Happy For The Hauntings

YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHH!
(CEB II)

Ah yes, All Hallows' Eve has finally arrived, a day in which it's socially acceptable to wear ridiculous amounts of fake bling (dudes) and to masquerade as extra-skimpy versions of Disney characters (chicks). And you won't see me complaining one bit. What probably makes me the happiest is that I get an extra hour of sleep thanks to my good friend, Mr. Daylight Savings. I can't really say at this point that I have a favorite holiday, but Halloween has been making a strong case in the past couple years. Pretty much gone from the game by middle school, I was seduced by the allure once college came along. Especially when you get older and realize hyper commercialization of the jewel of our youth known as Christmas, and don't even get me started on Valentine's Day! The creativity and the excuse for rambunctiousness is enough of a sell, especially when you are getting started on a life that will be maintained by the rigidity of the everyday world. Once you look at it, it makes sense for adults to partake in this masquerading. After all, we do it with our poker faces in our workplaces and in many aspects of our social lives, including the holidays. Why not do it as a pimp with a few brews in ya from your $10 dollar chalice? Why should just the kids have all the fun? They still own the candy part of it, and apparently Trix is still made especially for them (Poor rabbit. Always felt for him, even as an eight year old with a sugar high.). As a kid at heart, I think that everyone should keep in touch with that side. It's the part of you that brings out creativity, joy and simply the ability to not give a care in the world. That carefree joy is the essence of Halloween, and it makes it more and more appealing as I get older. Have to bust out my putter now, because Tiger Woods is gonna be making some appearances tonight!

East Coast Series

(espn.com)

Just when the Mets season couldn't get any worse. This year's participants in the Fall Classic will pit the Mets' crosstown rivals up against their divisional rivals in the National League. Or maybe I should feel sorry for the last place Cleveland Indians, whose two Cy Young winning pitchers are not only on other teams, but are pitching Game 1 of this series. I think of all this just so I can say that us Red Sox fans shouldn't be the angry ones into this World Series. Personally, I am just trying to fathom that a whole World Series would happen after my birthday, and all in the frost and chill of Northeastern locales. It's also hard to imagine that I would be rooting hard for a Philly team two years in a row. Also never thought that I would never be in a situation again where Pedro Martinez would be my last hope, but here we are ladies and gents. Looks like for this week, I am gonna have to love the Phillies as this woman does. It would be good to get on top of this series early, considering that 11 out of the last 12 Game 1 winners have gone on to win the whole thing. With all that said, here is what I am looking at in this installation of the Fall Classic.

Offense:
Looks like the New York Yankees have finally met their match in terms of pure power. On one side, we have a .438 A-Rod who has destroyed the demons of his postseason past and has been as big of a factor in the Yankees return to the Series. Along with Rodriguez In the other corner, we have Ryan Howard, who brings his NLCS MVP and his 14 postseason RBIs to the Bronx along with Jayson Werth (5 homers) and even Carlos Ruiz (7 RBIs) is getting into the act. Personally, my eyes are fixed on two sluggers; Chase Utley and Mark Texeira. While Utley has batted above .300 in October, he hasn't displayed any of the power that boosted him to 31 homers in 2009. Then there is Teixeira, who other than that clutch Game 2 ALDS homer against the Twins, has been doing his best impression of Mario Mendoza. Other than the games in which Lee and Sabathia pitch, expect some 4th of July type firework shows in the Bronx and Philly.

Pitching:
Game 1 has a matchup that showcases two guys in Sabathia and Lee who have combined for a 5-0 record with 5 earned runs allowed in 47 innings pitched this postseason. The Yankees follow that up with a toss-up in Burnett, followed by Andy Pettitte, who has probably been the most underrated postseason performer with a 2-0, 2.37 line while winning the two series clinchers. The Phillies have a wild card of their own in Cole Hamels. He's so much of a wild card, that they will put in Pedro Martinez for Game 2, who came off a 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R performance against the Dodgers in which he should have got a W. Overall, the starting pitching seems fairly even with the certainties and uncertainties, and I like the fact that the Phillies staff is being lead by a guy who has had recent experience in battling AL powerhouses. Where this series may come down to is the bullpen. Granted, Brad Lidge hasn't allowed a run in 4 postseason innings this fall, but the low amount of innings might be a bright indicator of the overall confidence that manager Charlie Manuel has with his closer. Girardi, on the other side of the coin, has all the faith in Mariano Rivera, and he should with a performance of allowing only 1 earned run in 10 2/3 innings. However, guys in both bullpens like Madson, Hughes and Chamberlain haven't been tack-sharp this postseason. Whichever bullpen goes the extra mile in this series is going to have a huge edge in taking the flagged trophy.

Key Players/Factors:
Again, the focus will be on the number 2 starters, Cole Hamels and A.J. Burnett. Last year's Series MVP Cole Hamels has been less than extraordinary this postseason with 11 ER in 14 2/3 innings. If the Phillies expect to be the first NL repeat team since the '75-'76 Big Red Machine, they need Mr. Hamels to get back into '08 form when it truly counts. Burnett meanwhile, is coming off an outing in which he allowed 6 ER in 6 innings against the Angels, and will face arguably a more intimidating lineup in Game 2. Game 2 is a factor in itself as Burnett will go against old Yankee foe Pedro Martinez, who will no doubt bring back some memories. The question is whether he will rehash the success from the past when he was wearing another uni with red letters. Never thought I would say this, but I can't wait for the, "Who's your daddy?" chants. Anything that will make me reminisce about the good ole days of '04.

And the winner is..............
I feel like I have been just torturing myself with a taser gun with these postseason predictions this year......Yankees in 7. I hate to say it, but they just seem to have it this year. They got the pitching, the hitting, the ballpark to hit in and players who come through in the clutch. Most importantly, they have learned to loosen a button or two on their uniforms and play without that weight that plagues those in Wall Street. I might need a psychiatrist when this series is all said and done. Ahh, maybe I should drink a few brews. It's much easier!

Predicted MVP: C.C. Sabathia

(bc.edu)

And for desperation sake.............................................................GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PHILLLLLLIEES!!

The Birthday Blog

My blinged-out 22nd. Pimpin'!
(CEB II)

At 8 AM this morning on this 300th day of the year, I officially turned to the 24th page of my life. I can easily look back and say that the year that passed was less than stellar, with my lack of job and all. However, I think I have learned more about myself and my capabilities in this past year than I have in any other. I traveled outside the country and witnessed new perspectives and opportunities that will always be there for me to dive into, especially when the economic times start improving. I've went out and saw some good friends that I probably wouldn't have been able to see if I was currently stranded with a career. Most importantly through the past 365, I'm armed with the knowledge of who I do and don't want to be in this life. Sometimes you need to jump a few hurdles before you learn more about yourself and appreciate some of the finer things life has to offer. So all in all, I didn't exactly have it that bad. After all, I could be a Mets fan witnessing this season and banging my head at the sight of the year's World Series. In fact, I will probably look back ten or twenty years from now and mark being 23 as the year I personally matured, even though I feel like I'm 17 at times mentally. Hopefully the Celtics can open their season with one final gift for me as they begin their season in Cleveland tonight. Once again, thank you for all the well wishes! Being a lover of purely useless information, here are some fun facts I gathered up on the history of my date of birth.

