MLB Free Agency

Well, one baseball season has ended with the St. Louis Cardinals being crowned champions and another is about to begin, as players have begun to file for free agency. Among those looking to test free agency are Frank Thomas, Frank Catalanotto, Ted Lily, and Justin Speier and Barry Bonds to name a few. Keeping checking my blog and let me know who you think is on the move and to where all you blogging baseball fans

World Series Preview

St. Louis Cardinals Vs.








Detroit Tigers





Starting Pitching:

Anthony Reyes wasn't on the roster in the NLDS and went 4 innings in his NLCS start, giving up two earned runs on three hits and four walks in four innings. Reyes has excellent suff, but at times he finds too much of the plate with his fastball, and when that happens, he is vulnerable to the long ball (two home runs in his first NLCS start and 17 in 85 1/3 innings during the regular season.) He has never faced Detroit.
The Cardinals game 2 starter is a former Tiger who left Detroit in 2002 in the Jeremy Bonderman deal (although at the time it was referred to the Jeff Weaver deal). Weaver signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in 2004 and was cast aside by the Angels this summer to make room for his brother, Jered. He was acquired by the Cards to fill a starting slot. He ended a string of ugly post-season experiences with a Game 2 victory in the NLDS over the Padres in San Diego. He pitched well in his first NLCS start, though he took the loss after giving up 2 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. Weaver is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two career starts vs. Detroit and is 14-23 with a 4.05 ERA in 43 career games (300 innings) at Comerica Park.
Taking the mound in Game three will be the Cy Young Award winner in the NL last season, Chris Carpenter may win it again this season. He Came up big in the NLDS, making two starts, but he was hit hard in his first NLCS start as the Mets raked him for five earned runs on six hits and four walks in five innings. Carpenter was beaten by Justin Verlander and the Tigers at Comerica Park on June 25th. Prior to that outing, Carpenter had been 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts at Comerica Park and was 3-3 with a 6.75 career ERA against Detroit over ten games.
Rounding out the roation for the Cardinals is rightie Jeff Suppan. Suppan had the best postseason outing of his career in the NLCS firing eight shutout innings and allowing just three hits in a Game 3 win over the Mets, before tossing seven innings of two-hit ball in the decisive Game seven. The NLCS MVP was the No. 4 starter in the postseason two years ago but has moved up in the rotation due to the season-ending shoulder injury to Mark Mulder. Suppan is 3-1 with a 3.44 ERA in seven career starts at Comerica Park and is 8-6 with a 4.60 ERA IN 19 starts against Detroit.

The No. 2 pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Verlander has emerged as one of the best young power pitchers in the game and hasn't done anything to hurt his growing reputationthus far in the postseason. His fastball has been clocked as high as 99 mph and he gets it to the plate following an abbreviated delivery. Verlander has an above-average curveball and a decent changeup. When all three pitches are working, Verlander is practically unhittable. He can get into trouble when he pitches up in the zone. He is 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in one career start Vs. St. Louis.
The Pitching hero of the postseason, Kenny Rogers has yet to allow a run in two postseason starts vs. the Yankees and A's. He has good movement of his fastball and knows how to spot it well. He doesn't use the slider as often these days, but it hasn't hurt his performance as his curveball and slider are both fine compliments to his fastball. Defensively, Rogers remains one of the best in either league. Rogers was hit hard by the Cardinals in a start this year, as the lefty was racked for five earned runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. For his career, Rogers has no record against St. Louis in two games and has given up nine earned runs on 14 hits in 8 1/3 innings with a 9.72 ERA.
Game 3 starter Nate Robertson pitched five scoreless innings in the ALCS opener at Oakland and outpitched A's ace Barry Zito to send the Tigers on their way. Robertson, who worker six innings or more in 19 of his last 19 regular-season starts, can be especially tough when his slider is working. He hasn't faced St. Louis.
Rounding out the rotation for the Tigers, Jeremy Bonderman started the final game of the ALCS and limited Oakland to three runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings, though only one run came after the first inning. He has excellent stuff, but like a lot of young pitchers, he struggles with his command at times and is still learning how to pitch to Major League hitters. Bonderman relies on a mid-to-high 90's fastball complemented by a sharp breaking slider, but his splitter is coming on as another out pitch. Bonderman has never faced St. Louis.

Edge: even

Bullpen:

Closer Jason Iringhause is out for the year following hip surgery and the Cards' youngsters have had to learn on the fly. Thus far, Adam Wainwright and Tyler Johnson and lefty Randy Flores have done a better-than-expected job. Tigers closer Todd Joes has been perfect in save opportunities since the postseason began, and though setup man Joel Zumaya missed the last two games of the ALCS with a right forearm injury, he is expected to be ready for the WS. Lefties Jamie Walker and Wilfredo Ledezma and right-handers Fernando Rodney and Jason Grilli give Leyland plenty of options for the late innings.

Edge: Tigers:

Catcher:

The two best defensive catchers in the game will be showcased in Yadier Molina of St. Louis and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez of Detroit. Molina doesn't provide much offensively, although he did hit .444 (4 for 9) in the three game series against Detroit at Comerica Park back in June. Rodriguez is still on the short list of the best defensive catchers around and his offesive skills, though not what they were five years ago, are still formidable and worthy of a No. 3 hitter. Rodriguez uses the whole field and runs well, and he is also very good at disrupting opponents' offence with his defence.

Edge: Tigers

First Baseman:

Even wiuth a balky hamstring, Albert Pujols is probably still the best player in the game. It isn't just the HR's, RBI's, and batting average the Cardinals first baseman provides, he's also outstanding in the clutch, as his .397 batting average with runners in scoring position during the regular season demonstrates. Assuming he's healthy after missing the final two games of the ALCS, Sean Casey gives the Tigers a left-handed hitter who is one of the toughest hitters in baseball to strike out. Casey hits line drives to all fields when he's in a groove, though he doesn't have Pujols' power.

Edge: Cardinals

Second Baseman:

Ronnie Belliard, the latest in a line of Cards second basemen since Mark Grudzielanek was not re-signed, had a decent year offensively but has never hit well at Comerica Park (.205) or particularly well against the Tigers (.252). ALCS MVP Placido Polanco is one of the more effective No. 2 hitters in the game and makes those around him better, as the Tigers found out when they went 13-21 late in the season when Polanco was on the disabled list with a separated shoulder. Average defensively, Polanco is a heady hitter who seldom strikes out, is adept at small-ball and can hit the ball out of the park now and then.

Edge: Tigers

Shortstop:

David Eckstein is the get-the-uniform-dirty sparkplug at the top of the Cardinals' batting orderand is always coming up with the key hit or big play defensively to help his team win. Carlos Guillen, assuming he's not at first base as he was for the injured Casey in the ALCS, is a .300 hitter with some power, and he is one of the reasons the Tigers are where they are today. Guillen, one of the better all-around middle infielders in the game, hit only .188 in the ALCS.

Edge: Tigers

Third Baseman:

Scott Rolen has been playing hurt but remains a dangerous power threat, as well as one of the best fielding third basemen in the game. Inge is the best athlete on the team, and the converted catcher/outfielder has gradually improved his play at his latest position. Inge has power and runs very well. A clutch hitter, Inge has come up with the big hit more than once in key games this season and hit .333 in the ALCS.

Edge: Cardinals

Left Fielder:

Corner outfield production has been a disappointment for the Cardinals this season, but after acquiring Preston Wilson and teaming the right handed power hitter with the underrated So Taguchi, the Cardinals have finally found a solution that is at least adequate, if not overpowering. Craig Monroe, ranked among the league leaders in strikeouts, but he's also provided power and drives in an acceptable number of runs. Monroe, a dead pull hitter who has trouble against top right-handed pitching or when he tries to pull pitches off the plate, hit .429 with a homer and 4 RBIs in the ALCS.

Edge: Tigers

Center Fielder:

Injuries have plagued Jim Edmonds' season, but he remains a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder and a left-handed hitter with ample power. Edmonds is capable of carrying the lineup when he's on. Curtis Granderson is an emerging talent with the speed necessary to play center field, and yet Garanderson has also displayed suirprising powerfor a line drive hitter. Granderson has a good, accurate arm and plays excellent defence. The 25-year-old needs better plate discipline and must improve his base-stealing skills, but he hit .333 in the ALCS.

Edge: Cardinals

Right Fielder:

Juan Encarnacion had a decent second half, after a disappointing start. The former Tiger still chases too many pitches out of the strike zone and didn't hit for as much power as the Cardinals had hoped for the man who suceeded Larry Walker in Right Field. Detroit clean-up hitter Magglio Ordonez, who won game 4 of the ALCS with a walk-off home run,is usually among the league leaders in hitting with runners in scoring position, and once again he's topped the century mark in RBIs. Ordonez drives the ball to all fields with a short powerful swing and seldom gets cheated. He is a decent fielder with an accurate arm.

