With less than 30 games left in the season, the playoff picture is starting to take shape. But which teams are the real deal and which ones are just along for the ride? In this special edition of Press Box, our experts look at the playoff teams and determine who are the contenders and who are the pretenders.

John Hunt, fantasy columnist USA Today Baseball Weekly
What a race! For a while there it seemed like no one wanted that last slot. Now Carolina seems to have taken control of things, opening up a 3 game lead on Phoenix. With their healthy mix of veteran starters like Tim Hudson($10), Mike Mussina($22), and Listach Award candidate Barry Zito($28), the Mudcats seem poised to take control of things. And don't let Stanhope fool you, their late-season slump will not force them to lose their slot. The defending champs will return to the playoffs. But how far will they get? Neither Stanhope (25-26) nor Carolina (26-28) have fared well this season against the current playoff teams, so they will have their work cut out for them.

Johnnie Cochran, lawyer and sports agent
It is an absolute outrage if the Arkansas Falcons don't win it all this year! And why is it that the Falcons can only see to it that Willie Wilson is a co-manager? This is an outrage! Just because of the color of his skin, owner Stump Matiash refuses to let him solely manage the team. They got enough talent to take it this year. The Big Three (Pedro, Schilling, and Brown) are, as always, very tough in a short series. Now add the impressive arms of Rick Ankiel and Roger Clemens in the bullpen, and you have a formidable foe, indeed. No other team can match up with the three big guns. Their offense if top-notch and the bullpen is very good too. All these factors fit with the kind of team you need to win it in this league. And as you all know, if the team fits, then they must be legit.

Pedro Cerrano, star of Major League
This year I pray to almighty Jobu that the Brooklyn Bean Counters make the playoffs. This team reminds me of my very own Cleveland Indians. Tough and scrappy, they could surprise many people this year -- in their first year of existence! Granted, the Hoboken Cutters have also been competitive, but the Bean Counters could be like the team I played on. For example, leadoff man Tony Womack reminds me of Willie Mays Hayes; Womack's 30 stolen bases are good enough for second in the DMBL. Joe Randa is the veteran infielder, just like Roger Dorn, and Mike Lieberthal is like our tough catcher, Tom Berenger....I mean Jake Taylor. Most of the team's power comes from their very own Pedro Cerrano wannabe, John Vander Wal, who leads the team with 29 homers, and is second on the team with 102 strikeouts. Can't forget about that amazing fireballer in the pen, Robb Nen...the Bean Counters very own version of our Rickie "Wild Thing" Vaughn. Nen has compiled 19 saves and has a 2.01 ERA, not to mention 82 Ks in 62 2/3 innings! As long as they don't try to steal Jobu's rum, they will be in good shape.

Wally the Green Monster, mascot
Everyone has been asking Wally, "Who's gonna make the DMBL playoffs?" and I tell them the same thing -- Watch out for the Dragons! Besides having a really cool "green monster" logo, the Dragons have one of the toughest offenses. There's just too much talent there for them to miss the playoffs! The fans will be chanting "NOMAR!" when the Dragons start their late season run at the trophy. You can be sure that David Wells and Cal Eldred will find a way to ignite the fires of the rest of the pitching staff.

Sadaharu Oh, Japanese baseball legend and manager, Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
The team to watch is clearly the Vatican City Cardinals. Last year, it was the Jerusalem Rabbis that won it all, and this year another international/religious team should follow in their footsteps. All the fans in Japan watch the Cardinals in great anticipation that the great reliever Kazuhiro Sasaki will make an appearance and bring great honor to our country. He has not disappointed. And with those hitters behind him, he is destined for great success. Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Delgado have been amazing all season long. Matt Lawton, Luis Castillo, Richard Hidalgo -- these are surely names that to be reckoned with. Come October, Kaz-mania will spread all over the world when the Cardinals raise their first ever championship banner!

Judy Martino, WPSL All-Star Head Coach
It looks pretty clear to me that Vancouver and Newark will face each other in the finals for a rematch of the 1997 World Series. Newark has been consistently atop the standings all season long. Their 17 game lead on second-place Stanhope virtually assures them of a top seed. Randy Johnson and Darryl Kile? Who's gonna stop them? Not to mention Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Chipper Jones and all those no-names that manager Don Mattingly always seems to get the most of. As for Vancouver...who's been hotter lately? Vancouver always boasts a healthy mix of offense and pitching. Just look at that lineup: Edgar Martinez, Andruw Jones, Jeff Bagwell, and Sammy Sosa...with Griffey on the bench? You've gotta be kidding me! Who's the competition? The girls in our Womens Pro Softball League can beat any of these teams!