Some Famous People Born On Oct. 27th:
- Theodore Roosevelt (26th U.S. President, 1858)
- Dylan Thomas (Welsh poet, 1914)
- Ralph Kiner (Hall of Fame baseball player, 1922)
- Roy Lichtenstein (American artist, 1923)
- John Gotti (Mobster, 1940)
- Simon LeBon (Lead singer of Duran Duran, 1958)
- Scott Weiland (Lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, 1967)
- Kelly Osbourne (Singer and reality TV star, 1984)
- Brady Quinn (Football player, 1984)
- Andrew Bynum (Basketball player, 1987)
- Yi Jianlian (Basketball player, 1987)

Huge Events
- Amsterdam "put on the red light".....or founded (1275)
- Columbus discovers Cuba (1492)
- Philadelphia founded (1682) to hopefully field a baseball team to beat the Yanks in '09. That sounds accurate. I hope.
- The Kansas City Royals beat the Cardinals to win the World Series in 7. (1985, day I was born) I must be a bad omen to the Cardinals (see 2004).
- Turkmenistan achieves independence from U.S.S.R. (1991). Probably nothing has happened there since.
- Firing of Grady Little after arguably the worst managerial decision ever. (2003)
- The Boston Red Sox sweep the Cardinals to break their 86-year hex. (2004, Best! Gift! Ever!)


Mochaman's Fantasy Football Report
- Boston Beersquad - 6-1 (1st, Plax's Got a Gun, 1st in Division 2, 889.84 Pts.)
Starting to like Ochocinco more with the day he put on for my team this week, but the MVP of the week by far goes to TE Vernon Davis. But with Ochocinco, Santonio Holmes and Portis out of the lineup due to bye weeks, I hope I can find the suitable replacements to keep this hot streak going. Hope to push my self further in the overall standings with another divisional matchup coming on the horizon. This is getting exciting (You know I'm knocking on wood!)!

- Killa' Beavaz - 4-3 (3rd, Yahoo Public 179914, 703.08 Pts.)
Got the smack down laid on me this week, as I only had two double-digit point performances (Ronnie Brown, Pats D) from my entire active roster. I knew I would be hurt by the Brandon Marshall/Chris Johnson bye week a month ago, but I didn't think it would produce the lowest scoring week of my fantasy football season. Must find a suitable replacement for the Patriots defense plus hope for better performances from guys like McNabb and Fitzgerald if I am still going to contend for the top of the division.

Wembley Wondering

Some REAL football in Wembley! Kidding, folks.
(espn.com)

Why have I been speaking in a God-awful British accent all day? Oh yeah, it must have rubbed off on me from the television by watching the Pats play in Wembley against the Bucs yesterday. I guess the accent is as much of an excuse for me as it was for CBS to constantly play Fergie's 'London Bridge' every chance they got, which if anybody from CBS knew what it actually refers to, they would have yanked it out of their playlist before the FCC went "Nipplegate" on them. Anyhoo, it was another impressive game by the Patriots who seem to have gained their groove on the offensive side of the ball as of late with the combined score of 94-7 against their past 2 opponents. But more important issues are sprouting in my head that go far beyond this team, to a team that doesn't exist, not yet anyway. The success of this event now has spawned the thought of an NFL franchise that will be based in the city that brought us Big Ben, Hugh Grant, and Mr. Bean. Hopefully, this idea stops as a thought. It's great that an abundance of British fans are showing up and enjoying this annual Wembley Bowl of sorts, but it's no excuse to start using football as another tool for the Manifest Destiny. This Wembley game should be treated as that glorious pony show that comes once or twice a year that is beautiful in its rarity, like European football does on this side of the pond in their preseason. I mean, even top-notch rivalries would be bland if they were played every game of the season. With all the dangers of expansion involved, it will be as easy for our friends in the Motherland to tune out as quickly as they tuned in.

What, I'm playing the other football? Honest mistake.
(www.theage.com.au)

From what I have found with the recent soccer epidemic in the United States, sports fanatics enjoy the best of the best of anything, and it totally makes sense in this situation with the British interest with our brand of football. The Brits will probably draw a strong interest on the telly..ehem..television, and many will pick an allegiance just like I have with European soccer (Just don't force me to go to an MLS game). For example, if I were to gain interest in bullfighting, New Jersey wouldn't be my first destination, or my 257th for that matter. But all the interest doesn't entitle a city to a franchise. First, I don't see how the players on the London squad are going to accept the rigorous travel schedule that will be presented to them. Remember, they will have to play 8 across the pond, plus travel state side for their other 8 games. That team will put on as much travel miles as NASA, which will play a negative role on team stamina in a sport that is already compared to being in a car accident. So one will respond: "So how about a new European Division?" Honestly, I don't think the sport will ever catch on in Europe enough to gain any sort of long-term stability. It's as good of an idea as having Jim Zorn become the coach of you team. Remember NFL Europe? While the league gave our sophisticated European brethren exposure to pigskin passion, the 12-year experiment ended up costing the NFL up to $30 million a season. Like I hinted with the bullfighting reference, football is a local phenomenon when it's all said and done, and I'm okay with that. As much as it always sounds like a great idea to expand globally in business, it doesn't make sense in this situation. Barcelona, Munich, Liverpool and Milan already have their football teams, and they don't kick around a brown prolate spheroid (Big words for ya!). If there was another large expansion of this sport, it has to be two things to compete with a giant like the NFL: It has to be niche, and it has to be perfectly executed. It has even been a gigantic task to expand football in these United States, with popular leagues like the Arena Football League having to stop work in the recently sluggish times of this economy, which will probably stunt its potential for future stability and its overall existence. My memory brings me back to last week with the '30 For 30' episode commenting on the rise and fall of the USFL, a league that brought us Jim Kelly, Steve Young, and some of the best touchdown celebrations seen on the planet. The bottom line (pun intended) however, is that despite its contrasting personality to the glum NFL, the USFL's attendance didn't increase in that three year period and the league grew too big too fast without establishing a base. The recent pigskin alternative, Vince McMahon's XFL, became too much of a caricature of the WWE with helmets and pads. On the whole, I have never been a big proponent of willy-nilly expansion in any sport, because it dilutes the talent pool within the league. You have to fill some of the new rosters with some players that have questionable talent, which will later filter into other teams like a pathogen. Combined with that, there is always the threat of placing the franchise in a city that will treat the team as a trend. I feel like these are some of the issues that has doomed leagues like the NHL and is possibly inhibiting the league's future growth. For example, the Nashville Predators make as much sense to me as the "Balloon Boy" family's collective psyche. So let's nix the expansion idea. Besides, we have enough crappy franchises here we need to take care of.

The WOW! Of The Day: Steve Phillips

(image3.examiner.com)

What were you thinking, bro? 'Baseball Tonight' staple Steve Phillips has recently been fired from his duties at ESPN due to the heightened attention to his recent indiscretions with a 22 year old ESPN production assistant. Whether I agree or disagree with nature of his firing has to be completely written in another entry. I mean, does being a bad husband affect your ability to talk bats and balls? But as I always talk about, business rules out above all other factors, especially when your job is in a subsidiary of Disney. Having a famous analyst/revealed adulterer on a highly-acclaimed show on a world-famous network might cause some hardcore stigma to the image that you are trying to present to the public with your product day in and day out. Apparently, sex scandals has been as much of a staple at ESPN as LeBron highlights and Brett Favre-worshiping. Harold Reynolds was dismissed from his 'Baseball Tonight' gig for sexual harassment, Woody Paige had been accused of some "naughty touching" on ESPN grounds and no one can forget the recent Erin Andrews hidden video scandal. Makes me think that Linda Tripp would have a field day in Bristol. Maybe Drew Pinsky should stop by the studio for ideas for his next show. But all I can think about is the big dent that is on the entity known as Steve Phillps's reputation. Not that I condone or support adultery, but isn't the point of the hotel industry to keep your crazy mistress from knowing not only where you live, but to stop her from terrorizing the Mrs. at home? Goes to show you that karma will get its compensation in the end, especially when you are trying to have another life in a haze of deceit and libido. The biggest shocker for me out of all of this is that Phillips has a history of straying from the homestead, as he apparently was indulging in some extramarital romping and was caught in some harassment allegations while working a GM for the Mets in 1998. So now he will get treatment to curb some of his demons and will probably stand in line for the MLB Network, so he can be talking baseball.......right next to Harold Reynolds.


And those are my last written words of my 23rd year on this planet. Here's to a prosperous and more creative 24th!