Designated Hitter:

The four designated hitter games at Comerica Park should help the Cardinals, in that a guy who is normally on the bench -- Chris Duncan, or whoever isn't starting in left field, Wilson or Taguchi -- could provide another potent bat in the lineup without burning a pinch-hitter. Duncan came up with a big home run off a lefty in Game 5 of the NLCS. Whoever is DH'ing for St. Louis will have a difficult time matching the production of Detroit's designated hitters have been giving lately. Alexis Gomez, Marcus Thames Omar Infante -- it didn't matter who Jim Leyland plugged in at DH in the ALCS, all contributed big time in the sweep of Oakland.

Edge: Tigers

Bench:

St. Luois manager Tony La Russa has always been good at maximizing bench production and finding players who can handle multiple roles. Taguchi, John Rodriguez, Aaron Miles, Wilson and Bennet have all pitched in this season. Infante is a handy guy for have around as the good glove fielder can fill in at a number of spots and is a capable pinch-runner. Vance Wilson is a capable back-up to Rodriguez. Gomez has some pop, but little experience. Overall offensively, however Detroit's supporting cast is average.

Edge: Cardinals

Manager:

La Russa has taken a team that is noticeably weaker than the one that was eliminated by Houston last year in the NLCS, as well as the one that lost to Boston in the World Series in 2004, and yet piloted them back to the World Series. La Russa is not afraid to take chances -- like holding out Chris Carpenter on the season's final day or sending left-handed hitting Chris Duncan up to pinch-hit against a lefty in Game 5 of the NLCS -- and more often than not, his moves work to his team's advatange. Everything Jim Leyland touches lately has turned to gold, as his decisions keep paying dividends for the Tigers, and his team has clearly rallied around the skipper.

Edge: even

Intangibles:

The Cardinals have endured injuries to key players, a tough NLCS against the Mets and a seemingly uphill climb to get this far. The Tigers are playing their best baseball, have won seven in a row and are having the kind of magical run that can make for a memorable postseason.

Edge: Tigers

Series Prediction: Tigers in 6

security on Skytrain

Today's posting is prompted by today's tragic fatality of a passenger @ Gateway Station. Every time I go on Skytrain, I am greatly disturbed by the lack of Transit Police and the Sktrain ppl wearing the blue jackets and white shirts. I call on the Municipal and BC Provincial Government to pressure Translink into hiring more security, especially in the early morning hours and late at night when it's dark. It's a joke that our tax dollars are being put into all these projects for our future and yet they ignore the safety of the public who are using the transit system regularly, as I am. If Translink is serious about getting cars off the road, they need to hire more security that will stay at their appropriate station. Another thing I find is that at night there will be stations with no visible security, and other stations will have five or six security ppl just standig around talking. Meanhile, there could be murders going on at other stations and these supposed security personnel would be none the wiser. Your thoughts.

MLB NL Champioship Series Preview

St. Louis Cardinals Vs.









NY Mets






Starting Pitching:

The Mets go into the NLCS with their top 2 startters out for the remainder of the Postseason with torn calves (Pedro Martinez has a torn rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder as well; Orlando Hernandez is just dealing with a grade 2 muscle tear.) By default, the veteran of 17 years in Tom Glavine is the ace of the staff for the remainder of the playoffs. He is by far the most experienced of any of the remaining teams having made 33 starts including 12 wins as a Brave. This year, the Mets are counting their lucky stars that Glavine is able to pitch as he experienced a blood clot, that if surgery were required might have ended his career. Luckily it did not need surgery and Glavine was able to return to the mound September 1st after missing 3 starts. Glavine threw a four-hitter in his NLDS start over six innings with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Look for hi to go 6 or seven innings in his NLCS start(s). John Maine did a fine job in his emergency start in Game 1 of the NLDS giving up 6 hits and a lone earned run. He finished the night with 2 walks and 5 K's in 4.1 innings of work. Unfortunately he fell short of the required 5 innings to qualify for a victory. This time, Maine should be able to prepare for a Game 2 start and not be needed in an emergency. He needs to be consistent, especially at this time of year. Steve Traschel has a higher ERA than most 15-game winners in history, he lost half of his games. He's good for the long haul, and with Hernandez and Martinez out for the rest of the playoff, Traschel should receive at least one more start in the NLCS. In his NLDS start, Trascel went 3.1 innings, allowed 6 hits, 2 earned runs, walked 1 and struck out 2. The Mets will look for 5-6 innings out of him. Rounding out the rotation is lefty Darren Oliver. Oliver has struggled wih consistency throughout his career. He arrived with the Mets due to a trade with the Pirates that landed reliever Hernandez after fellow reliever Duano Sanchez was injured in a taxi accident. Oliver had a bad year in the regular season losing 13 starts and winning just three. He had an unimpressive 6.55 ERA, he struck out 102 hitters and walked 68. He needs to have his command on to be successful.

Chris Carpenter appears to have recovered from a lousy end to the regular season, as he has posted 2 solid starts in the NLDS, one to win Game 1 and one to clinch the series. His curve and change-up were phenomenol in his starts as he kept the Padres hitters off-balance all night. He needs to repeat those starts and provide 7 solid innings. Weaver has also found his econd wind, as he's out to prove that he can perform in the post-season. He signed with the Cardinals after being cast aside for brother Jered by the Angels. Weaver will be looking to build on his five innings of 2-hit ball in his NLDS start. Jeff Suppan has been relegated to game 3 starter after Mulder went down with a season-ending shoulder injury and Woody Williams and Matt Morris both bolted for higher $$$. Weaver has responded to the challenge of a higher starting spot, although he lost whaty could have been the series-deciding Game 3 in the NLDS because he was outpitched. Rounding out the rotation for the Cardinals will be either veteran Jason Marquis or rookie Jose Reyes. Marquis will need to be able to maintain his focus and concentration for 6 innings or more (he has a tendency to lose his concentration in the middle of the game and thus he all of a sidden can't throw strikes. Reyes had a horrible start in the 3rd to last game of the regular season, lasting just 2/3 of an inning. Look for Marquis to get the nod and Reyes to be left off the roster.

Edge: Cardinals.

Relief Pitching:

Adam Wainwirth did a great job as the closer in the NLDS, saving his lone opportunity, while punching out 6 and allowing just 3 hits in 3.2 innings. The Cardinals will need him to repeat that performance against a tough Mets line-up. Looper, the Cardinals other opton at the closer's role allowing just a single hit in 1.2 innings in the NLDS. Rookie Tyler Johnson is tough on lefties and he'll face a huge test with Delgado and Beltran providing a solid 1-2 punch. Also joining him to face lefties is southpaw Randy Flores. Flores allowed 2 hits, walked one and struck out one in an innings work over two appearances in the NLDS. Josh Hancock, Josh Kinney and Brad Thompson round out this youthful bullpen.

Hows this for a stat? The NY Mets are 78-4 with the lead after 6 innings including the NLDS. The bullpen is anchored by the best closer left in te post-season in either league in Billy Wagner. Wagner pitched 3 innings, saved 2 games, allowed 3 hits, one earned run and strruck out 4 in the NLDS. Setting him up is hard-throwing rightie Roberto Hernandez. He is fresh for the NLCS after not being needed in the NLDS. Side-winder Chad Bradford is tugh on lefties and has a nasty slider. Lefty specialist is Pedro Feliciano. Rounding out the Bullpen are veteran righties Guillermo Mota and Aaron Heilman.

Edge: Mets.

Catcher:

Cards catcher Yadier Molina is an upgrade offensively over the departed Mike Mathney. The youngest of the three catching Molina Brothers (Benji catching in Toronto this season and Jose in Anaheim), Molina hit .308 with 4 huts and 1 RBI while striking out twice. Molina has continued the defensive legacy of Matheny quite nicely.

Paul Lo Duca has finally won in the post-season. A reputed winner, Lo Duca a bat well and a pitching staff even better. The Mets are 78-4 when leading heading into the 6th 'nuff said.

Edge: Mets

First Baseman:

Albert Pujols is arguably the greatest 1st baseman in the game today. As Padres starter Jake Peavy learned. You don't give this guy a second chance at the plate. In his second at bat of the NLDS, Pujols nearly popped out to catcher Mike Piazza, but he dropped the ball, on the very next pitch Pujols crushed a juicy offering over the wall for a 2-run shot. Pujols is a clutch hitter and solid defensive 1st baseman. The rest was good for him when he tore an oblique muscle midway through the season.

