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The long season is finally over, and thus begins one of the greatest playoff spectacles in the wide world of sports. Eight teams. One winner. So, in the words of the PTI guys, "who ya got"?

New York defeats Los Angeles/Anaheim in 4

The Yankees have a lot of momentum coming into the playoffs this year. Fresh off their 8th straight AL East title, they ended the season winners in 16 of the last 20. And one of their biggest strengths right now was their biggest problem during the middle of July; starting pitching. Big Unit is back on track, Chacon has made Cashman look like a genius, Small was 10-0 this year with a sub 4 ERA, Wang has been a splendid surprise, and with the exception of Johnson, all of them don't have a problem with working out of the bullpen if needed.
The Angels play great small ball, even better than the ChiSox if you ask me. The pitching has really turned on this year as well, particularly in the bullpen. They don't have a lot of holes in the pen, unlike the Yankees. The lineup is still potent, though Garrett Anderson is still a question mark. How's that back going to hold up? He's probably going to see a lot of time at the DH role this series. And any team that Vlad is on always stands a chance.
I'd have to think that the Angels are going to win Game 1. Mussina is still unproven after his injury while the Angels counter with the possible Cy Young award winner Bartolo Colon. But the Yankees come back with Johnson in Game 2 and second-half darling Chacon in Game 3 back in the Bronx. Even though the Yanks' Game 4 (if necessary) starter is unknown, you know the Yankees will muscle at least one win out with the strength of their brutal lineup.


Chicago defeats Boston in 5

Oh yeah, I went there. This isn't my Yankee bias talking either, I think the White Sox have more than a legitamite chance to take out the champs. It's a little strange calling this one an upset considering the White Sox have the best record in the AL. But people seem to want to point out what has been called "Choke Job Theater", letting a 15 game lead sink to as little as 1.5. What they fail to see is that the Sox actually finished the year hot, winning 5 of 6, including sweeping the once white hot Indians in a meaningless series. They won 99 games, a lot of them won by "Ozzie ball". Guillen is a great coach and there's no doubt in my mind that the Sox' success was a result of his coaching (with a little help from the players). The pitching is still on target. Buerhle and Garland aren't as sharp as they were in the first half, but don't sell them short yet. Especially now that Jose Contreras has come on strong in the second half. No one in the ChiSox lineup really scares you, though I personally would not want to pitch to a monster like Konerko, or have to look at speedster Podsednik on the basepaths. Yet the Sox have been spot on nearly all year. And they've done it as a result of small ball. Stealing a base. Squeeze play. Sac bunt to move a runner. They have it working well. Ozzie has this team playing like a national league team.
And on the complete flip side of the coin is the Boston Red Sox. Small ball is not a part of their gameplan. They score runs by the bucket load. And you can thank Ortiz and Ramirez who hit homers like it's going out of style. The Red Sox lineup has to be the most fierce in the playoffs. If they're going to repeat, it's going to be on their big bats. I'm not sure if they have enough pitching to take this series. Schilling is just a shell of his '04 self. Clement has a Javier Vazquez complex: great first half, sucktacular second half. David Wells has had a pretty good year, but his record and ERA on the road are worse than at Fenway. The only constant in the rotation is the knuckleballer Wakefield, and he got lit-up against the Yanks on Saturday. Also, the BoSox bullpen is a mess. Jon Pappelbon has been good, but is still unproven. Mike Timlin has been the only constant for the 'pen. Who's going to get the ball to him?
I think the home team wins every game, which gives the third and deciding win to the ChiSox, giving them their first playoff series win since 1917, and winning the battle of colored footwear.

St. Louis defeats San Diego in 4

I don't care what anyone says about their record, it doesn't what you're record is when you get into the playoffs. When you're in, you're 0-0 again. So the Padres have a better chance than people like to give them credit for. It's based on this that I want to make a case for the Padres. The Padres bullpen has been great. In fact, it might the best in the playoffs. Trevor Hoffman has had another great year. Also, there's that guy called Jake Peavy. In fact, I'm calling it now, Padres win game 1 with Peavy on the mound. One more little food for thought on the 'dres: They won the season series versus the Cardinals this year.
Now, all that aside, San Diego will not win. They'll shock the world by taking Game 1, but the Cards will dominate with that killer lineup and stellar pitching. Pujols certainly deserves the MVP award this year. There's nothing in the NL--and probably the AL--that can stop St. Louis.

Houston defeats Atlanta in 3

Quick and to the point.

Clemens.
Oswalt.
Pettitte.
Lidge.