Blizzard Bruising

Apparently there was more than a snowstorm in Foxboro.
(espn.com)

Other than the Raiders beating the Eagles (and Richard Seymour's playoff prediction afterward), there wasn't too many shockers. Many had Brees and the Saints performance against New York as a world-stopper. The Giants got crushed by the Saints, but my jaws are still in place. The G-Men had played the Redskins, Raiders, Buccaneers and Chiefs this year, so they haven't exactly played high caliber competition this season. It will be interesting to see what they do against the recently in-rhythm Cardinals, Philly and the super-Chargers and whether they can arrive at their bye week still at the top of many experts' power rankings. The biggie was that Pats-Titans snow dusting. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the game of the week by any standards. I expect to beat a team that is on pace for a reverse perfect season no matter what my team's record is. I mean, the Titans have been as ugly as these medals for the next Winter Games. Kerry Collins is falling off of last year's cloud and they weren't able to keep their best defensive player, exposing their suspect secondary. But the largest deficit since the bicentennial? Aren't snow games normally low-scoring slop fests? I'm glad the the minutemen who stand behind the end zone didn't run out of ammo. The fact that a repeat of the 1940 NFL Championship Game was a feasible scenario in the 3rd quarter made this game a whole another species. Brady basically had a whole day and then some in the 2nd quarter alone with 5 TDs, the Pats had 619 total yards in the game and were up 45-0,.....AT HALFTIME! What was more eye-pooping was some of the performances recorded on the other sideline. The Collins-Young duo combined for 2/14 with -7 yards passing and 2 picks. Plus, I don't see how you can get lower than Collins's 4.9 QB rating. Not saying that there will be a change in Tennessee anytime soon, but If I were a coach that had a QB with a rating that is closer to resembling a breathalyzer reading, I would even wear the uniform of a divisional rival to think this decision over. I'm hoping for a similar performance when the Pats cross the pond, scarf down some fish and chips and duke it out at Wembley against Tampa Bay next weekend.

As chilling as the Cold War itself.
(espn.com)

In probably the biggest upset of the soccer world this season, Russian squad Rubin Kazan beat the blaugrana 1-2 in Barcelona. I sensed it coming when the commentators were already anointing Barça as gods and superman, all before Ryazantsev went long distance into the Barça net in the 2nd minute of the match. It was almost like when the .200 hitter hits a grand slam in the 1st inning against your team after the commentator puts huge emphasis on the fact this particular individual has hit zero grand slams. Even after the Ibrahimovic equalizer, it still felt like a lost game. I couldn't believe that we were fighting just to get a point against a team we should have handled, even having possession of the ball for three-quarters of the game. Then I had to watch the green shirts find a seam in the virtually impenetrable Barça backfield and pushed the dagger into the blaugrana one final time. Now, Group F is in a virtual deadlock heading into the second set of matchups in the group phase, which has a part of me a bit worried as to whether Barça will even have the opportunity to defend their Champions League title. In their last Spanish League game against Valencia, they gave Los Che many opportunities to break open what was eventually to be a 0-0 deadlock. I'm just hoping it's just a hangover from the international qualifier games, but whatever take soccer version of Chaser Plus is for this period, Barça better take one fast. However, I'm alleviated by the fact that it's not the end just yet, including another matchup with Rubin in the Motherland in a couple weeks to hopefully correct the last result. Also soothing to have a Ronaldo-less Real Madrid lose another match, this time to AC Milan in the Champions League. Guess I'm still feelin' good once again with my soccer!

Umpire + Center of attention = Never good.
(espn.com)

Lat night, we saw the Phillies won their second NL pennant in as many years as they humiliated the Dodgers to a 4-1 deficit. In fact, the Phils were a Chase Utley error and a J.A. Happ walk from sweeping the entire thing. Yes, I completely botched this series when predicting it (best NLCS of my lifetime?), and I thought that the Dodgers had more clout than what they showed this past week. However, I did warn the nation about the Philly swagger, which was again displayed to the world in that Game 4 rally that all but locked up the series. The 2009 postseason has been thrilling, not with the games necessarily, but with the brilliant individual performances. Ryan Howard has 14 RBIs in 9 postseason games and A-Rod is batting .407 with 5 homers while putting this Yankee team on his back to within one game of the franchise's 40th AL pennant. Can't forget to mention Cliff Lee and his 0.74 ERA in 24 1/3 innings in his first postseason series of his career. But the thing that has unfortunately stolen the spotlight has been the incompetency of the umpires, who are supposedly the best of the best in this sport. Whenever an umpire has a post game press conference for anything, it's probably not for a good deed. I mean, did you see Tim McClelland make that out call on Swisher, even though his eyes were clearly not on 3rd base? How 'bout that nixed double play in the same game? The Phil Cuzzi missed call on Mauer's "foul ball" down the left field line? That fact that I know an umpire's name is disconcerting, because it is showing that they are not doing their job. Granted, it hasn't changed the course of a game yet, but it's only a matter of time in which it will decide the fate of an important game. As much as I love this sport, I think it is too stubborn when it comes to rule changes. In the age of HD and Blu-ray, it wouldn't hurt to have manager challenges similar to football on boundary disputes, or for those simply, downright botched calls. At this point, the sport has to implement more replay. It's just not enough to correct only homeruns and not other egregious errors. It's getting into "Twilight Zone" mode with how bad it is getting. MLB's excuse of the lack of replay used as a way to maintain the charm of the game is old and played out. Missed calls aren't exactly the most alluring thing to me, Bud. If baseball is going to appeal to the 21st century sports fan, it has to get out of the 19th century and get with the program of getting it right, especially when it counts.

Mochaman's Fantasy Football Report
- Boston Beersquad - 5-1 (1st, Plax's Got a Gun, 1st in Division 2, 745.69 Pts.)
On top of the league thanks to getting a a slew of consistent performances on my roster, gaining double-digit totals from all but two players to overtake the current #1. Liking that Portis had his 2nd good week in a row, which makes me feel a little more confident about my RB committee. Tough week coming up, as a lot of my players are going up against the top defenses in the NFL.

- Killa' Beavaz - 4-2 (2nd, Yahoo Public 179914, 631.83 Pts.)

Like the 'Squad, the Beavaz took down the top team this week, as I inched myself closer to the peak of the mountain. Also like the Beersquad, the Pats D were the top contributors and the difference between victory and defeat for the week. Must find a way to fill the gap at WR, as Brandon Marshall has a bye week coming up. Thinkin' that Ted Ginn isn't gonna be enough if I want to win this week.

League Championship Insanity

At least there's no cowbell.
(photos.upi.com)

It's League Championship time, a series which has proven to be more exciting than the World Series in recent years due to the matchup competitiveness. Despite my fears of the Yankees potentially running the table, I think that this year's postseason is shaping up to be worth the money. Don't let the umpire blindness and the three sweeps in the divisional series fool ya'! My predictions for the LDS were pretty much spot on, nailing three of the winners, including 2 where I guessed the duration correctly. Let's just not talk about that Cardinals-Dodgers series I completely butchered. However, my head is suffering a severe case of prediction block from trying to figure out the triumphant teams in this go round. As I continuously look through all the rosters and statistics, I can easily see any one of these four teams can feasibly make it to the Series. The potential October/November classic matchups are just oozing storylines. A Yankees-Dodgers for example will mark the 12th time these two storied franchises have faced each other in the Fall Classic dating back to the Brooklyn days, and will also include the return of revenge-seeking Joe Torre to the Bronx (you know he wants that matchup!). The Yankees-Phillies duo will be a rematch of the 1950 World Series (Get excited!) and will display two of the most passionate sports fans the East Coast has to offer. Angels-Dodgers would provide us some West Coast flavor with a Freeway series and us would have us pining for the sun up here in New England. Finally, an Angels-Phillies combo will not only bring seas of red to the stands, but it would involve two teams playing not only for themselves, but for a fallen member in their respective families (Kalas and Adenhart). Regardless of the matchup, I believe this will be the best set of LCS matchups since 2004, the last year in which both battles went 7 games. My brain is a plate of scrambled eggs right after reading every little factoid, but I hope I can dish out the goods with my LCS picks.