Power Hitter Carlos Delgado has been waiting 17 long years for this moment. He tookadvatage of the opportunity in the NLDS hitting .429 with 1 long HR, and 6 hits. He's a patient hitter at the plate and should be a key contributer to the Mets stacked line-up.

Edge: Cardinals

Second Baseman:

It has been Russian roulette at this position since the Cards were swept by the Red Sox in 2004 in the World Series. This year it's Ronnie Belliard , who came over in a midseason deal with the Indians. He's a .240 hitter and made some terrific plays in the field to help the Cards get past the Padres in the NLDS. Belliard will have to continue the solid defensive play against the powerful Mets line-up.

Jose Valentin is the guy who ran the largely ineffective and overrated Japanese league star Kaz Matsui out of Flushing. Had he done little else, he would be revered, but Mets fans have enjoyed his hard-nosed play and clutch hits

Edge: even

Shortstop:

It has been a rough injury-plagued season for little David Eckstein. He returned in the middle of the year from a pulled side only to go right back on the disabled list with a pulled hamstring. When healthy, Eckstein's dangerous on the base path and is a great contact hitter. Because he may not make it deep into the post-season, the Cards may have to turn to Aaron Miles, who proved to be a capable substitute when Eckstein was out of the line-up this season.

His first full season had been impressive. His across-the-board improvement in year 2 has been stunning. As Jose Reyes has settled into his role as the Mets' sparkplug, he has unleashed all of his tools. He doesn't get big-stage fright, as he delivered the game-tying single in the decisive Game 3 of the NLDS. Look for Reyes to come up big in the NLCS, this is a player who will star for years to come. It's just a matter of refining his game.

Edge: Mets

Third Baseman:

Scott Rolen is one of the premier third baseman in the game and has rebounded well from last season's shoulder surgery. But Rolen has been playing with a sore lleft shoulder again this October, relegating him at times to the bench, with Scott Speizio getting the nod.

The Golden Boy. David Wright is the unchallenged symbol of the Mets' rise back to NY relevance. Infield-corned power, vastly improved defense, humility and personality -- all that's missing in his package is a championship trophy.

Edge: Mets

Left Fielder:

Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa flip-flopped rookie Chris Duncan and veteran Preston Wilson in the NLDS. Duncan had defensive problems and Wilson as a spark in the Cardinals' Game 2 victory at San Diego. If pressed, La Russa has also used Speizio and John Rodriguez out there in a pinch

Cliff Floyd has chased the light as long as Delgado; 14 seasons, 1,415 games -- two lousy hitless postseason at-bats, in the 1997 World Series with the Marlins. But he came out of Game 3 of the NLDS after re-injuring his achilles tendon. His status for the NLCS is up in the air. Endy Chavez could see increased playing time vs. the Redbirds.

Edge: even.

Center Fielder:

It's hard to downplay Jim Edmonds, but he's had a rocky last month after smacking his head on the center-field fence and suffering through post-concussion syndrome. Yet he came back much sooner than expected, and the gamer he is will be a force. Wilson's in the mix if Edmonds can't go. So is Juan Encarnacion

Carlos Beltran made a nice bounce-back from his booed 2005 Mets debut, but he still hasn't justified the big contract. This week he can. The 2004 postseason (.435, eight homers and 14 RBIs in 12 games is his yardstick -- and what people expect to see. His performance against the Card s 2 years ago in the NLCS is wha got him the big fat contract.

Edge: Mets

Right Fielder:

It's Encarnacion's first season with the Cardinals, and he's made the most of it. He has been one of the Cardinals' most durable players, playing in 153 regular-season games and all the NLDS games. He was a member of the 2003 Marlins team that was resurrected by Jack McKeon midseson and went on to beat the Yankees in the World Series.

Along with Lo Duca, Shawn Green has to be pretty happy about beating the Dodgers. His old team traded him to Arizona after the 2004 season, the Diamondbacks flipped him to the Mets with Floyd on the disabled list. As age has slowed his bat, Green has forsaken some of his power by more often looking to slap the ball the other way.

Edge: Mets

Bench:

La Russa flip-flops pitchers and positions and substitutes with the best of them. He always has a pack of role players to go. So Taguchi, Rodriguez, Miles, Wilson and Bennett are the big ones this season, depending on how many regulars are healthy. With Edmonds and Eckstein being hurt, La Russa's had to plug starting holes with bench players.

Starting with Julio Franco, Mr. Methusela, this is a supporting cast that perfectly meshes with the high-profile headliners in NY. Ricky Ledee, picked up in early August after being waived by the Dodgers, might be activated for the NLCS if Floyd cannot go. Ledee would join Micheal Tucker as the extra outfielders, with Chavez likely becoming the starter in left.

Edge: even

Manager:

La Russa is the resident genius with 22 seasons worth of big-league managerial experience. Can you believe it? But his lone winner was the 1989 A's who salvaged the World Series after the last great Bay Area earthquake and swept the Giants. Come to think of it, his teams are 5-12 in WS games. But this year has been one of his better jobs keeping these Cardinals competitive despite all the injuries.

All those failed managerial interviews were worth it for Randolph, who got the job, and did the job, in the only city that matters to him. His quiet, patient leadership is ideal in a place where everyone else tends to get uptight. Randolph inspires his players who feed of his faith in them.

Edge: Cardinals

Intangibles:

The Cardinals may not be the same team as 2 yars ago, when they went to the WS, but they still boast the best position player (Pujols) and best starting pitcher (Carpenter) in the NL. An injured Carpenter didn't pitch 2 years ago when the Cards were swept by the Red Sox in the WS. It proved to be a big loss.

The arrival of an event that has been inevitable for months comes with intense pressure for the Mets, not to mention the letdown losses of Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez from the playoff rotation. They now own baseball in NY with the Yankees being booted out of the postseason for the third consecutive year without reaching the WS.

Edge: Mets

Series Prediction: Mets in 5

MLB AL Championship Series Preview

Detroit Tigers Vs.







Oakland A's






Starting Pitching:

Ace southpaw Nate Robertson was on a roll in September going 2-1 with a 1.29 ERA. In his last 18 starts he has pitched into the 6th inning or more. Consistency is the question mark for Robertson. Case-in-point is his only Division Series appearance where his line was 5.2 IP 12 H 7 R (all of which were earned) 1 K. He's more successful when his devastating slider is working. Behind him is power Pitcher Justin Verlander. In his start against the Yankees his fastball was clocked at 100MPH and in the regular season it was clocked as high as 99MPH. Verlander was solid in that start going 5.1 IP with 7 H 3 R (all earned) while walking 4 and striking out 5. He will have to get the number of walks down, but other than that he looks good heading into his start. Verlander has a great curve and a decent change to compliment his roaring fastball. When all three pitches are doing their thing, he's practically unhittable, must keep ball down. Aah the controversial Kenny Rogers, he pitched the game of his life in Game 3 and promptly doused one of Detroit's finest with Champagne after the Tigers clinched the series. Rogers is still one of the best fielders at his position in the game. Although his velocity has been on the decline in recent years, he knows how to pitch the corners of the plate and should be an asset to this Tiger's team, provided he keeps his temper in check. His curve and change are great compliments to his fastball and he's got a fine pick-off move. Rounding out the rotation is Jeremy Bonderman who pitched pheomenol 3-hit ball into the 9th in the series clinching win against the Yankees including being perfect through 5. He has major league stuff, but at times his command is an issue. He relies on a mid-to-high 90's 4-seamer, a hard breaking slider and a splitter to get batters out.

Barry Zito said he was going to use his Game 1 start in the division series to pitch a mechanical "blip" and it appears that blip has disappeared, at least for one start. Zito was solid in leading the split against the speedy Twins. Zito was very economical in his division series start, going 8 innings, allowing just 4 hits, which resulting in a single earned run, walking 4 and striking out 1 batter. He'll need to repeat that masterful performance against the tough Tiger's line-up. The A's shocked the baseball world when they inked Esteban Loaiza to a three-year deal worth $7 million per season over the winter. He has rewarded the A's faith in him with a solid regular season and a solid Game 2 start in the division series. Unfortunately, his team was unable to rally until after he had exited Game 2 so he didn't pick up the win. Loazia has never won a start in the postseason, his best showing being for the Yankees in '04 going 0-1 with a 1.12 ERA. Game 3 starter should be either Dan Haren or Joe Blanton, with the other being moved to the bull pen. Haren won his ALDS start going 6 innings while giving up 9 hits, 2 earned runs, walking one and striking out 2. Joe Blanton did not pitch in the ALDS. Rich Harden didn't get a chance to pitch in the ALDS as the A's swept the Twins, thus making his game 4 scheduled start unnecessary. He will get into a game this series, as the A's will need 4 wins to take the ALCS and this series can go a maximum of seven games.

