October to Remember

What do you get when you throw two socks, some angels, a couple yankees, a few cardinals, a brave or two, astros and some padres together? You get one October that should be filled with excitement, fun, adventure, controversy, upsets, and glory. Translation: The MLB postseason 2005.

Out in the National League the Cardinals came into October with baseballs best record and has won home field advantage through-out the playoffs. The Cards came into october with all the intangibles to have a perfect post season. Though their first match-up will be with the San Diego Padres. The Cardinals clinched the division early enough to rest and get their pitching together the way manager Tony La Russa likes it. This is a balanced club with no clear and visible weakness. The Cardinals lead the National League in team ERA, rank second to Cincinnati in runs scored and are sixth in defense. They have the added incentive of wanting to atone for last year's World Series sweep to Boston. They're simply a better team than the Padres or any other NL postseason club. The Padres dont have much going on in the way of pitching. Though Jake Peavy is well rested and could pitch twice if the series goes the distance. I wouldnt look too far for the Padres to beat the Cards. The Padres are picked 9-1 just to get out of this divisional match-up with these Cardinals.

The wild card Astros and the Braves meet up in the second of this divisional match-up this post season in the NL. The Astros had to fight tooth and nail until the final day to earn a postseason berth, so they come in with the same wild-card adrenaline rush that's served World Series winners Anaheim, Florida and Boston so well the past three seasons. Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite have a combined 28-13 record in 60 postseason starts, so they're in their element now that the pressure is high. Throw in 20-game winner Roy Oswalt at No. 3, and the Astros have the kind of starting pitching that ensures they'll be in the game every night. Now manager Phil Garner has to figure out a way to manufacture some runs from their offense. The Braves are especially tough at Turner Field, where their 53-28 record ties them with the Yankees for second-best home mark in baseball after Boston. After so many years of being burdened with expectations, they seem to revel in the role of youthful overachievers. Although these Braves are not the same Braves of old. Where they can go into the post season and dominate, they still have a chance. The Astros are picked 9-1 just like the Cardinals to get out of the division and onto the conference championship. I would look for these red hot Astros to make a move and ride it until the series.

Now out in the American League. The Los Angeles Angels, formerly of Anaheim, have the best record entering the post season from this league. They first face off against the always dangerous New York Yankees. Only the Red Sox scored more runs than these Yankees. They also are experienced, patient hitters who wear out pitchers -- they walked 200 times more than the Angels. While the rotation isn't as strong as in many past seasons, the bullpen is solid with the still-great Mariano Rivera at the end. The Angels have an excellent 1-2 punch with the league's lone 20-game winner (Bartolo Colon) and John Lackey, plus closer Francisco Rodriguez at the end. Their offense isn't as explosive as the Yankees, but Vladimir Guerrero is the sort of player who can take over a series, and the Angels are a speedy team. The Angels can be patient when it comes down to it, but these Yankees revile when it comes to late games. They know that Rivera will be there to bail them out, or shut the team down. Now all they have to do is generate some runs and everything will be alright. Though the Angels are favored in the series 7-3. I wouldnt rely on stats in this one. It seems as though it can be anyones game, or series for that matter.

The other series involves two kinds of sox. The World Series defending champs Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox. The Red Sox bludgeon opponents -- their league-high 900 runs were 162 more than the Pale Hose, or one extra run per game. No one wants to face David Ortiz with the game on the line, and with Manny Ramirez behind him, he's going to get his pitches. The postseason brings out the best in Curt Schilling, and it will have to do so again if they want to move on. After sputtering in the second half, the White Sox might have finally gotten back on track by winning eight of their last 10, including a sweep of Cleveland. That stretch tested them, and they'll be better for it. Chicago nearly led the league in ERA, and Jose Contreras has been dominating down the stretch, winning eight consecutive starts. I wouldnt sleep on these White Sox. They have become red hot and can handle these Red Sox if given the opportunity. Though if the Red Sox can get runs out of the rest of the line-up besides Ramirez and Ortiz then the Red Sox will move on in great fashion. The Red Sox are picked 6-4 to move to the conference championship.

This post season looks to be a wide open race, with a few chances for any team to make it to the series. With all the wisdom that i posses, i am picking the Astros and the Yankees to meet in the series. There is something about the way that Houston is pitching and the way that the Yankees wont die that makes me a believer. I think that on the off chance it could be the Cardinals and the Red Sox back for round two in the series. If thats the case, i wouldnt look for these Cards to let what happened last year happen this year. They remember the series sweep and it left a foul taste in their mouths. So if given the opportunity, they would love a shot at the Red Sox and would absolutely love a shot at redemption.