It's baseball and you're an American...playoff edition

Well I will have to make this brief because I'm at work and for some CRAZY reason my boss doesn't like me blogging at work. I know, fascist, right?

So let's do a preview...playoffs style as we get closer and closer to first pitch in St. Louis.

San Diego vs. St. Louis

Clearly the easiest series to predict here. The number two starter for the Padres in this series is former Met and Red Sock of great distinction Pedro Astacio. Nuff said there. However, this will not be a sweep. In fact I predict the Padres will win today and put a little scare into the Cardinals. The Cardinals have had it too easy for too long. Carpenter has struggled for weeks (FD is probably quite pleased he didn't make that trade with me for him in the Yahoo league) and Jake Peavy is a top starter. Padres win today, jolt the Cardinals a little but the Cards take the next three.

Cardinals in four


Atlanta vs. Houston

Sorry Commander and sorry KayJay. This is the worst possible series for the Braves. I'm sure you were all pulling like mad for the Phillies to get the wild card so you'd face the Padres in the first round, but instead you get to face the team I'm picking to go to the World Series. No team has the pitching the Astros have. Pettite, Clemens and Oswalt would all be #1s on any other team and Brad Lidge is right now what Mo Rivera was back in 98 (in the salad days...a time Yankee fans can call B.M. (Before Mueller) ). Braves have talent, as much as I hate to admit it, but it's the Astros series and another first round exit for Bobby's boys.

Astros in four


Now to the American League. Where have you gone Pedro Martinez, a Nation turns it's lonely eyes to you. Woo woo woo

Seriously the Red Sox are gonna feel the absence of Petey and his mango tree this October, it just remains to be seen how much. Hmmm he's probably under that mango tree right now. Hope he's happy. Annnnnnnnyways...

Boston vs. Chicago

The Yankees can have the division and the west coast trips. That won't bother the Red Sox when they're popping champagne corks after sweeping the White Sox. The ChiSox are good. The Red Sox are better. The White Sox pitching won't hold up under the Red Sox offense and they're all relatively untested. Sure the BoSox have pitching problems, but can you name the White Sox closer? I didn't think so. The ChiSox are coming in a little cocky right now (really classy of Ozzie Guillen to make the "choke" sign to Cleveland fans) and the BoSox with their professionalism and playoff tested mettle are ready to take them down. I don't want to jinx the team, but I got a good feeling about this series.

Red Sox in three


New York vs. Los Angeles or Anaheim or Nappa Valley or Torrence or whatever they're called these days...

Now this is the toughest series. I like the Angels. I like Mike Scoscia ("Will...I...be...able...to...play...softball...tomorrow?" "No by tomorrow you'll hardly be able to breathe." "Ohhhhhhh...mannnnnnnnnnnnn..."). I like their bullpen. I like Vlad Guerrero (How I wish he was patroling right at Shea. Omar would have gotten that deal done). But I just can't ever bet against the Yankees. They always find some way to win. Even when the Sox were up big in Game 7 last year I expected the Yankees to come back. Their pitching is rounding into form (even though they suffer from lack of bullpen depth, which will hurt in the long run) and the offense is balanced top to bottom. This series is gonna go long and it's going to be a real war, but I think ultimately the Yankees will squeak through and give Fox executives what they've been drooling over. World War III...Yankees vs. Red Sox..the brawl for all...this time it's personal.

Yankees in five


See you in the next round....