Edge: Tigers

Relief Pitching:

Closer Todd Jones is not as dominatingt as other closers in the game such as Rivera and Nathan just to name a couple in the same league as Jones, but he'll get the job done. Setting him up are righties Joel Zumaya (who devastated Yankee Slugger Jason Giambi with a 102 MPH heater.) Also capable late inning relievers are from the right side are Fernando Rodney and Jason Grilli. Rodney should get his first taste of the post-season this series. He was solid in the regular season collecting 7 wins, a 3.52 ERA, 65 K's and 34 BB's. Grilli retired the lone batter he faced in the ALDS. He should be fresh for the ALCS. From the left side is Jamie Walker, who retired the final two batters of the ALDS. He's tough on lefties amd will be facing a stiff challenge from the likes of Chavez and Kotsay.

Young closer Hudson Street has more than proven he can hold his own in the pressure-cooker of a ninth inning. He saved the first two games for the Athletics and snuffed out any chance of a Twins comeback. Justin Duchscherer, Kiko Calero and Chad Gaudin are all solid pitchers to have in the late innings. Duscherer allowed a one HR to New Westminster's Justin Morneau late in the deciding game 3 of the ALDS while striking out 4 in 4 innings of work. Calero pitched a scoreless 6th to pick up the victory in Game 2. He allowed one walk and struck out 1. Heshould be fresh heading into the ALCS. Gaudin was left off the ALDS rister and collected 4 wins with a 3.09 ERA while whiffing 36 and walking 42 in the '06 season. He'll be relied on n the 7th. Rounding out the 'pen are long relievers Kirk Saarloos and Joe Kennedy. Kennedy recorded the final 2 outs of the ALDS and will be relied on to face the left-handed batters of the Tigers. Saarloos will be counted on in the event a pitcher gets hurt or struggles early. He won and lost seven games with a 4.75 ERA, 52 K's and 53 BB's.

Edge: even

Catcher:

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez is a veteran leader in the locker room and knows when to be tough on the pitchers and when to calm them down. He's also a great defensive catcher and can quickly end a rally. Pudge is good at throwing out runners. At the Plate he is a hitter who can use the whole field. Although he doesn't have the power he used to possess, Rodriguez makes up for it by being a solid contact hitter and a good runner

Don't expect Jason Kendall to come out and win the game with a three run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. That's not his game, Kendall is better known to be a contact hitter and being patient at the plate. However his average and on-base % have each gone up 50 point since the Mid-Summer Classic. In the field at age 32, he is more than adequate defensively.

Edge: Tigers

First Baseman:

Sean Casey has been in a bad slump since September and shortly after joining the Tigers. When he's on, Casey's a great line drive hitter and very difficult to strike out. So far this post-season, Casey's hitting .353 with 6 hits and 4 RBI's. He's showing signs of breaking out of his slump.

Dan Johnson has been the primary first baseman in the post-season. He can hit for power and is great defensively. Nick Swisher also has experience at 1st base, but he's primarily an outfielder. Swisher will likely take the bulk of the games at 1st base due to his playoff experience.

Edge: A's

Second Baseman:

Placido Polanco is one of the more effective No. 2 hitters in the game, and he makes those around him better as the Tigers found out when he separated his shoulder in August making a diving catch (they were just 13-21 without him in the line-up.) Just average defensively, Polanco is a heady, patient hitter who rarely goes down swinging or looking. Polanco is a great small ball player, but he can kock the occasional ball out of the park now and then. He also hit a team-high .516 (16-for-31) against the A's this season. Look for him to make a major contribution to this team in this series.

The A's lost Mark Ellis to a broken finger in the ALDS, which means D'Angelo Jiminez, who started game 3 in place of Ellis in the ALDS, is the likely starter in the ALCS. Jiminez is at best adequate at the plate, but if he can play solid defense, the A's should be able to substitute his lack of offense in other parts of the line-up. The best thing for the A's would be if Bobby Crosby can play shortstop, which would enable them to use ALDS hero Marco Scutaro at 2B.

Edge: Tigers

Shortstop:

Carlos Guillen is a smooth fielder, a .300 hitter with some power and one of the reasons the Tigers are where they are today. Guillen leads the Tigers in on-base percentage. He's missed time because of injuries, but Guillen remains one of the better all-round middle infielders in the game. He also wore out Oakland pitching this season, hitting .375 with 5 extra-base hits and a team-high 20 total bases and 8 RBI's in nine games.

Marco Scutaro has been doing an adequate job of filling in for the injured Bobby Crosby. Scutaro is a streaky hitter with limited power, and his bread-and-butter is his defesive play. Scutaro is not the offensive and defensive weapon Crosby is, but he catches what he gets to. He had a sensational ALDS, especially with the glove.

Edge: even

Third Baseman:

Brandon Inge is the best athlete on the Tigers, and the converted catcher/outfielder has gradually improved his play at his latest position. Inge has power and runs very well. A clutch hitter, Inge has come up with the big hit more than once this season and hit well (.310) against Oakland.

Eric Chavez is having a disappointing year by his usual lofty standards, and his batting average is significantly below his career level, but he has come up with big hits in the clutch and has provided power and RBIs the club needs from the position. Defensively, Chavez remains among the best in the league.

Edge: A's

Left Fielder:

Craig Monroe is among the league leaders in strikeouts, but he also provides power and drives in an acceptable number of runs for a corner outfielder. Monroe is a dead-pull hitter who has trouble against top right-handed pitching or when he tries to pull pitches off the plate. He doesn't walk very much. Defensively, Monroe is average.

Jay Payton is enjoying one of the best years of his career. A contact hitter with excellent speed, he is more patient at the plate than he was a few years ago. Payton is an excellent center fielder, but Mark Kotsay's presence makes Payton one of the better defensive left fielders in the league.

Edge: A's

Center Fielder:

Curtis Granderson is an emerging talent with the speed necessary to play centyer field, yet he displays surprising power for a line drive hitter. Granderson has a good, accurate arm and plays excellent defense. The 25-year-old needs better plate discipline and could improve on his basestealing skills. He's had success against Oakland, hitting .359 in 39 at-bats.

Mark Kotsay is one of the best center fielders in the game. He covers a lot of ground, has a strong arm and takes excellent routes to the ball. Offensively, he's a first-rate lead-off man who doesn't strike out much and hits the ball on a line to all fields. He wears out right-handers and has been among the hottest hitters on the A's since the All-Star break. Expect Kotsay to start a lot of rallies.

Edge: A's

Right Fielder:

Detroit clean-up hitter Magglio Ordonez is usually among the league leaders in hitting with runners in scoring position, and once again he's topped the century mark in RBIs. Ordonez drives the ball to all fields eith a short, powerful swing and seldom gets cheated. He is a decent fielder with an accurate arm.

Milton Bradley is a versatile talent who does many things well, but he has trouble playing well on a consistent basis. He has some power, but doesn't hit a lot of homers, has some speed but doesn't steal a lot of bases. A line drive hitter who uses all fields, Bradley adds to his vaue with his good strike-zone judgement. He is also an above-average fielder who can play all three outfield positions.

Edge: Tigers

Designated Hitter:

The release of Dmitri Young left power-hittting Marcus Thames as the DH. Thames was 1-22 against Oakland pitching this season; 'nuff said.

Frank "the big hurt" Thomas not only had one of the best comeback seasons this year, but he is also deserving of Most Valuable Player considerations. The Bug Hurt came back big in 2006 and is once again the power-hitting force he was before a spate of injuries curtailed his production in recent years. Thomas, who hit .500 in the ALDS, crushes inside pitches and also does a good job driving pitches off the plate

Edge: A's

Bench:

Omar Infante is a handy guy to have around as the good-glove infielder can fill in at a number of spots and is a decent pinch-runner. Vance Wilson is a capable back-up to Pudge Rodriguez, and Neifi Perez gives Leyland anther glove off the bench. Overall defensively, however Detroit's supporting cast is, at best, average.

Not only can starters Bradley and Payton play all three outfield positions, so too can Hiram Bocachica. Bobby Kielty, an above-average pinch hitter, can handle either conrner outfield spot and has also filled in on the infield. Swisher can play first base or either corner outfield spot. Jiminez and Antonio Perez, when healthy, can play three infield positions. The A's also have five switch hitters, which gives Manager Ken Macha all kinds of matchup possibilities.

Edge: A's

Manager:

Detroit's Jim Leyland has done a masterful job getting a young Tiger's team to the playoffs after years of futility. Leyland has been stern when necessary but generally laid-back in a style that has meshed perfectly in Detroit.

