what it feels like to opponents. The stacked rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt has been everything the Phillies hoped it would be, leading the majors in ERA, complete games, shutouts and more. The X-factor is rookie Vance Worley, who won't crack the postseason rotation despite an 11-3 record. He provides more depth in the unlikely event of a starter being knocked out early.

Their biggest liability: The starters don't finish every game, and the Phillies must be wary of the bullpen if they are in tight games. The team's worst ERA for any inning this season is 3.82 in the eighth, and the Philadelphia relievers have a strikeout-walk ratio of less than 2-1, compared with better than 4-1 for the starters. Of particular concern is Antonio Bastardo, the one left-hander in the bullpen, who had a 0.79 ERA on July 17 but a 5.16 ERA since.

Don't forget about:Shane Victorino doesn't get as much attention as former MVPs Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard or fan favorite Chase Utley, but he has been the Phillies' best offensive player , leading the team in OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage). And Victorino is an above-average defender in an outfield that has struggled with its range at times .

Path to victory: The starting pitching continues to dominate, and the offense isn't a worry, thanks to the improved balance since right-handed Hunter Pence joined the lefty-heavy lineup.

Division Series outlook: Upbeat, thanks to the three-game season-ending sweep of Atlanta that came on the heels of their worst stretch of the season. Otherwise, it could have been tense facing a Cardinals team that beat the Phillies six of nine times . Now, it's a rested team with its pitching lined up against a team that's just the opposite.

We say: The Phillies are clear favorites to win the World Series but must be wary of pitching duels like they had with the Giants in last year's National League Championship Series.

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2. Milwaukee Brewers

Their best asset:Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are the only NL teammates both over .950 in OPS . Braun, a right-hander, bats third, while Fielder, a lefty, cleans up. And of the 146 games they had both played in this season, only 10 times had neither gotten a hit.

Their biggest liability: The rules require road games. The Brewers are the only playoff team with a losing record on the road , and while 39-42 might not seem horrible, it took an 18-6 run through August and September to get there. Only six of those games were against teams with winning records. Starters Zack Greinke and Yovani Gallardo are a combined 12-14 with a 4.32 ERA on the road but 21-2, 3.06 at home.

Don't forget about … : Second baseman Rickie Weeks was second in the NL in runs, fifth in total bases and sixth in extra-base hits when he went on the disabled list July 27 with an ankle sprain. He's been back since mid-September, and if he can return to form in his fifth spot in the batting order, the offense becomes much more formidable.

Path to victory: Even if they can count on Braun and Fielder, solid starting pitching and closer John Axford, the Brewers will need more help. Start with third baseman Casey McGehee— down 37 RBI and 166 OPS points from last season.

Division Series outlook: Comfortable, because they wrapped up home advantage on the final day of the season, a key element for the best home team (57-24) in the majors. But to clinch home advantage, they used Greinke (11-0 at Miller Park) in the final game. So, he'll pitch Game 3 on the road with Shaun Marcum, their best road starter, going in Game 2 at home.

We say: The Brewers are a tempting pick as sleepers in a wide-open postseason. A little early momentum could go a long way, but they're not quite at the Phillies' level.

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3. Texas Rangers

Their best asset: The offense is relentless. The only sub-.260 hitter among regulars is second baseman Ian Kinsler, and he leads the team with 32 homers. The Rangers are the only team in the majors to have five players with at least 25 homers. And they're headed for the postseason on a hot streak, leading the American League in homers, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage during September.

Their biggest liability: Only the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins— two last-place teams — had worse bullpen ERAs than Texas. General manager Jon Daniels was aggressive in addressing the issue by adding Mike Adams, Koji Uehara and Mike Gonzalez at the trade deadline, but concerns remain. Closer Neftali Feliz has 1.80 strikeouts per walk compared with 3.94 as rookie of the year in 2010. Darren Oliver, the primary bullpen lefty, has a 2.29 ERA, but his third consecutive 60-appearance season could be a factor at 40. Last year, his ERA jumped from 2.48 during the season to 4.82 in the postseason.

Don't forget about …: C.J. Wilson stepped into the role of staff ace with a 2.94 ERA, a full run lower than what Cliff Lee posted after joining the Rangers during last season. Now, the big challenge. Wilson had a 3.35 regular-season ERA in 2010 but took a back seat to Lee, who became the man in October with three wins while Wilson faded, allowing 15 hits and eight walks in 18 innings in the three starts after his 61/3 shutout innings in the Division Series.

Path to victory: All of the AL playoff teams have plenty of pitching questions. That's in the wheelhouse of the Rangers, who are just getting third baseman Adrian Beltre and outfielder Nelson Cruz back to full speed after injuries. They'll need offense, especially if they use three left-handed starting pitchers. The other AL playoff teams all hit better against lefties.