"Why do you look so familiar?"
(nbcsportsmedia1.msnbc.com)

Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)
We're back for another round for what I call "The Fresh Prince" series, one that will bounce from Philly to L.A. Last year's installment produced some bad blood, but overall an underwhelming 4-1 Phillies victory. Although I must alert you that these Dodgers are far different this year coming into the 5th installment of the NLCS between these two clubs (Even at 2-2). Yes, maybe I'm covering up for my trashing of the Dodgers on my last pick. It wasn't a trashing, but I didn't necessarily give then a chance against Pujols and the "mighty" Cardinals even after everything they had displayed during most of the season. A Kemp homer, a Holliday error and a solid Padilla outing suddenly has me thinking that this team has the gusto to make it to the big show, and it's not because I just noticed the Dodgers had a 4-3 edge in the regular season. For example, it seems as if the Dodgers don't have to center their offense around "Manny being Manny", especially with the existence of Andre Ethier, who batted .500 with 5 extra base hits against the Cardinals in the LDS. Matt Kemp proved solid as he helped the Dodgers launch the initial suffocating blow that demised the Cardinals with that homer off Carpenter. They have a dominating bullpen, which not only has Broxton, but has lefties like Hong Chih Kuo and George Sherill who can neutralize a Phillies lineup that has a trio of 30-homer lefty powerhouses. However, you can't ignore the Phillies swagger, evidenced by that comeback win in Game 4 on the road in Colorado to wrap up the series. For starters, Philadelphia was 3-1 in the regular season against the lefty starters (Wolf, Kershaw) that are supposed to neutralize them. Also, you can argue that Cliff Lee has been one of the Top 3 postseason performers so far with 2 ER allowed in 16 1/3 innings, and will match up well against Game 3 opponent Hideki Kuroda in Philadelphia. Can't forget that Game 1 starter Cole Hamels has a 1.20 ERA in 30 innings against the Dodgers since last year's NLCS, and he will pitch more quality innings now that the baby drama has passed. However you have to admit that it is a major concern that the Phils are limiting their closer to one out saves. In a 7-game format, you need to rely on your bullpen to be consistent, especially in a series as grueling as I think this one will be. However, if there starters can deal like I know they can, Philly fans possibly can be spared from the heart attack that will come from a 9th-inning appearance from Lidge and his 11 blown saves. Plus, you can never count out Petey Martinez in the big stage! I don't know about you, but I believe that this NLCS will be one that we will be talking about for years to come, possibly the best one of my lifetime.

Prediction: I've flip-flopped like John Kerry in this one, but Dodgers in 7. If you asked me yesterday, it would have easily been the Phillies. But just like the last back-to-back NLCS matchup with the Cardinals in the Astros in '04-'05, I believe that the pecking order of the National League will be flipped the other way. The Phillies swagger impresses me, but their bullpen didn't in the NLDS, especially by making Game 4 an interesting affair, and I'm not sure things are going to be easier for them against a deep Dodgers team. As much as I think Cole Hamels could be a potential factor for the Phillies if they're gonna pull this off, I'm not sure that his hot run against the Dogers will continue this October with a much improved Kemp-Ethier duo and with the sleeping giant Ramirez waiting to turn on his afterburners. I have to say that both teams get the victory here, for it actually made me interested in watching an entire NLCS, so big kudos there!

Hopefully the face I constantly see in this series.
(espn.com)

New York Yankees (103-59) vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (97-65)
Ah yes, more emotional attachment in a series, more emotion coming in than Abreu and Teixeira, who played for the opposing teams last year. The Yankees are probably coming off the most thrilling sweep of a series in recent memory against the Twins as they enter their 4th ALCS since 2001. They go up against the Angels, who have the other 5 wins in the ten games the two have played head-to-head in the regular season. The two bring explosive, yet fundamentally different offenses. The Yankees come in with 7 guys who have hit 20+ homers, with a totally transformed A-Rod clicking at the right time. From Jeter to Melky, there is not a break in this lineup, but they might be facing a worthy counterpart in this series. The Angels at one point in August had all 9 starters bat .300 or above, becoming the first team since the 1934 Tigers who accomplished this feat past the 100 game mark. On top of that, they are the only team to have 11 guys drive in at least 50 runs, one of two teams to have 10 guys to get at least 100 hits and one of two teams to have 9 guys score at least 60 runs. The Halos have a highly-dynamic Chone Figgins, who brings his .395 OBP and 42 SBs to charge a lineup consisting of experienced on-base machines like Abreu, Hunter and Cuban sensation Kendry Morales. As phenomenal as the offenses are, the most intriguing matchup here is between the starting pitching. C.C. Sabathia pitched a brilliant game 1, but still has a 6.54 ERA that will loom over him until he wins the prize. Then there is A.J. Burnett, who I believe is the key to this series for the Yankees if they want to ultimately win the William Harridge Trophy. He had 6 Ks in 6 IP against the Twins, but he also drew 5 walks, a point of concern as they go up against a patient and speedy Angels lineup. And then there is Andy Pettitte, who has a reputation for coming through in the big game throughout his career, but has produced a disastrous 7.88 ERA against the Angels this year. They go up against a duo of Lackey-Weaver, who tallied 14 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB and 11 strikeouts against the team I won't mention (at least for the next 4 days) in the ALDS. However, the key for the Angels maybe in the performance of Scott Kazmir, who is 4-2 with a 2.21 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 33 Ks against the Yankees since 2008. The Angels got this guy knowing that the playoffs might go through the two giants of the AL East, and his Game 4 start might decide whether Kazmir's experience in the Eastern division will ultimately pay dividends for the Halos. The big weakness for the Angels will probably be their bullpen, which doesn't have the arms like in previous years, but Brian Fuentes may prove to be more effective against the Yankees than people are gonna give him credit for due to all those lefties in the lineup. With all this, is there yet another big player in this series that I haven't mentioned? Mother Nature maybe more of a factor than any of the players, as it might force the Yankees to insert Chad Gaudin as a 4th starter, giving a huge advantage to the Angels. I have a feeling that this ALCS will be classic, with moments that will create more buzz than this amazing goal from this 9-year old that was scored at the Garden in Boston. The only true guarantee I'm gonna make is that they will be broken glass objects in my room. I feel like a million needles going through my stomach as I approach this prediction. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Prediction: I really hate myself for this, but Yankees in 7. Looks like another episode of the Yankee-Dodger show. That seventh game postgame show might be a dark moment for me. As much as the Angels have depth in starting pitching, the Yankees have depth in aura. It's just a different culture in that locker room, and it just can't be ignored. History dictates that the Angels remain the pests they have been and beat the Yankees like they did in the 2002 ALCS, but history has been defied a lot this postseason. I mean, the Angels beat the team that won't be mentioned for the next 4 days and A-Rod is finally proving he is clutch.....in OCTOBER! But if it goes like I predicted, and the Yankees continue to go with their 3 man rotation, the Yankees would potentially use Sabathia a total of three times in this series, which could prove detrimental come World Series time (wishful thinking, of course). And for my one last gasp..........GO ANGELS!!!