Oakland's Ken Macha has proven to be one of the most capable managers in the game. It seems like every year the A's lose frontline free agents yet still find a way to plg the holes and win more often than they lose. Macha and his staff deserve a lot of credit for that.

Edge: Tigers

Intangibles:

The Tigers are coming off one of the biggest playoff upsets in recent years, but can they sustain that magic for another round?

The A's never trailed in a sweep of Minnesota and are excelling in all phases of the game. This is a loose team playing with a lot of confidence right now, and, unlike the ALDS, the A's will have the home-field advantage against Detroit.

Edge: A's

Series Prediction: A's in 7

MLB NL Division Series #2

San Diego Padres Vs.






St. Louis Cardinals






Starting Pitching

Padres ace Jake Peavy will be looking to redeem himself after a horrible game 1 start against the same Cardinals team. Part of the reason behind the bad start was a broken rib from celebrating the wild Card berth last season. This year he's back and healthy. Peavy collected 11 wins, 215 strikeouts and a 4.09 ERA. Pitching game 2 will be veteran Lefty David "boomer" Wells, who will be making what could be his final start of his career (Wells has said he'll rtire after this year. It has been a very frustrating year for Wells health-wise as his first start after rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee, he got hit by a line drive in the same knee in the 5th inning of the first game back. He's ready to pitch again, and as long as he stayus healthy he can help this Padres club with 5 or 6 effective innings. Game 3 starter is the biggest surprise of the season. As he's been effective and sometimes quite strong in coming close to giving this Padres organiztion it's first no-no. Young won 11 games with a respectable 3.46 ERA and 164 strikeouts. Rounding out the rotation is rightie Wood Williams who had an effective year with 12 wins, a 3.65 ERA and 72 K's.


The Cardinals will counter with ace Chris Carpenter who has struggled in his last three tune-up starts of the season, he will need to have his curve and change-up working early for him to be successful in his starts. Carpenter finished the season with a 3.09 ERA, 15 wins and 184 strikeouts. Starting game 2 will be free agent acquisition Jeff Weaver. None of his starts have been particularly dominating, but the 2-pitch pitcher (slider and 4-seamer) won his eighth and most important start that kept the Cardinals in the hunt for the NL Central title. Weaver won 8 starts, had a disappointing 5.76 ERA and struck out 107. Jeff Suppan will take over the game 3 start that would have normally gone to stellar lefty Mark Mulder, who was lost for the season to shoulder surgery. Suppan won 12 games, had a 4.12 ERA and he struck out 104. Rounding out the rotation will be rookie Anthony Reyes. Reues pitched six strong innings in a confidencebuilding game that snapped an awful seven game losing streak at the end of the season that almost cost the Cardinals a playoff spot.

Edge: Padres

Bullpen

The Padres 'pen is anchored by the best closer of all time in Trevor Hoffman. When the 9th innning rolls around and the Padres have a lead, it's pretty much lights out with Hoffman. This seasoon, he saved 46 games with a miniscule 2.14 ERA and 50 K's. Pitching in the 7th and 8th innings to preserve that lead or to keep the ame close or tied are Scott Linebrink (7 wins, 3.57 ERA and 68 K this season) and Cla Meredith (5 wins, a 1.07 ERA and 37 K in 50.2 innings of work). From the left side is Alan Embree who won 4 games with a 3.27 ERA and 53 punch-outs, plus he's tough on left-handed batters. If a starter gets injured early or struggles, the Padres can turn to veteran Chan Ho Park, who won 7, had a 4.81 ERA and struck out 96 batters. Mike Thompson is also an effective reliever. Rounding out the bullpen will be third year player Rudy Seanez. Seanez had 2 wins, a respectable 3.20 ERA and 23 K's in his appearances this season.

Jason Isringhausen is normally the capable anchor of this bullpen. However this season, the Cards are going to be hard-pressed to repeat their performance of last season against this Padres club as Izzy had season-ending hip surgery and last pitched September 1st. The interim closer's role has been shared by Braden Looper, who blew both his save opportunities and Adam Wainwright who has 3 saves in 5 save opportunities. One of these two will have to pick it up for the Cardinals to be successful. Setting up for the closer has been veteran rightie John Hancok who's pitching .500 with 3 wins and 3 losses. He has posted a 4.09 ERA and 50 K's. Brad Thompson has been effective as a middle reliever with 1 win, a 3.34 ERA and 32 strikeouts. Rounding out the bullpen is lefty specialist Randy Flores.

Edge: Padres.

Catcher:

The Padres are making a wise decision in using a three catcher tandem this season. Mike Piazza normally starts the games and gets taken out as a defensive replacement late to save him for the post-season (now). Piazza hit .283 with 22 HR and 68 RBI. He's really solid in handling the pitchers. The back-ups are both switch-hitting, so manager Bruce Bochy can choose either catcher to come into the game. Josh Bard hit .333 with 9 HR and 40 RBI. Third catcher Rob Bowen isn't as good at hitting with an average of .245 and 3 HR and 13 runs batted in.

Yadier Molina, youngest of the three catching Molina's (Jose and Benjii being his brothers) is not a good hitter, managing an average of just .213 with 6 HR and 49 RBI. He is a solid defensive catcher, but he needs to improve his ability to throw runners out.

Edge: Padres.

1st Baseman:

In just his third season in the Majors, Adrian Gonzalez put up career numbers hitting .304 while crushing 24 home runs and driving in 82 runs. He'll have to continue those kind of numbers for the Padres to be successful this series. His being left handed makes this Padrres squad even more dangerous because it gives them a plethora of lefties in the first five spots of the line-up.

Albert Pujols is arguably the best 1st baseman in the game and the best in the NL. Not only is he good in the regular season, he's just as good if not better in the post-season when the game is on the line. Sometimes the best defense against this player is just to walk him and takr your chances with the next batter. Pujols batted .331 and crushed 49 HR (second only to Philly's Ron Howard who launched 57 moon shots.) and drove in 137 runs. His defense is top notch. Without a doubt he'll be a major player in this series and will come up with the key hit. If the opposing pitcher makes a mistake LOOK OUT!!!!!

edge: Cardinals

2nd Baseman:

The speedy Josh Barfield, son of former major leaguer Jesse Barfield is the undisputed 2nd baseman on thi team. He stole 21 bases in this his rookie year. He has played great defensively, although he needs to get more comfortable against lefties. Barfield hit .280 with 13 HR and 58 RBI. Fatigue may be a factor, as playing a 162 game sched can be gruelling.

Since 2004 sweep at the hands of the Red Sox, this position has been like a revolving door. Mid-season acquisition Ronnie Belliard is he latest experiment to get a shot at second on this squad. Belliard hit .272 with 13 HR and 67 RBI. His defense was good.

Edge: even

Shortstop:

Everday SS Khalil Greene is out for the season with a finger problem. In his place os the switch-hitting Jeff Blum. Blum hit .283 with 4 HR and 34 RBI since taking over. The b ack-up Manny Alexander only hit an unimpressive average of .154 and 4 RBI. Blum won't be mistaken for Greene any time soon.

The Cardinals counter with the speedy David Eckstein who is a great lead-off hitter. Eckstein hit .292 with 2 HR and 14 RBI. He has been struggling through an injury-riddled season in missing time with a pulled side muscle and then pulling his hamstring shortly after returning from the side muscle injury. His back-up Aaron Miles has done an adequate job filling in when Eckstein's out of the linw-up.

Edge: Cardinals

3rd Baseman

This has been the real trouble spot for the Padres. The job started out being Vinny Castilla, but he was quickly released. Then Todd Walker was given a shot, but he was found to be error prone. Russell Branyon was acquired and he added some pop to the line-up cracking 18 HR. Another possibility is Mark Bellhorn, but he's a natural 2B. Finally veteran Manny Alexander has some 3B experience but he's primarily a late game defensive sub.

Scott Rolen is the undisputed starter at 3B. He has recovered quite nicely from season-ending shoulder surgery and has bounced back to hit .296 with 22 HR and 95 RBI. He has a strong arm and can really hurl it across the diamond.

Edge: Cardinals.

Left Fielder:

The speedy Dave Roberts patrols LF. He stole 49 bases this season while hitting 2 HR and driving in 44 runs. Roberts is going to drive Molina bonkers with his speed on the base paths. Against left handers, sometimes Ben Johnson is used. He's not nearly as fast, but he still plays hard and comes up with great catches and hits with a .250 average. Some of his 30 hits this year have been huge for the Padres.