Braves continue to lose in the playoffs, and Andruw Jones' MVP-like year will go for not.




So...

ALCS: New York vs. Chicago
NLCS: St. Louis vs. Houston

This post has been edited by Sabin on 4th October 2005 03:12

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"When I turn the page
The corner bends into the perfect dog ear
As if the words knew I'd need them again
But at the time, I didn't see it."

~"This Ain't a Surfin' Movie" - Minus the Bear

Hey don't tread on Sand Diego
remember every dog has his day
although their chances don't look to good

PADRES ALL THE WAY

i don't care what anyone says they're my team and i'm rooting for them all the way

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"Have you ever seen a baby do that before?"

personally, im a marlins fans, but oh well lol. here are my pics then:

Angels over Yanks in 5
---Vlad the Impaler is a freakin' beast and thats all i have to say about that
BoSox over ChiSox in 4
---eh, gotta give an edge to the defending champs!
Cards over Pads in 5
---i live in la jolla and although i wouldnt mind seein' SD go all the way i think the cards are just too tough
Braves over 'stros in 4
---Andruw Jones is a freakin' beast....

thats it! i hope i got everything right lol

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"The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved."
- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

So before a couple of days ago I had it in my mind that it was definately going to be Cardinals over Angels in the World Series. Then I had one of those weird, realistic dreams you have every now and then, and I was watching a world series game this year between the Braves and Yankees, so I'm going with it and changing my picks. The only first round prediction I have to change is the Angels, though:

Cardinals vs. Padres

This shouldn't take long.

Cardinals in 3.

Braves vs. Astros.

No, the Braves won't score much on the Astros big 3. But the Astros can't score much on ANYBODY.

Braves in 5.

Sox, Red vs. White

This isn't my anti-White Sox bias, but I just didn't think they were going to win any game besides the one Contreras started. Plus, since I have a one game head start, I know the White Sox used up their entire playoff allotment of runs in the first game.

Red Sox in 4.

Yankees vs. Angels.

I thought the Angels were the most balanced team in the American League. Apperently my subconcious disagrees.

Yankees in 5.


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Hip-Hop QOTW:

"Yeah, where I'ma start it at, look I'ma part of that
Downtown Philly where it's realer than a heart attack
It wasn't really that ill until the start of crack
Now it's a body caught every night on the Almanac"

"Game Theory"
The Roots

The White Sox have a preety good chance to win the world series this season, and I'll go with them to win it, against the BRAVES, YEAH THE BRAVES!!

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PS3 tag: TipoDLuffy

"...quite possibly the greatest game ever made"

Well let's see, the teams I hate most in all of baseball? Astros, Cardinals, Yankees, Braves, and to a lesser extent Red Sox. All in the postseason too. That figures.

In the National league, I'm rooting for the Padres, and the American I guess either White Sox or Angels. I think the funniest thing in the world would be a White Sox/Padres world series, as NO ONE is even giving either a chance.

I probably should hate the White Sox, but I've always been neutral to them. I just hate White Sox fans that hate me simply because I'm a Cubs fan.

Well it's a little belated, but here's what my take was:


Padres vs. St. Lous:

Cards in 4. I really thought the Padres could win a game with Peavy, but he got absolutely lit up and is gone for the postseason. So it'll most likely be a sweep.


Astros vs. Braves:

I wish both of these teams could eliminate themselves. I'll say the Astros win in 4, because let's not kid ourselves, the Braves can win their division another 14 years in a row, but they'll never win the Series again. It must suck to be a Braves fan.



Yanks vs. Angels:

Yanks in 5. I hope the Angels win though.


Sox vs. Sox:

I say the Sox take this one. Sox in 4.

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The clouds ran away, opened up the sky
And one by one I watched every constellation die
And there I was frozen, standing in my backyard
Face to face, eye to eye, staring at the last star
I should've known, walked all the way home
To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone

-Atmosphere "Always Coming Back Home to You"

Quote (Tidu-who @ 6th October 2005 15:39)

and to a lesser extent Red Sox.

Hatred....now I'm sad that they lost. *Sulks*

This post has been edited by Kimahri on 6th October 2005 20:46

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eh?

Quote (Tidu-who @ 6th October 2005 15:39)

It must suck to be a Braves fan.

You know you have problems when a Cubs fan pities you.

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Hip-Hop QOTW:

"Yeah, where I'ma start it at, look I'ma part of that
Downtown Philly where it's realer than a heart attack
It wasn't really that ill until the start of crack
Now it's a body caught every night on the Almanac"

"Game Theory"
The Roots