Before I Peace: Rush Prevention

(spokesmanreview.com)

It is confirmed info that St. Louis chairman Dave Checketts has removed the controversial, right wing radio kingpin Rush Limbaugh from his ownership group that will attempt to buy the St. Louis Rams. Hallelujah! There is one part of me that sort of questions the right to revoke anyone's right to own anything. On the other hand, I totally see where Checketts and the NFL are coming from. Bringing in a guy who exposes his political heart on his sleeve is one thing, but having a guy own a team that has been known to have made several overtly racist comments in a league that is 70% African-American opens up a new can of worms. On top of many of the players expressing their displeasure of the man who once compared the league to a battle between the Bloods and the Crips, we must realize that this is less of a political move and more of a business move for the NFL. Other than some criteria in the realm of discrimination of course, companies can make any character judgments whenever they hire or promote any individual, which can include the utilization Facebook profiles to make some educated guesses. The Limbaugh removal is just another example of a business group doing what it had to do, in this case shed some weight, to further their optimal potential to achieve their ultimate business goals. In the aspect of branding, no one should be bigger than that NFL shield logo, and Limbaugh's status as a controversial lightning rod in his own field could undermine that belief by diminishing the integrity of that brand for players and fans alike. Calling one of Checketts's speculated top investors on his left-wing politics and accusing the NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith of using him as an example is a sorry enough rant. What's even worse is that he is making the excuse that he was the victim of an Obama-run political conspiracy, which is another case-and-point as to why he shouldn't be running an NFL franchise. Limbaugh realized that his attempts to enter the ownership bid would cause a firestorm, but instead places the blame on everybody but himself, showing a huge lack of personal awareness and responsibility. So have some cheese with that wine, Rush. Cry me a river, or an ocean. No one is going to feel sorry for you and your millions. After all, the Dolphins are probably looking for more celebrity limited partners to run their team anyway.

Why Fall For Fall?

Soon this beauty will turn into....
(CEB II)

...this ominous sign of winter. Good times!
(CEB II)

Oh, how I dread the day I remove my air conditioner. How I dread the reports of the impending 1st frost conquering the landscape. Today was the 1st day I even thought about looking for my gloves, the gloves which I desperately need when the mercury starts dropping, for I'm not myself when my hands get even the slightest feeling of going through the refrigeration process. Now I have started the days of not wanting to get out of bed, not because I despise mornings in general, but I have to walk out of bed introduced to freeze-shock. An oh, how these days make me remember when I was dragging myself to the bus stop through the pine needles and broken brush. It is the indicator of one thing: Yes folks, fall is in full swing, a.k.a., the season of being surrounded by death. Sorry if I sound like Scrooge for the next few minutes, but I'm don't buy into the whole "autumnal bliss" hype. Gone are the days of swimming pools, wearing Hawaiian shirts for no reason, short clothing (which makes for great sightseeing come beach time!) and outdoor lounging without the goosebumps and in comes some activities and phenomenon that I don't quite (and probably never will) understand. For example, I never understood the whole foliage watching thing. Yeah, all the leaves change into a kaleidoscope of varying colors, but you are basically watching them die, along with that yellow grass and those dead leaves you're stepping on. Those dead leaves by the way are now the nemesis of my life as I have pretty much devoted every day of the last week cleaning one sector of my yard after another of these "pretty" ruby red, lemon yellow and fire orange leaves. All of the raking and sweeping seems futile, as more leaves just seem to pile on almost instantaneously after you spent all that time toiling. Or how about apple picking? Call me a cynic, but where exactly is the fun there? First off, I have my own apple trees in my backyard which are just as good, so it wouldn't make sense to pay just to pick apples off another person's property. You're outside in nippy weather doing what is basically a chore, something I would have done anything to avoid when I was 11, believe me. Would you go out picking onions in the same conditions? How about weeding the guy's strawberry garden? On top of that, I have this superficial worry of some middle-aged woman asking me in broken/awful Spanish to climb up to the tall branch, thinking I am one of those hard-working migrant workers with whom I share an ethnicity and a skin color with, which wouldn't exactly make my mood better. Meanwhile, you are blocking the thoughts of wrapping your body with 2 to 5 layers of sweatshirts, scarfs, beanie hats and specialized socks, all as you are trying to remind yourself under a gray sky that it is only gonna get worse in a couple months. Or I could just cover myself with the dead grass on my joyous hayride. Just writing all of this is convincing me to start collecting bunker quantities of Vitamin C and Campbell's. Daylight savings is almost as futile of an attempt to push up the remaining daylight as my recent attempts to clean my yard as of late. On top of that, I'm thinking of all that money I'm gonna spend on Chap Stick and Lubriderm just to keep my skin from looking like the surface of the Mojave. Sure there are moments, like the random pick-up football game, my recently renewed interest in Halloween, the feast of Thanksgiving, NFL football and the highly-anticipated birthday of yours truly. However in the grand scheme of things, autumn in my opinion isn't anything to fall for. Especially if you know what dreaded season follows it. And if you live up in the New England area, you know that winter lasts longer than the customary three months. But don't worry about me, ladies and gents. I'll try to put a smile on my face when I go out for my next raking, knowing that the ice and snow is not far behind.

Mochaman's Fantasy Football Report
- Boston Beersquad - 4-1 (3rd, Plax's Got a Gun, 2nd in Division 2, 607.66 Pts.)
The Giants D, along with Warner, Fitzgerald, Brown and a possible breakthrough week for Portis helped propel me not only to victory, but to an overall undefeated record for Division 2 teams against D1. Won against the 2nd highest scoring team in the entire league coming in, and I come out the 2nd highest scorer, not a small feat. Facing the #1 this week, thus I hope my players bring their A-game to become the creme de la creme.

- Killa' Beavaz - 3-2 (2nd, Yahoo Public 179914, 523.68 Pts.)
Put a 72.8 point blowout show on my opponent, and I should have, considering my opponent didn't have a QB for last week. Special thanks to McNabb, Marshall, Fitzgerald and Ronnie Brown for the beatdown. Have to get a running back for next week to compensate the Dolphins bye week coming up. Knowshon and Donald Brown are in my view. Like my Beersquad, huge week as I face the # 1 team in the league, and this one is undefeated. Stay tuned!

Swept By An Angel

In Memoriam: 2009 Boston Red Sox
(espn.com)

Spring Training is already so far away. That game was sure a stunner, but not necessarily a shocker. Not if you have watched this team this year and the lack of magic that surrounds this version of the Boston Red Sox, like the lack of magic that surrounded the last Sox team to be swept in a postseason series in '05. Even in the moment of truth with a readied closer that hadn't allowed a run in the postseason, the Sox folded by allowing 5 runs in the last two innings to prevent any chance of a postseason extension period. It was only about time that Papelbon payed for the tightrope act he put himself through a bundle of times this year. They showed me some fight like I wished, but the Angles just have "it" this year, and we definitely do not. Granted, it was a great feat to make the playoffs, even after that horrific August week in Tampa and in the Bronx and with Papi's batting average just hovering over the Mendoza without a homer well into the month of May. The Sox go through this back to the wall situation virtually every postseason they're in, therefore I could only help but to watch this game, like all the other cliffhangers, with a cautious optimism. However, there are only so many times that you can be trapped in the gutter and come out smelling like a rose. There are only so many times you can back yourself to the brink against a quality team and not pay for it with a ticket home. This wasn't one of those times. With this early exit, questions about the future of this team are starting to develop. The one answer that a playoff sweep provides to us: The current model definitely has a few glitches. In a way, I am kind of glad the Angels swept us, for it was a live display to Theo and the Trio that it is a necessity to dust off the ole' drawing board and get back to work once more.