Sophomore Chris Duncan had a pretty good year hitting .293 while launching 22 moon shots and driving in 43 runs. Scott Speizio, yet another Ex. Angel on the Cardinals shares time with Duncan, along with Preston Wilson and John Rodriguez.

Edge: Padres

Center Fielder

Mike Cameron is havng a great year defensively and he is one of the few originals of the Padres. He's a streaky hitter at the plate who's more of a force in the lower half of the line-up card (spots 7-9). Cameron has a lot of speed on the base paths, stealing 25 bags this season.

Jim Edmonds had a horrible final month of the season battling through post-concussion syndrome after crashing into the center field wall while attempting a catch. If healthy, he'll be a great defensive edition. If he's unable to go, Wilson will be an adeuate back-up.

Edge: Padres

Right Fielder:

Juan Encarnacion has been the most durable player on the Cardinals playing 153 of 162 games. He hit .278 with 19 HR and 79 RBI. Encarnacion is a speedy runner who will be a threat to steal. He's made fans forget about the departed Reggie Sanders.

The Padres Counter with the left-handed hitting Brian Giles. Giles hit .263 with 14 HR and 83 RBI. Giles's patiience at the plate is an asset because it makes the starting oitcher work and he's more likely to get a good pitch to hit. Also he draws a lot of walks.

Edge: even

Bench:

The Padres have pinch hitters who are fresh becuase they get a lot of playing time, especially the back-up catchers Bard and Bowen (see write-up on catcher). Mark Bellhorn has experience at third or second base. Manny Alexander canplay both shortstop and 3rd base, and he gets the rare start to keep sharp. Bellhorn is also va;lued due to his being a left-handed batter (ditto for Russell Branyon). Ben Johnson should get time in the outfield this series.

The Cardinals mix and match pitchers and batters like the best of teams. There is always a oack of role players set to go. This year, the primarily used players are So Taguchi, Rodriguez, Miles, Wilson and Bennett.

Edge: Padres

Managers:

Bruce Bolchy is a seasoned professional having been a coach in the Padres organizationfor the past 12 years. He's a player's coach to a fault, where he'll often cover for their mistakes and foibles. This squad is much improved over the one that was swept by the Cardinals last year and one 82 games. As he usuall;y does, Bochy's gotten the most out of his players on most days.

Tony La Russa has been around the league for 22 years. La Russa has guided teams into the post-season 11 times, including six with the Cardinals. However, he has only won Championship to show for it. This year has been one of his better years as his team dealt with injuries to key players.

Edge: Cardinals

Intangibles:

Lots of moxie and playoff experience in the Padres clubhouse. Walker, Roberts, Embree and Bellhorn won the Series with Boston in '04. Wells has years of experience with the Yankees and the Blue Jays. Piazza played Playoff baseball with the Mets and Dodgers. Hoffman, Linebrink, Giles aand Jake Peavy have done it with the Padres last year. Blum won last year with the White Sox. Woody Williams has gone to the post-season with both the Padres and Cardinals. All that can't be overestimated when the chips are on the table.

The Cardinals may not be te ame team as two years ago, when they went to the World Series, but they still boast the best positional player (Pujols) and best starting pitcher in the (Chris Carpenter) NL. If Carpenter wins twice in a best-of-five series and Pujols performs some of his high-pressure heroics, the Cardinals may still be tough to beat. If they don't. . .

Edge: Cardinals

Series prediction: Cardinals in 5

MLB NL Division Series #1 Preview

New York Mets Vs.





LA Dodgers






Starting Pitching:

The Mets received a serious blow to their post-season success chances when it was learned that ace Pedro Martinez will be unable to pitch due to a torn left calf and rotator cuff problem in his pitchinmg shoulder. New ace, "El Duque" Orlando Hernandez had an OK season this year going .500 with 11 wins, 11 losses. His ERA was 4.66 and he struck out 166 batters. El uque traditionally performs well in the post-season and when the game is on the line. He has some issues with controlling some of his pitches (particularly his curve and slider) due to his unsual and unorthodox wind-up and delivery. Game 2 starter Tom Glavine had a health scare in August when a blood clot that may have ended his season and possibly his career was found in his pitching arm. Luckily, it was found that the clot was not serious and Glavine was able to return in September. He won 15 games this season with a 3.82 ERA and 131 K's. The Mets will need him to pitch well against his old foe Maddux. Steve Traschel also went .500, winning 15 and losing 15. His ERA was high considering the number of games he won at 4.97. The high ERA's this team's pitchers generated were acceptable for the Mets season success largely de to the bullpen and the strong line-up the Mets ran out most every night. If necessary, the #4 starter will be 3rd year pitcher John Maine. After the All-Star break, Maine produced 22 straight scoreless innings over 3 starts, while allowing only ten hits. This is the kind of stuff needed to win ball games in the Post-season

The Dodgers will counter with 16-game winner Derek Lowe. That record was tied for tops in the NL. He had a 3.63 ERA and 123 strikeouts. Lowe has a great sinker and will produce many ground ball outs. He was key in the Red Sox World Series win, as he won every series clinching game the Red Sox won that post-season. He could be key for the Dodgers this year. Greg Maddux will take the hill in game 2. He doesn't throw particularly hard, but he uses all four pitches effectively and as a result he won 15 games for the 16th time in 17 seasons last year. His ERA was 4.20 and he had 112 K's. Sophomore Hong-Chih Kuo will likely take the ball in game 3. He was a September call-up and although he only won one of his seven starts, he apparrently impressed management enough to earn him a start in the post-season. Rounding out the rotation for the Dodgers will be veteran Brad Penny. He has playoff experience with the Marlins in 2003 when his best series was against the Yankees when he won both his starts and finished with a good 2.19 ERA and seven strikeouts.

Edge: Mets

Bullpen

Lefty closer Billy Wagner anchors this deep bullpen. Roberto Hernandez, a strong set-up man will come in to the game in the 8th inning to preserve the game. He had a respectable 3.11 ERA in the regular season. Sidewinder Chad Bradford will also pitch in the 7th or 8th in a close game. He had 4 wins, 2 saves and a 2.11 ERA. He also struck out 45 batters. Long reliever Oliver Perez struggled this season, managing just 3 wins and an awful 6.55 earned run average. Perez had 102 K's. Lefty Pedro Feliciano will be another tough long reliever or middle reliever, he collected 7 wins and had a good 2.01 ERA with 54 punch-outs. Aaron Heilman is yet another reliable reliever the Mets can count on when the starter is out of the game, he had 4 wins, 73 K's and a 3.62 ERA. Rounding out the 'pen is former flop Guillerno Mota, who the Mets quickly developed after he flopped out with the Indians.

After closer Eric Gagne was lost to season-ending back surgery, the Dodgers revamped their bullpen by acquiring long reliever Aaron Sele, who collected 8 wins57 K's and finished with a 4.53 ERA, tough lefty specialist Joe Beimel, who held opposing lefty batters to a .234 average, won 2 game, struck out 30 and had a 2.96 earned run average, middle man Jonathon Broxton, who won 4 games, had 97 K's and finished the season with a 2.97 ERA and named Takashi Saito as the new closer. Saito did a good job filling in for Gagne converting 24 of 26 save opportunities while striking out 107.

Edge: Mets

Catcher:

Paul Lo Duca had a great year last season with a .318 average with 5 HR and 18 RBI's. Even more impressive is he's better at handling the pitching staff than the bat, although he does both well. Lo Duca has been reputed as a winner, but he's yet to win, this could be his chance this year.

Canadian Russell Martin had a strong rookie campaign hitting .282 with 10 HR and 65 RBI's. Martin showed his poise with handling the Dodger's pitchers when they were struggling and just being a good play-caller. He made such an impression on management during his 1st 6 weeks that they traded jewel catcher Dioner Navarro. Should Martin falter in the stretch, he has a veteran catcher in Toby Hall to back him up.

Edge: Mets.

1st Baseman:

Carlos "delswatto" Delgado was a great free agent signing a ew years back. This power hitter was a great addition to this already deep lineup. This year his average was .265 while crushing 38 HR and driving in 114 runs. He has a reputation of being consistent over 162 games. Look for him to come up big in his first playoff experience.

Nomar Garciaparra is learning a new position for the first time in his career. He had a decent seson hitting .303 with 20 HR and 93 runs batted in. The big question is whether Garciaparra can remain healthy in the post-season. Also, he's been in a slump as his .354 average at the Mid-Summmer Classic break plummeted after baseball got back under way to a low of .290 When he's managed a hit, it's been a key one. Look for Garciaparra to come up with a big hit this series.

edge: Mets

2nd Baseman:

Jose Valentin finally pushed the underachieving Kaz Matsui out the door. He's an improvement over Matsui as he hit .271 with 18 HR and 62 RBI's. His defense is also better than Matsui was. As an added bonus, a lot of Valentin's hits this season were of the clutch variety.

