Baseball thoughts

I was going to do a baseball playoff predictions post, but I'd have an unfair advantage now with six games already being played. And by that I mean I'm glad I didn't write that post because I would have almost everything wrong if the teams ahead right now win their series!

Let me first say that the team that comes out of the NL is not going to win the World Series. I know, I know, the Cardinals won 82 games last year and upset the Tigers, but seriously, it's not happening. All four of the teams are equally mediocre; they're built on one ace, a mediocre rest of the staff and an average to good lineup.

Chicago Cubs vs Arizona Diamondbacks
I thought the Cubs would take this series, but they're in an 0-2 hole (best of 5 first round) and it seems unlikely at this point. The only way the D'backs make it through the playoffs this year is if Brandon Webb wins pretty much every game he pitches, and he did so in Game 1. Pineilla lifting Carlos Zambrano early to save him for Game 4 might be the most ridiculous move I've ever seen. It's so ridiculous that I'm not even going to waste my time explaining why. Otherwise, this is an Arizona team that got outscored by it's opponents over the course of the entire season (!) and yet still managed to win 90 games. You tell me, I don't know. But they're wildly good in close games so... that's a good thing in the playoffs. I figure the Cubs take a game at home, and there's nothing I'd love more than a Cubs/Sox World Series, but at this point I hope Arizona sweeps so that Zambrano doesn't even get another chance to pitch and Sweet Lou looks like a fool.

Colorado Rockies vs Philadelphia Phillies
Again, I would have taken the Phillies, but they are also in an 0-2 hole. Shows what I know. Both teams were ridiculously hot going into the playoffs and it doesn't look like the Rockies are coming back down to earth anytime soon. If I told you two and a half weeks ago that the Rockies would make the World Series, would you have believed me? Of course not, because they were hardly even on the radar. 16 wins in 17 games later and, well... weird as having the Colorado Rockies in the World Series sounds, I think it's going to happen. But they've paid their dues, they've been in the league well over a decade now. I don't think Arizona's pitching can keep this lineup down. I wonder if it has ever snowed during a World Series game.

As for the AL, it's stacked with basically the four best teams left.

New York Yankees vs Cleveland Indians Obviously I'm a bandwagon Indians fan while they play the Yankees, but they HAD to take Game 1 with Sabathia on the mound if they wanted to win this series. They did so. Tonight's game is gigantic - if the Yankees win, everything is pretty much up for grabs in games 3 & 4 because both teams have a significant drop off in starters. If the Indians win, this series is over - I don't believe that the Yankees will pull off three in a row with Clemens, Mussina and Wang (vs Sabathia again). I don't understand why Pettitte didn't start game 1 to set him up for a possible game 5. Word from a Yankee lover is that they might go Wang/Pettitte for game 4/5 on short rest, which I think would be a disaster. More than likely one would work out and the other wouldn't. Pressure is on the Yankees and I love it.

Anaheim Angels vs Boston Red Sox
Josh Beckett is, quite simply, the best pitcher on the AL side. He had his adjustment year last year, and has been great all of this year and I feel good with him going up against any other ace. Add that to the fact that the Sox own Lackey and that the Angels are kind of beat up and don't have a real threatening lineup outside of Vladdy Daddy, and they really don't stand a chance. Ok, so I'm a homer, but it seems pretty clear cut at this point. This series goes 4 games only if the Angels are lucky.