The MLB Playoffs Are Set!

The Colorado Rockies completed the job of making me look smart by winning their one-game playoff against the San Diego Padres in 13 innings to punch their ticket to the playoffs with their wild card bid.

Did Matt Holliday really touch homeplate on the winning run though? The camera angles I saw showed that Padres catcher Michael Barrett had blocked the plate and prevented Holliday from tagging the plate. But I think the atmosphere at Coors Field got the better of homeplate umpire Tim McClelland as he gave a delayed safe call to end the game.

The Rockies will now face another team on a hot streak, the Philadelphia Phillies (and the lovable Phanatic).

Series picks:

Philadelphia Phillies v. Colorado Rockies
Both teams come into the series as the hottest teams in all of baseball. The Rockies are coming off an emotional run that included a one-game playoff with the Padres to earn the wild card berth. Meanwhile, the Phillies are coming off a incredible run to catch the New York Mets, who led by seven games on September 12.

Both teams have a great batting lineup that can put numbers on the board, but I think the Phillies have a little more to work with.

I wanted the Phillies in, so I am going to stay with them: Phillies in five games.

Chicago Cubs v. Arizona Diamondbacks
Game one is going to be big for both teams, as Brandon Webb and Carlos Zambrano will be on the mound for their respective teams. I like the Cubs chances because they have the bats in their lineup that make a difference in a game. I also like the two Cubs starters following Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill, I think they will be the difference in this series.

Cubs in four games.

Cleveland Indians v. New York Yankees
The Yankees have not faced Indians ace, C.C. Sabathia since 2004, uh oh. In this shorter series I like the Indians based on their pitching. If this series goes the distance the Indians will be able to throw Sabathia twice against big bats of New York. Sabathia will be matched up against Chien-Ming Wang in game one. Pitching matchups: Fausto Carmona will face Andy Pettitte in game two; Jake Westbrook against Roger Clemens in game three; Paul Byrd and Mike Mussina in game four.

Bob Uecker, take it: "The Indians win it, the indians win it! Oh my God, the Indians win it!"
Indians in five games.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim v. Boston Red Sox
Due to superstitious beliefs, I cannot and will not pick the winner of this series. Sorry.
Pitching matchups:
Game one - Beckett v. Lackey
Game two - Matsuzaka v. Escobar
Game three - Schilling v. Weaver
Game four (probables) - Beckett v. Lackey
Game five (probables) - ? v. Escobar

All I know is Josh Beckett just said "asshole" in his press conference that was aired on ESPN News, awesome! He also seemed like he was in a bad mood as well.

If you want to tailgate in Anaheim for game one, I will be there at 8 a.m., cooking morning burgers, sausages, and dogs.

Tonight, Tonight

Fogg v. Peavy.
Bengals v. Pats.
Rally time around the MLB.

Top three things going on tonight. The weekends have been great the last month with baseball, college football, and NFL, and it continues into Monday.

All I know is that Pats RB Laurence Maroney better play (listed as questionable) and get me seven fantasy points to lead me to victory.

Tomorrow is baseball follow up to the one-game playoff, NFL picks week 4 results (lousy), and other stories to follow.

I am off to the Angels rally at the stadium to see if I can 'graph Chuck Finley.

The MLB Playoffs Are About To Begin...

Guess who made it.....

The New York Mets completed their choke job and the Philadelphia Phillies allowed my dream to become a reality .

Who is to blame? Mets Willie Randolph, the GM Omar Minaya, or the team? It was a collective effort, so all sides are guilty. They had a seven game lead in the NL East on September 12, only to be caught by the Phillies. The 1995 Anaheim Angels are thanking the Mets for taking over the top spot of the "biggest choke jobs" in MLB history.

Randolph could have managed his bullpen more efficiently and could have thrown coffee and gatorade in the clubhouse to pump up his players. Minaya could have given Randolph more to work with, mainly his pitching staff. And the players could have responded to the fast-charging Phillies, especially since they still had a chance to avoid the worst finish ever.

I would hate to be those players wives. Women want to talk about your problems, and there is no way the Mets' players will want to discuss what went down in September 2007; a lot of frustrated ladies.



That is a video of Boston's closer Jonathan Papelbon dancing in his underwear after the Red Sox clinched the AL East. You can also see other Boston players doing ridiculous dances in the video. Jeez, they act like they have not been there before... maybe it is because it was their first division championship since 1995. Or it was because the Yankees had taken the division every year since 1998.

I really do not understand why Boston took the longer series in the playoffs. Or do I? Here is my theory:
I think they took the longer series because the Yankees are in their head. Let me explain... in a shorter series you have to use more pitching, both starters and bullpen help. Two aspects that are not real strong points for the Yankees.

Granted, the Yankees have starting pitchers in their rotation with plenty of playoff experience (Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, and Mike Mussina) but they all have struggled this season; especially with Clemens plagued with a hamstring injury. I just think the Red Sox want the Yankees eliminated in the first round.

The longer series in the Red Sox-Angels could come back to haunt the Red Sox. This allows the Angels to pitch their two aces, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, twice in the series on regular rest. But, maybe the decision was based on allowing Red Sox relievers to get rest during the series.

And tonight the San Diego Padres-Colorado Rockies one-game playoff will be played in Colorado. I picked the Rockies to win the wild card before the weekend started so I am taking them tonight, even if they face the Padres ace Jake Peavy.

If Colorado wins, my picks for the NL teams in the playoffs would be 100% accurate. Boo ya.

Division series picks coming tomorrow once the field is completely set. Also, the times for the games will be announced at 4 p.m. EST today.