The Dodgers counter with veteran Jeff Kent who went through an injury plagued season. His 38-year-old body is starting to show wear and tear when playing a grinding marathon 162 game sched. Despite his age, Kent is still capable of making good defensive plays at 2b. At the plate, he hit a good .292 with 14 HR and 68 RBI. This is the fourth team he's taken to the playoffs. 'nuff said.

Edge: Dodgers

Shortstop:

The speedy Jose Reyes has been and will continue to cause catchers fits with his blinding speed on the base path. Reyes stole a remarkable 64 bases this season. He also batted .300, smacked 19 home runs and drove in 81 runs. His defense ain't half-bad either. Reuyes could be a real game breaker for the Mets.

Raphael Furcal is on a mission to prove himself in the post-season. He's also out to make it past the Division Series after 5 consecutive first round losses with the Atlanta Braves. Furcal also has speed to burn as he stole 37 bases this season. He hit .300 with 15 HR and 63 RBI. Furcal is a game breaker for the Mets.

Edge: even.

3rd Baseman:

Third year player David Wright had a great year, making the All-Star team and collecting a key hit there. At the plate, Wright had a great year hitting .311 with 26 HR and 116 RBI. His defense has greatly improved ovr last year, he has a great personality and is a big reason why the Mets ran away with the NL East.

Wilson Betemit, Furcal's teammate for 2.5 years has joined Furcal in sunny LA. Betemit's not nearly the superstar Wright has turned into. e still had decent numbers, hitting .263 with 18 dingers and 53 RBI. His versatitility is the reason the Dodgers acquired him at the trade deadline.

Edge: Mets

Left Fielder:

Cliff Floyd's left leg is a concern but for now he's healthy enough to play. Floyd badly injured his left ankle when running the bases in June. He still has a lot of jump and can still make great defensive plays. His hitting power has deteriorated over the years as he hit just 11 HR with an average of .244 while driving in 44 runs. Like Delgado he's been chomping at the bit for fourteen years for a decent shot at a championship. He's had all of two meaningless at-bats in the World Series.

The Dodgers will counter with rookie Andre Ethier. He had a fine year at the plate hitting .309 with 11 HR and 55 RBI in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. He's shown that he fears no wall and will be a valuable asset to this team if he finds his second wind after tiring a bit towards the end of his rookie campaign.

Edge: Dodgers (due to age)

Center Fielder:

Carlos Beltran is a real power hitter who can supplment Delgado's home run power. Beltran smashed 41 home runs this season while hitting .275 and driving in 116 runs. Beltran stole 18 bases and pitchers can't completely ignore him when he's on base. He performed well in his only post-season experiene hitting .435 with 8 HR and 14 RBI. Beltran has yet to justify his lfty contract and will be looking to prove his critics wrong.

The speedster Kenny Lofton patrols center field for the Dodgers and he will be a steal threat (Lofton stole 32 bags in the regular season.) His age is a bit of a concern and questions arise about his durability after playing through a gruelling 162 game schedule. He hit .301 with 3 HR and 41 RBI.

Edge: Mets

Right Fielder:

How ironic! Shawn Green was the Dodoger's right fielder during their last playoff appearance in 2004, this season, he'll be looking to knock out the Dodgers while toiling in RF for the Mets. He's still a force to be reckoned with, as he hit a decent .277 with 15 HR and 66 runs batted in. He's turned into a slap-the-ball the other way hitter as some of his power has deteriorated over the years due to age.

J.D. Drew was the healthiest he's been in recent years, although he did play through some nagging injuries. Drew played a career high in games played (146) and at-bats (494). Drew hit a respectable .283 with 10 HR and 100 RBI. Drew finished the '06 season strong and could be a factor in this series.

Edge: Dodgers

Bench

The Mets have the oldest player in the league in Julio Franco on their bench. Franco is primarily used today as a late-game replacement for the pitcher and rarely takes the field. The bench is deep, with shortstop Chris Woodward being a capable pinch hitter. Speedster Ricky Ledee or Micheal Tucker will be great pinch runners and either would adequately fill in for the aging Cliff Floyd. Backing up Lo Duca will be veteran Ramon Castro who's a good play-caller. Rounding out the bench is speedster Endy Chavez who had a .306 average at season's end.

The Dodgers counter with a deep bench as well. The dodgers made a pair of great deadline deals plucking veteran catcher Toby Hall from the Devil Rays to back up the young Martin. He's not the greatest hitting catcher in the game but he'll scratch out the odd hit (he hit .259 with 8 HR and 31 RBI.) Coming with Hall in that trade was speedy shortstop Julio Lugo. Lugo hit .278 with 12 HR and 37 RBI. He stole 24 bases. The second great deadline deal was grabbing Marlon Anderson from the Washington Nationals. He's a capable .300 hitter who fell hust short of that in hitting .297 this season with 12 HR and 38 RBI. Rookie Matt Kemp will make a good defensive replacement, although he has been slowed by injuries this year. Finally rounding out the bench is 3rd year player Olmeda Seanz.

Edge: even

Managers:

Willie Randolph is proving to the Mets owners that they made a good move in hiing him to be their manager. After many unsuccessful managerial interview, the Mets finally gave him a shot. Randolph's quiet, patient leadership is a breath of fresh air in a city full of uptight people. The players feed off his faith in them.

Grady Little was hoping to see Pedro Martinez in this series after his awkward fall-out with Boston mangement. However, he'll settle for making it back to the post-season for the first time since that ugly departure.

Edge: Mets

Intangibles:

A good start will be the key to the Mets success. Fans everywhere, especially in New York would love to see a Subway Series for all the marbles, but first this team must get by this resillient ball club. The pressure will be enormous and at times suffocating.

The Dodgers are the underdogs in this short series. They had to fight to make the post-season, so fighting to win the series shouldn't be that hard. They have playoff experience with fielders Lofton, Kent, Furcal, Garciaparra. Pitchers Derek Lowe and Brad Penny have started post-season games and won.

Edge: Mets

Series Prediction: Mets in 4

MLB AL Divisision Series #2 Preview

Oakland A's Vs.





Minnesota Twins






Starting Pitching:

The Twins received a serious blow to their playoff success hopes when Rookie phenom Francisco Lariano was lost to an elbow injury. Ace Johan Santana had another great year winning 19 (tied for the Major League lead), striking out an impressive 245, and a good ERA of 2.77. The Twins also have two starters with great potential, but a lack of experience in Matt Garza and Boof Bonsor. Brad Radke's health is the concern, as he has a stress fracture in his pitching shoulder. His curve and change are his bread and butter. Radke had 12 wins and 83 K's with a 4.83 ERA. These 4 pitchers wil have to pitch into the later innings for the Twins to win.

The A's have also got health concerns with their starters as Rich Harden was out for all of 9 starts with various injuries. Harden looked bad in his last start, going just 3.2 innings with 91 pitches. Ace Barry Zito could be playing his final games for Oakland. Zito won 16 games with 151 strikeouts and a 3.83 ERA in the regular season. He's had playoff success winning 3 of his 5 starts with a 2.77 ERA. Dan Haren had a decent season winning 14 with a 4.12 ERA and 176 K's. He has a good fastball and a great splitter. He should get a lot of ground ball outs. Finally, rounging out the rotation is Joe Blanton. His flaw is that he doesn't have that dominating out pitch. He rarely leaves pitches out over the plate. Expect these pitchers to go 6-7 innings every start.

Relief Pitchers:

The Twins bullpen is anchored by closer Joe Nathan. Nathan notched 36 saves and 7 wins in his 64 appearances this season. He's quitely established himself as an elite closer. Premier set-up man Juan Rincon will be solid in the 7th or 8th innings in close games. Lefty Dennys Reyes will have to be good against the A's lefties. Long reliever Jesse Crain is a solid spot starter and will be there if a starter gets injured early or struggles early. Rookie sidewinder Paul Neshek has been solid and will provide middle relief. Carlos Silva can set up or do middle relief.