Will the Captain be forced to walk the plank?
(kylepdiddy.files.wordpress.com)

As we dive into the offseason in a few more weeks, I hope Theo and the brass know that this team is broke, and it needs some fixing. As much as there are pieces in this team we might not wanna let go, it might be necessary in order to compete with clubs like the Angels, Rays (I still have my eye on them) and yes, the Yankees. It's imperative to keep our eye on the pinstripers not just because they are our bitter rival, but the are becoming the class of the AL, that 'generational' team that no one can ultimately compete with for years to come thanks to the Teixeira/Sabathia transactions. The catcher position may need an overhaul anyway, considering Prince Fielder could probably steal at least three bags a game with our catching unit. I love Victor Martinez's spirit and his bat, but is he that long term investment at the backstop (31 at the end of 2010)? After all, the Sox did give 'Tek his 4 year, $40 million dollar contract in the '04/'05 offseason at the age of 32, but the Sox probably have second thoughts of giving a long-term contact to a catcher at that age after seeing some of Tek's stats and defensive skills take a solid blow every year after that. His .209 with a .313 OBP in '09 doesn't win him any awards either, numbers which might explain why he didn't make one single appearance in this year's postseason. Players who wear the 'C' on their jersey have to be everyday players, a guy who goes to battle with his teammates every day, or that leadership title is put to question. Those with knowledge who have waning skills end up going the coaching route in the end, and I don't think Varitek will allow the Sox to exercise their $5 million club option on him if his role on the club will be limited. There is the Mauer option after the 2010 season, which rumor has it, the Sox absolutely have a man crush on him. However, I see a bidding war the likes of which haven't been seen on this planet. Oh, and expect the Yankees to be involved in it, considering they will have a 39 year old catcher with a year remaining on a 4 year, $52 million dollar contract at the end of next season. Plus, I'm not naive enough to expect Fransisco Cervelli to be taking over duties, not when there is a potential MVP out there for the taking. Beckett has a club option, which most likely be activated for next year. But as all we Sox fanatics know, Theo perceives nobody as an untouchable. Considering we now know the club's interest in Felix Hernandez from the last trade deadline, could a Hernandez-Beckett deal be a possibility? Could Boston change gears and decide to go for Holliday as their power source instead of Bay? Might Papelbon be thrown in as bait for possible trade partners? Is it the end of the road for injury prone Wake? We're starting to build that competitive, 'generational' franchise with the signings of Youk and Pedroia last offseason, but after witnessing this postseason, we still have to fix a few links in the chain. I have to phase this season out of my cloudy head, so I will try not to talk about this team on this blog for one whole week (shocker!), startiiiiiiiiing......NOW!

Didn't know UPS sponsored the Broncos.
(espn.com)

Apparently the old school Padres color scheme should actually be called the old school Denver football color scheme. No matter what color they wore Sunday afternoon, that loss stung a bit. This Pats team just confuses the hell out of me. In the opener, they go from a team with no rhythm in both sides of the ball to turning it on in the last 2 minutes. We win a tight game against the AFC favorite Ravens, then turn Kyle Orton into the Tom Bradys of the world by allowing a 98 yard drive down the field, which might not be a fair comparison at this point. The once super-clutch Brady has only completed 38% of his second half passes this year, not exactly the formula to maintaining late leads. Not for anything, but that knee injury may have been the start of the rusting of Tom Brady's shining armor. It might be blasphemy, but it appears he is slowly blending in with the majority of quarterbacks in the league. We go into a 4th quarter, and we have to worry about Tom Brady like 85% of the other franchises do with their QBs. The last thing I needed after a crushing ALDS defeat (O.K. Serious. Startiiiiiiing........NOW!) was an OT defeat from a team dressed as if the Waffle House reached them for a big promo. But I gotta give Coach McKid credit for keeping the team together and stringing out some thrilling victories despite the departure of the franchise player/cry baby QB with a wide receiver taking advantage of the fragile situation for his own gain. Being one of five undefeated teams going into today ain't too shabby either. This team is truly for real, folks. Maybe it was just one of those bad days that just has me in the midst of a pessimistic rant, days like this May 14th when the Celts blew a double-digit lead to the Magic in the playoffs, the Bruins got eliminated, and the Sox lost an extra-inning game to the team that would eventually sweep them 5 months later (aaaaaaaaaannnnd.....NOW!). I wish I was in Europe for yesterday like I was for that springtime Boston debacle. However in the end, it's still too early to push the panic button on anybody, especially when the Pats have the reeling Titans, Bucs and Dolphins slated for the next 3 weeks. After all, we need something to get our minds off those Sox (wait for it...........................NOW!).

Angelstruck Part Deux

One more and the real games begin: Contract negotiations!
(espn.com)

Now more than ever I am waiting for my birthday. Not because the Sox are going to be in the World Series (big chuckle), which is less and less of a certainty at this point after that loss. That is because it's the day when the Celtics begin their quest for their 18th banner against LeBron's Cavaliers. Boston trotted out their highly revered 1-2 punch, and each got punched down by the Halos. Lester was a victim of a Hunter, and Beckett by an Izturis and an Aybar, which had to have been a family of Yankee fans in the Dominican Republic because they (includes brother Willy) just destroy the Sox in big moments. Meanwhile, Lackey and Weaver mowed us down like the modern incarnation of Koufax and Drysdale, and it leaves no choice but to think whoever else we have pitching in this series has to be no less than perfect. Which leads me to Clay Buchholz and whether he can hose down the inferno known as the Angels momentum. Having to depend on a guy who needed his psyche checked by a sports psychologist last year to extend your season doesn't exactly have me giddy with optimism. Especially when he is up against a guy in Kazmir, who has recorded a 2.35 ERA with 46 Ks in 46 IP at Fenway Park since 2007 including the playoffs. Again, crazier things have happened, but the Angels are playing like the better team right now, and you can't ignore that. Not because they are bashing the opponent around mercilessly, but they are exploiting the core weaknesses of the opponent. When Angel manager Mike Scioscia pinch ran Vlad for Howie Kendrick in the 7th, even Jessica Simpson knew that the Angels would run, and the Red Sox weren't gonna stop them. That was easily the clutch move of the game. A stolen base and a couple well placed hits later, the Angels were up 4-1 with the Sox dugout silenced and looking for answers in the midst of the Southern Californian roar. You could just see the energy vapors fly out of that visiting bullpen. The players seem as lifeless as Lenin's waxed corpse or like they are trying to find their rhythm in the first games of Spring Training. They're a team just going through the motions, playing as if they expect their ship to come in just because they made it to MLB's Final 8. No intensity, no pizazz, no indication that they know these games are important. I miss having that energetic team, like this year's Yankees who are just propelled by pure energy and excitement to be in the show. Even when they were behind 3-1 in the 9th, you knew they would at least have enough moxie to man up an put on a fight. The celebrations, the walk-offs and the shaving cream pies are only a part of it. The other "suit and tie" Yankee teams of this decade would have folded in last night's Game 2 against the Twins, especially in that bases loaded, no out 11th inning situation that the Twins set up. Nowadays, A-Rod (Yes, A-ROD!!) is a clutch performer because of this vibrant energy that has overtaken that once corporate feel in the Yankee clubhouse. It only means one thing: Kate Hudson is the Bizarro Jessica Simpson, and we need somebody like her to be dating one of our players. I'll even drive her to the park on Sunday! At times I feel chemistry is overrated, but when I compare the attitudes and results of the Red Sox to that of the Angels and Yankees this postseason, you wonder if it actually makes a difference when you're going for all the marbles. Only 4 teams have came back from an 0-2 deficit, a list which includes the '99 and '03 Sox teams. However, it doesn't take a Gammons to tell you that a pace of 1 run every two games isn't gonna complete a comeback. So it's off to Fenway, where the Sox have pulled off many magical postseason moments with their backs to the wall. History tells me to believe, but the lack of energy and fight shown by this ball club tells me to start buying Celtics tickets.

