I just want to say I am totally jacked up for these playoffs. I'm generally a Sox fan first and a baseball fan second, but honestly all 4 matchups are intriguing.
Phils/Rox - 2 red-hot teams that had to basically shoot their wad just to get into the playoffs. Yet somehow both have thier aces going in game 1, so they're on schedule to pitch a game 5 if necessary. Two high-powered relentless offenses, and as a bonus a longtime favorite player of mine (Tom Gordon) in the series.
Sox/Halos - It's the Sox, 'nuff said. To an impartial observer this is probably the least attractive series because LAAAAAAA is banged up and looks like an underdog on paper (the other series look pretty even on paper).
Cubs/Baby Backs - The young, hungry Snakes with their unsung ace Brandon Webb facing the sentimental favorite Cubbies. Cubs have some characters like Sori & Big Z & Sweet Lou, and I'll always have a soft spot in my heard for the DBacks, even if Luis Gonzalez is gone but never forgotten. Plus you get to root against punk Eric Byrnes.
Tribe/MFY - Don't let that 6-0 Yankee sweep fool you, this will be a great matchup. CLE has a nice lineup, though not on par with New York's - but the key could be their dynamic duo of CC & Carmona. These are 2 no-bull aces, and not NL aces either, the real deal. Sabathia vs. that lefty-laden NYY lineup will set the tone; if he can dominate as he has all year that puts a ton of pressure on the Yankee bats to try and beat Carmona, and pressing is the last thing you want to do against a guy like Carmona (or Wang for that matter). But there's always the chance that big game Andy can come up with yet another brilliant October performance. And if the Yanks can stay close in those first 2 games they of course have that X factor in their pen - a real lockdown setup man in Joba.
Is it just me, or do all these series look really exciting going in?