Division Series outlook: Uneasy, now that it's the Tampa Bay pitching staff they must face. The Rangers averaged 5.27 runs a game this season, but only 2.88 against the Rays. But Texas also scored seven, eight and 11 in winning five of nine games against Tampa Bay, reminding that this is an epic matchup of pitching vs. offense. Texas won in five games last year but the departed Lee was the difference.

We say: Last year's midseason addition of Lee created just enough pitching depth to get the Rangers to the World Series. This year, they don't have quite enough.

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4. Tampa Bay Rays

Their best asset: Suddenly, the AL has a playoff team that could go head-to-head with the Phillies rotation. This year's Rays rotation has allowed fewer runs per game (3.79) than the 2008 team (4.14) that got to the World Series. The biggest question will be how to line up among the starters.

Their biggest liability: The Rays were shut out 15 times this season, two shutouts more than their AL-best pitching staff could muster. Despite the final-night magic, this still is an offense that can disappear at inopportune times.

Don't forget about: Manager Joe Maddon isn't afraid to roll the dice, especially where he has cashed in before. September call-up Matt Moore is reminiscent of David Price's impactful debut in 2008, except lefty Moore just might be even more polished than Price was at a similar stage. Keep an eye out for this year's secret weapon.

Path to victory: The Rays have proved proven they can shut down any other team in the AL. So a little Desmond Jennings-Johnny Damon-Evan Longoria run-manufacturing magic could make Tampa Bay reminiscent of the 2008 pennant winners.

Division Series outlook: Rolling, into the playoffs with more momentum than any other team. A performance like the one Texas' Cliff Lee threw at them in last year's first round can stifle the enthusiasm, but we'll see if C.J. Wilson, who hasn't faced the Rays this year, is up to that task.

We say: The Rays are the ultimate wild card . If you believe in magic, jump on the bandwagon. If reality is your thing, this ride just can't last long enough.

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5. New York Yankees

Their best asset: Trying to outhit your opponents is a dangerous postseason formula. But the Yankees might be able to pull it off. They might have to. This team scored nine or more runs in 27 games this season, . Eight of those came against playoff teams or contenders. And of the 27 times the Yankees were held to two runs or fewer? Nine of those came against Detroit, Boston, Texas and Tampa Bay.

Their biggest liability: Who you gonna start, Joe? Manager Joe Girardi has been answering that question since A.J. Burnett's first spring meltdown and Phil Hughes' first mysterious radar gun reading. Starters have allowed a .264 batting average and .741 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS), both of which rank ninth in the league and last among AL playoff teams. After CC Sabathia, little is certain; for now, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia will follow him.

Don't forget about:Derek Jeter has hit .338, since July 9, the day he got his 3,000th hit, and that certainly adds to the RBI opportunities for the middle of the order. But the real difference-maker in tight games can be left fielder Brett Gardner, who leads the team with 46 stolen bases and is the runaway leader among all major league outfielders with a 23.6 Ultimate Zone Rating for defensive efficiency.

Path to victory: In a season without an obvious AL favorite , the Yankees' experience takes on increased importance. Mark Teixeira hasn't had a hot streak yet — though he's over 30 homers and 100 RBI for the eighth year in a row, his batting average has been between .240 and .260 since May 12. Jeter is hot, and Mariano Rivera is the one weapon no other team can match.

Division Series outlook: Trepidation, something that isn't going to go away unless and until they at the very least reach the World Series. They've proven that they're the best team in the AL, but all it takes is a Justin Verlander victory over CC Sabathia in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium to set off the alarms about the rest of the New York rotation — or a Doug Fister win in Game 2 for that matter.

We say: Jeter got 3,000 hits, Rivera broke the saves record — mystique and aura are back. This is a flawed Yankees team, but it's still headed to the World Series.

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6. St. Louis Cardinals

Their best asset: The only bigger surprise than the Cardinals remaining in contention was that the they had the top offense in the NL, further buoyed by the recent return from injury of Matt Holliday. The emergence of players such as Allen Craig and John Jay has given manager Tony La Russa the kind of bench depth he loves .

Their biggest liability: La Russa is on version 6.0 or thereabouts of his bullpen alignment, and the current principals are bordering on overuse. Should Jason Motte remain closer over Fernando Salas? Has Mark Rzepczynski passed Arthur Rhodes as the primary lefty? Who does the manager really trust? Does La Russa himself know?