Angelstruck

The looks of an upcoming sweep?
(espn.com)

Nothing like being up at 3 in the morning listening to some stand-up comedians to help you recover from watching your team get shutout in the playoffs. I probably don't feel as bad as Matt Holliday right now, but I'm not exactly in the greatest of spirits. The Sox just looked totally despondent yesterday, especially the offense. The way Jason Bay looked at a 2-strike fastball down the middle of the plate was a big indicator of that. Everybody in the lineup was just under John Lackey's control, while Torii Hunter's clutch 3-run homer boosted the Angels, providing some big time emotion. That gets me back to the fact that the Angels are super motivated right now. They have something to play for. They hadn't led a series against the Sox since 1986, they had lost their last 6 home playoff games against the Sox and a combined 12 out of the last 13, but more significantly, they lost someone in their Angel family earlier in the season. The emotion that spawned after that Hunter homer from the players and the fans showcased all of that. There is just a strong common purpose in this Angels team right now, no more calling it quits in those tight contests that would end in eventual doom. It's like I'm getting a small fragment of what Yankee fans experienced in '04 when the crowd exploded after the Big Papi homers, this swirling feeling that things might not go as planned. This leads to what I think is the biggest game of the series tonight. We have an October hero of past series going against a Weaver who actually has the ability to contain the Sox very efficiently. If the Sox lose Game 2, it would not only give the Angels a huge edge in the series, but things only get cloudier for the Sox afterward with the appearance of a recently ineffective Buchholz starting in Game 3. With Josh Beckett's back not cooperating recently, and the 4 earned runs in 5 innings he allowed against the Cleveland Indians after the back attack, I'm not sure I feel 1,000% confident in the Texas hurler right now. Especially after his struggles last year against the Rays and (guess who?) the Angels after last year's fight through late season injuries. The only thing that has been giving me optimism is that crazier things have happened with my Sox. Even I didn't think we were going to push last year's ALCS to its 7th game after being down 7 runs with 7 outs to go in Game 5 against a Rays team that was just pummeling us. Hell, even my die-hard Sox fan mother almost completely left Yawkey Way in Game 5 until she saw Papi's homer on a TV screen in one of the gift shops across from the park. The story has a good ending however, as she ran back in, and saw the historic comeback. The Sox can just go from a team that strays away from everything that made them successful one game to schizophrenically turning it on the next, leaving their opponent befuddled. These are the things I think of to motivate me to watch the next game as I still doubt whether this Sox team truly wants to win this championship, or whether they are that team that is a victim of both the the exhaustion of the trials and tribulations of their season combined with running into a highly-motivated juggernaut. If you see me watching the game tonight, I'll be the guy using a wiffle ball as a stress reliever. PLAY BALL!

Stopper of the Angels or of the Sox season?

(espn.com)

I Love October, Playoff Baseball.....And Twins!

My pulse is going insane. Must be tie-breaker baseball!
(espn.com)

Brett Favre can't say he did this Monday.
(espn.com)

Ahh yes, the playoffs are finally here! What a game the Tigers - Twins was, huh? Just when I thought nothing could top the Rockies-Padres in '07, or the White Sox-Twins last year. These tie-breaker games have been more dramatic and entertaining than the World Series themselves. All considering that the World Series hasn't gone 7 games since 2002 and hasn't even gone six since 2003. Even O.C. said that it was the biggest game he ever played in, which made me think the Red Sox brass pulled an MIB and erased his memory before he left town after the '04 season. The game had it all. Clutch assists from the outfield, late-inning homers, an Orlando Cabrera curtain call, a controversial possible missed HBP on Inge and even a base hit call by Chip Caray on a line out to left field. Once a broadcaster makes a mistake like that, you know the game is intense. In the end, the Twins became the AL Central champs on a 12th inning single by Alexi Casilla producing a 5-4 win, making the Tigers the 1st team in history to blow a 3 game lead with 4 games left in the season (Feel better, Mets fans?), thus extending the life of Metrodome baseball for at least one more game. Tigers fans probably didn't expect that complete implosion, nor did they expect heart attack inducing closer Fernando Rodney to finish the last 3 innings of their season. In retrospect, this game was symbolic of the Tigers season, they got ahead early, but their lack of depth ended up running them over in the end despite resiliently fighting the fight. Now that the picture is finally set, let's talk some playoffs!

La Russa, how can you have staring contest with sun glasses?
(images.dailyradar.com)

Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67) vs. St Louis Cardinals (91-71)
Here we got a classic battle of two of the best managers of some of the classic franchises in the game. Each have managed two teams that have pretty much led their respective divisions for virtually the entire season, which may explain why these teams have limped in to the big show. On one side, we have a team from California, who dominated the first half of the season without a suspended dreadlocked slugger, but a wee bit of trouble closing it out as it took the final weekend of the season to seal up the NL West. To tell you the truth, I never took this team seriously, even when they were tearing it up in the early going. For one, where is their starting pitching? Chad Billingsley is solid overall, but a shaky few months (5.25 ERA since July), his hamstring and his lack of experience has me questioning if he has enough for a playoff run. Clayton Kershaw showed some promise this season, especially in Saturday's clincher against the Rockies. But that victory was his first in over 2 months. At least they have Game 1 starter and lefty Randy Wolf, who has arguably been their most solid pitcher the entire season, but will his stuff be enough to neutralize the right handed bats of Pujols and Holliday? And then there is Manny Ramirez, who was supposed to make the Dodgers far and away the best team in the majors, only he has hit a mediocre .269 with 13 homers since coming back from his 50 game vacation. As much as I love Ethier, Kemp and Loney, Manny is gonna have to be the straw that stirs this martini if the offense is going to help protect a pitching staff that has a few question marks heading into October. On the other end, we have a Cardinals team who have lost 7 of their last 9 before going into Game 1. The Cards no doubt bring the best back-to-back combo in the series with Holiday and Pujols, however the rest of the lineup isn't as intimidating. Even Pujols has hit in the low .200s against L.A. this year, so the offense isn't exactly a lock. Guys like Ludwick and Molina have to chip in if they are going to help their staff of studs. The Cards bring two potential Cy Young winning aces (Carpenter and Wainwright) in their deck, which will make the job of the L.A. offense a little more difficult. Add in Pineiro, and you arguably have the best trio of starters in the MLB. L.A. has home field, but I think the lights will be shut down early in Mannywood.

Prediction: Cardinals in 4 games. Carpenter and Wainwright will undoubtedly be the difference in this series as the Cardinals roll over Torre's Dodgers, as much as I can't stand La Russa. There will be no Torre return in the Bronx this October.

Guess who came to crash Rocktober?
(pictures.gi.zimbio.com)

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) vs. Colorado Rockies (92-70)
A nice battle between the last two NL pennant winners. Just when you think the West was long conquered, the Rockies decide to embark on another episode of their Mile High Magic as they overcame a 5 game losing streak at the end of August against the Dodgers and Giants to almost capturing the Western throne at the beginning of this month. Just like their first Mile High moment in 2007, they will be facing the Phillies in the divisional series, who are in title defense mode. Game 1 is real intriguing with the starting matchup alone. The Rockies will start with under the radar talent Ubaldo Jimenez, who has the most electric stuff of anybody in this series, but like Letterman, occasionally falls victim to some wildness (too soon?). The Phillies will counter with Cliff Lee, who hit the ground running in Philly, but lately has just hit the ground with a 5.46 ERA since Sept. 4th. But with options like Hamels, J.A. Happ, Blanton and yes Pedro Martinez (5-1 since joining), I think Philly can trump starters like Aaron Cook, who somehow has been a favorite factor in this series due to his rested arm (2 starts since Aug. 21st. The rest didn't work in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Just saying.). Can't forget about Jason Marquis, who somehow won 15 games despite sporting a 5.64 ERA and winning only one decision since Aug. 24th. The fact that they have lost Jorge de la Rosa due to a balky groin doesn't exactly bolster their rotation either. The Phillies boast a lineup that would rival some of the AL teams. With firestarters like Rollins and Victorino combining forces with sluggers like Howard, Utley and Ibañez, Cook and crew are not gonna have the easiest of times. The major question for the Phils is who is gonna close out their games? Brad Lidge and his 11 blown saves are a huge contrast from when he led the the best 'pen in baseball to a World Series title and a TV series on the MLB Network. But it looks like for now, Lidge is their only option, but expect Charlie Manuel to have a toothpick-sized leash on him. But then again, Huston Street's 9 runs allowed in his last 17 1/3 innings hasn't exactly been a bright spot in the back of Colorado's bullpen. The Phillies will have home-field in this series, however they probably won't be phased by the elevation of Coors Field due to their ownership of the best road record in baseball (48-33). In the end, I expect an LCS headlined by two of the most storied franchises in the National League.

Prediction: Phillies in 4 due to their recent experience and their offense's ability to hit their overrated pitching, granted that Lidge doesn't spoil the show. Again, starting pitching is gonna make a huge difference in this series, and I don't see how Colorado has that advantage. This year, Rocktober will just be a month that ends early.

Twins fans, the info below is going to induce more sickness.
(espn.com)

New York Yankees (103-59) vs. Minnesota Twins (87-76)

The Twins come into this series as the Cinderella of 2009 by taking 17 out of the last 21 games, and as a result overtook the Tigers in Game 163 to win a date in the Bronx with the Yanks. They came through despite only having half of the Morneau-Mauer combo along with guys like Kubel, Cuddyer, Span and Punto. With all that said, if you are a Twins fan and squeamish, I would stop reading here. I truly know that what I'm going to say is going to make the title of this entry an oxymoron. Forget the showcasing of the Top 2 AL MVP candidates, this is going to be a bruising, a bloody mess, just pure carnage. You'll be lucky if even 10 Twins players walk out of the rubble. This is like that slaughterhouse scene in those documentaries that forces you not to eat another hot dog ever again. Hell, I don't think that there is a word in the English language that describes what's going to happen in this series. I realize that the Twins are going in with some psycho momentum right now, but they're going into a series against the best run-producing team in baseball armed with #3 starters at best. That 0-7 regular season mark doesn't exactly give me confidence, nor does the fact that the Twins haven't won in New York since Independence Day 2007. Also can't forget that the Twins just played an extra inning game while using pretty much everybody, including their all-star closer Joe Nathan. At least the Tigers had a shot with Verlander, who had a 2.88 ERA with 42 Ks in 40 2/3 innings against AL playoff teams this year, but his team screwed him out of a chance to prove himself in the big stage by not clinching over the weekend, followed by not being able to clinch at all. Just look at the Game 1 probables: Sabathia - Duensing. Enough said. In fact, I hope I spelled this kid's name right. I have Sabathia's 7.92 postseason ERA in mind, but I'm not sure that the 26 year old Duensing's 2.73 ERA in his 9 starts will put fear in the hungry bats of the Yanks, who are the 1st team in history to have 7 guys hit 20+ homers in a season. Nick Blackburn and Twins 'ace' Scott Baker will follow, who have combined for a 4.06 ERA since Sept. 5th, good but not great. And I don't expect Pavano to come through against the organization who will end up giving him the the most money he will ever 'earn' in his whole lifetime. The only thing I can see the Twins capitalizing on is the questionable Yankee starting pitching after Sabathia. Burnett has been mediocre since the break, and Pettitte has been battling shoulder issues, so maybe Twin sluggers like Cuddyer (hit a quiet 32 homers), Kubel and Mauer can capitalize. Also, the Twins bullpen ranks just ahead of the Yankees (4th place 3.87 to 5th place 3.91) in the AL. However, despite all of that, this series is gonna go as well for Minnesota as Walter Mondale's bid for president against Reagan, which if I can remember, Minnesota was the only state that picked him. Sorry, Yankee haters!

Prediction: Yankees in 3. I wanted to do 4, but I just wouldn't be honest with myself. This is almost as much of a mismatch as if I tried to fight Yokozuna in a wrestling match, with nun-chucks! Minnesota, at least you have Jack Morris in 1991!

This #34 will make a huge impact, and he won't even play.

(wight4256.mlblogs.com)

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (97-65) vs. Boston Red Sox (95-67)
This will be a tough prediction for me, not only because of the personal emotion and value I will invest in this series, but this is by far the best divisional series matchup in terms of the history, equal talent and the storylines of the past. It's another one of those Angels teams that may not have that core hitter that everyone is afraid of (or maybe you haven't seen Kendry Morales), but they all can just hit. The Angels come in with a league-leading .285 team average and without an easy out in the lineup. Guys like Chone Figgins (OBP: .395) and Bobby Abreu (OBP: .390) are going to be a threat on the basepaths against a duo of catchers who have only thrown out 12.9 and 13.4 percent of baserunners on the season. Their starting pitching really has no true ace, but have the 4th best ERA with a 4.44 ERA with guys like Lackey, Weaver (who gives the Sox headaches), Saunders, and Kazmir, who may arguably be the biggest pickup of the season due to his success in Fenway (1.74 ERA with Angels since being acquired in late Aug.). The Red Sox have come in with question marks with their starting pitching as Clay Buchholz has allowed 13 ER and 6 bombs in his last 8 innings pitched. On top of that, we don't know which Beckett we are going to get, considering he has had a shaky 2nd half to go along a few back spasms that may hinder him from achieving the postseason success he has had in the past. I'm a big believer that wherever Beckett goes, so do the Red Sox. It was no coincidence that we didn't make it to the World Series last year in the midst of Beckett's oblique injury, as evidenced by his Game 2 start in the ALCS last year where he blew 3 leads in a eventual 9-8 Sox loss to the Rays in a series that would eventually go 7. It was also no coincidence that the Sox won the ultimate prize when Beckett was healthy for all of '07. The Sox have a huge bullpen advantage (3.80 - 4.49 ERA), but guys like Okajima, Ramirez and Delcarmen have been making the job interesting lately to say the least. Young Danny Bard has displayed dominant stuff this season, but is he too young to be setting up games in do-or-die situations in October? Although I do like the fact of having Brian Fuentes in a potentially important series thinking the Green Monster is gonna eat him up. The Sox offense has been electric since the trade deadline pickup of Victor Martinez, which has been followed up by the resurgence of Bay (16 HRs, 45 RBI since the pickup), Drew (.340 average since Aug 1st), and even shortstop defensive whiz Alex Gonzalez has gone .292 with 6 homers since being reacquired by his '06 team. This is truly the hardest series to pick, and I might need some Pepto to alleviate this feeling in my stomach now.

Prediction: Ouch, this is going to hurt..........Angels in 5. There, I said it, and it was just painful. Don't yank away my fan card for this. I realize that the Sox have won the last 12 out of 13 postseason games against the Angels dating back to 1986, but as all of us Red Sox fans know, history can change its course in an instant. The postseason is about pitching and I'm not sure if all the Sox arms are ready now. I can't ignore the Angels talent along with the divine advantage they get with Angel Nicky up in the heavens.

So there you have it. 3 out of the 4 teams I picked to win were also teams I can't stand in some way. Might need horse tranquilizer induced nap after writing this. I can't stop profusely sweating and my heart feels like its on the brink of exploding every second. Last night, I had a nightmare of Jered Weaver and Scott Kazmir sawing me up in a box like the magicians, but I actually felt tooth on that blade ripping through me as they laughed. God, I love the playoffs! Anything can happen. After all, Michael Crabtree just signed with he 49ers, so I'm looking over my shoulder for anything suspicious. Here's to me getting my AL picks dead-wrong. GO SOX!!!!!!!

Mochaman's Fantasy Football Report
- Boston Beersquad - 3-1 (4th, Plax's Got a Gun, 3rd in Division 2, 467.44 Pts.)
Another fine performance from Ronnie Brown and from team backup David Garrard to boost this team in a tight division race. I may have found my replacement if Kurt Warner doesn't shape up in a couple weeks. Might need a kicker, considering both of mine have a bye this week. Facing a 1-3 team, but the 2nd highest scoring team in the league, so I got my hands full this weekend.

- Killa' Beavaz - 2-2 (3rd, Yahoo Public 179914, 412.28 Pts.)
Just my luck in fantasy football! Lost to an 0-3 team by .76 points (you read it right). Finally have quit on Tennessee's D and put in New England, who have made strides the past 2 weeks. Didn't fall too far, considering I'm one of six 2-2 teams in the league right now, but need a good comeback performance from McNabb among others to start separating myself from the rest of the pack.