Don't forget about: St. Louis needs a solid second starter behind Chris Carpenter, especially because their proven ace had to pitch the season finale. Kyle Lohse's 14-8 season fills the bill. He's the only Cardinals starter who allowed fewer than one hit per inning pitched. But he's also never won a postseason game (six appearances, one start).

Path to victory: Albert Pujols can carry a team like few other players in baseball. He needs to do it here, especially to quickly deflate any sense of invincibility about the Philadelphia pitching staff. If Albert and his friends could steal the Division Series, the path is wide open.

Division Series outlook: Thought-provoking, especially because La Russa likes to think he can out-manage just about anyone. He'll need to steal at least one game from Charlie Manuel in Philadelphia, if for no other reason than to get into the heads of the Phillies and increase the weight of their expectations.

We say: The Cardinals are dangerous but their flaws showed up often enough, even during their September push, that this team will have a difficult time avoiding them through one, let alone three, series.

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7. Detroit Tigers

Their best asset: It's no secret the Tigers are especially feared in the best-of-five Division Series, where Cy Young Award favorite Justin Verlander could pitch twice. But the emergence of Doug Fister (8-1, 1.79 ERA since his July trade from the Seattle Mariners) increases the chances they also can shut down an opponent in a best-of-seven series.

Their biggest liability: Jose Valverde has converted all 47 of his save attempts, and Verlander averages 7.3 innings a start. It's what happens in between that could quickly end the Tigers' October. The 19 relievers Detroit used other than Valverde combined for a 4.25 ERA, a statistic that becomes especially pertinent because Tigers starters not named Verlander average 5.8 innings. Joaquin Benoit improved in the second half — no runs in 22 appearances since Aug. 2. And rookie Al Alburquerque — with a 1.87 ERA — could be an answer. But he has pitched just seven times since Aug.9 and had three stints on the disabled list.

Don't forget about:Alex Avila, who led the American League in innings behind the plate and didn't catch in only two games from Aug. 5 to Sept. 16. Still, he has held up with an .897 OPS , best among catchers by a wide margin and second on the Detroit roster to Miguel Cabrera.

Path to victory: The Verlander-Fister combination of the final two months is the best one-two punch in a pitching-challenged AL field. Fister has gone at least seven innings in six of his last seven starts, exactly what the Tigers need to match up with anyone.

Division Series outlook: Lurking, as the team most likely to disrupt the order of things. But neither Verlander nor Fister has beaten that Yankees this year (combined 4.26 ERA in three starts) .

We say: Manager Jim Leyland has done wonders mixing and matching his lineups, but the offense will be hard-pressed to muster enough to get Detroit through a first-round series.

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8. Arizona Diamondbacks

Their best asset: How many teams really mirror their manager? These last-to-first Diamondbacks are reminiscent of Kirk Gibson the player — the 1988 unlikely-MVP, storybook-home run player. They have no better asset than right fielder Justin Upton, who led the way in taming the club's runaway strikeout rate. Upton's rate dropped from 26.6% in 2010 to 18.4% this year, and the team ranked fourth in the NL after back-to-back years as whiff kings. But they've also turned a bullpen that had an ERA in 2010 more than a run worse than any other in the National League into one that ranks second in save-conversion percentage. They've developed Gibson-esque momentum and the division title has turned this team into one that believes it belongs with the elite.

Their biggest liability: Gibson has to tread the fine line between his mostly young team's aggressiveness and the chance of damaging mistakes. The flailing at the plate has been reduced, but the manager worries about pushing the envelope. "It's unreal how many outs we've made," Gibson said of his team's baserunning. "You just have to bite your tongue sometimes . It's who we are. I encourage energy. I encourage pressure." And what might that mean under the added pressure of the playoff spotlight for a team that will need every break ?

Don't forget about:Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson are a solid one-two pitching tandem, but this is the NL, and two top arms aren't nearly enough. Lefties are important as long as the road goes through the Philadelphia Phillies, and Joe Saunders is Arizona's only left-handed starter. The Diamondbacks need to see Saunders pitch like he did in July (2.16 ERA) or September (3.15) and not August (5.04).

Path to victory: The Diamondbacks need early playoff success to keep alive the conviction that they belong. A couple of good starts from Kennedy and Hudson would reduce the chances that the key hitters expand their strike zones while pressing to produce against just the kinds of pitchers who could take advantage of them. If the Diamondbacks steal a quick win or two, look out.

Division Series outlook: Defiant, in the image of Gibson, who will refuse to allow his team to be the lovable underdogs. They are the underdogs, especially against a Milwaukee team that's dominant at home. But count on Gibson not letting his team be one of those "happy to be here" squads.

We say: If they play well at home, the Diamondbacks have a shot at surviving the first round.