Young and solid closer Huson Street anchors this deep bullpen. Street had a solid 37 saves this season and 4 wins. He struck out 67 batters and had a 3.31 ERA. Setting up Street will be Justin Duchscherer and Kiko Calero. Lefty sidewinder Scott Sauerbeck has been solid against opposing hitters this year holding them to a .234 average. Fellow left-handed specialist Brad Halsey will also face the Twins lefties. Rounding out this deep 'pen are righties Jay Witasik and Chad Gaudin. Kirk Saarloss will provide long relief and will start should Harden or another starter be unable to go. I think you have to look at who was left off the playoff roster to judge the deepeness of this bullpen (Joe Kennedy and Estaben Loaiza)

Edge: A's

Catcher:

Joe Mauer is having an outstanding year at the plate. In fact, he won the AL batting title. What makes this accomplishment even more impressive is that catchers are not generally considered to be good hitters because of the toll their position takes on their body, particularly the knees and catching hand. Mauer hit .347 with 13 HR and 84 RBI's. On top of his great offesnive numbers, he has established himself as an adequate defensive catcher

Oakland's Jason Kendall is a better defensive catcher. He doesn't hit for power, but runs well enough to bat leadoff. As a leadoff hitter, Kendall is expected to get on base quite a bit. Kendall hit .295 with 1 HR and 50 RBI's in the regular season.

1st Baseman

Justin Morneau had himself an MVP season, hitting .321 with 34 HR and 130 runs batted in. Morneauis good in the field at grabbing any ball thrown in the dirt. Look for him to be a major player in this series.

First base time was split between Nick Swisher and Dan Johnson this season. Swisher had himself a good power year with 35 HR, although he only had a .254 average. He also knocked in 95 runs. Johnson is a better defensive player than at the plate. He hit .234 with 9 HR and 37 RBI's. Look for Swisher to get the bulk of the work at 1st base with Johnson coming in as a defensive replacement at the end of the game.

edge: Twins.

2nd Baseman:

Luis Castillo is having himself a bit of a comeback year, as he's hitting .296 with 3 HR and 49 runs batted in. Castillo is great on defense, making the hard plays look easy. Castillo was a nice off-season signing by the Twins. He is also a great runner and a threat to steal, he will give Kendall fits on the base paths.

The A's counter with Mark Ellis who missed the month of June woth a broken finger, but has come back strong. He hits for average and has been on a hot streak as of late. His speed won't be a threat.

Edge: Twins

Shortstop

Playing in his first full season, third year player, Jason Bartlett has done an above average job in the field, making a nice DP combo with Castillo. He hit .309 with 2 HR and 32 RBI's this year. He will be a threat to steal and runs well on the base paths.

Marco Scutaro has done an adequate job in filling in for the injured Biobby Crosby. Scutaro hit .266 with 9 HR and 41 runs batted in. His bread and butter is his defense and he's a streaky hitter with little power.

Edge: even

3rd Baseman.

Nick Punto has had a decent year at the plate hitting .290 1 HR and 45 RBI's. He plays the game the way it's meant to be played: hard. However, he's just not as good as his counterpart Eric Chavez.

Chavez is having an off-year by his standards with an average of .241, 22 HR and 72 RBI's. He is one of the better defensive 3rd baseman in the game today and this year he has several clutch hits to help the A's. Look for him to make a major contribution in this series.

Edge: A's.

Left Fielder

Rondell White got off to a slow start this year, but he finished the year strong. His speed isn't as good in recent years, but he can still make a solid contribution, both in the field and at the plate.

Jay Payton is enjoying one of his better years at the plate, hitting .296 with 10 HR and 59 RBI's. His patience at the plate is paying off as he's waiting for his pitch. Payton is one of the better defensive left fielders in the game.

Edge: A's

Center Fielder

Tori Hunter is the best defensive Center fielder in the Majors. At the plate, he has the potential to be a game breaker. He hit .278 with 31 HR and 98 RBI's. Hunter will be dangerous at the plate and with his speed on the bases. Payton is also a threat to lay down a bunt and try to beat it out.

Mark Kotsay is also very good on defense, not quite as good as Hunter, but he can still make the key catch. Kotsay hit .275 with 7 HR and 59 runs batted in. He is expected to provide the key hit in this series.

Edge: Twins

Right Fielder:

Micheal Cuddyer had a very productive year at the plate with a .284 average and 24 HR and 104 RBI's. He can play multiple positions, as can several of the Twin players. Look for Cuddyer to come up with the key hit n the series.

Milton Bradley is a versitalle player who does many things well (plays defense, hits for average, power, runs fast), but his flaw is consistency. He goes on streaks where he's good and streaks where he's bad. Brdley can play all three outfield positions.

Edge: Twins

Designated Hitter:

The Twins have split the DH between two specialists, Paul Nevin against lefties and Jason Tyner against righties. Nevin has a .266 average with 22 HR and 68 RBI's. Tyner hit .312 with 18 runs batted in. Nevin has better power numbers, but Tyner has a better average.

Frank "The Big Hurt" Thomas is a comeback Player of the Year award candidate and is having an MVP like season. He has blasted 39 HR, hit for a .270 average and driven in 114 runs. Thomas is not a fast runner. He has battled ankle injuries over the last few seasons, but he's healthy now and back with a vengeance.

Edge: A's

Bench:

The Twins have a reasonably good bench with Mike Redmond who's a great back-up to Mauer. They have Lew Ford who can be a good pinch-hitter. Redmond is a valuable Clubhouse presence.

The A's bench players are very flexible, as all three outfield backups can play anywhere in the outfield (Bobby Kielty (only on the corners, Hiram Bocachica, and Jay Payton and Bradley). Swisher can player either corner outfield and at 1st base. Finally, D'Angelo Jiminez and Antonia Perez can play shortstop, 2nd base and 3rd base. Joe Macha has five hitters that can hit from either side of the plate, giving him lots of options for match-ups.

Edge: A's

Manager:

Joe Macha is one of the better managers in the game. The Oakland A's are like the Edmonton Oilers of baseball as it seems every year they lose key players to free agency. Yet, Macha has a way to keep the A's in contention and making the playoffs on a fairly regular basis.

Ron Gardenhire is the face behind the scrappy, resillient play of the Twins every year. He manages his teams like there's no tomorrow. As a result, the Twins have made the post-season 4 out of the past 5 seasons. 'nuff said.

Intangibles:

The Twins have been on a roll for the past 3.5 months, and they love playing the role of the underdog. Any team that underestimates this team is in for a rude awakening.

The A's go into the post-season with just one player out with injury (Crosby) and for the first time we'll see what this team can do with everyone ready and able to play. It will be interesting to see how quickly Harden regains his form after the long injury layoff (Game 3 will be just his 4th start in 4 months.)

Series Prediction: Twins in 5

MLB AL Division Series #1 Preview

New York Yankees vs.






Detroit Tigers




Starting Pitching:

The Yankees received some bad news when Randy Johnson went down with a stiff back at the end of the season and was unable to make his final start of the season. He's expected to make his game 3 start. The Yankees have five starters in Corey Lidle, Johnson, Mike Mussina, Chien-Ming Wang and Jaret Wright. Either Wright or Lidle will likely serve as the long reliever in the event a starter struggles or gets injured early. In just his second year as a MLB pitcher, Wang has shown he belongs with a nasty curve and hard fastball. While he doesn't strike out a lot of guys, he is a very productive pitcher. Johnson is the elder among the Yankees pitchers but he still collected a respectable 17 wins and 172 strikeouts. His health and Mussina's health are the question marks for the rotation. Look for the starters to go deep in the ball games.
What a difference a year makes. Just last season 17-games winner Justin Verlander spent the majority of the season in triple-A. Nate Robertson had a bad year in 2005 winning 6 and losing 17. This year he was .500 winning and losing 13 starts. The Tigers made a nice free agency pick-up in the iff-season, signing veteran lefty Kenny Rogers who rewarded management by winning 17 of his starts. He'll need to continue that success in the playoffs if the Tigers are to go anywhere.

Edge: Yankees.

Relief Pitchers:

The Yankees have arguably the best closer in the game in Mariano Rivera. The challenge is going to be getting to him in the 8th or 9th with the lead. Kyle Farnsworth and Ron Villone whould be solis set-up men. Mike Myers will be counted on to get the left-handed batters and switch hitters of the Tigers. Brian Brunley is the real surprise edition to the bullpen. In hjust his 3rd season in the Majors he beat out vets Chacon, Octavio Dotel and Tayon Sturtze. It will be interesting to see how he responds to the pressure cooker that is post-season play. Rounding out the 'pen will be long reliever Scott Proctor.
Veteran closer Todd Jones anchors this young bullpen. Rookie rightie Joel Zumaya will come in the 7th or 8th to set-up for Jones. Veteran lefty Jamie Walker will be counted on to face the likes of Matsui and Damon and any other lefties the Yankees may send up to the plate. fernando Rodney will be a middle reliever who is quite capable. He'll be facing his 1st post-season competition. Long-reliever Wilfredo Ledezma is enjoying by far with a respectable 3.58 ERA. Rounding out the bullpen will be a secod long-reliever in Jason Grilli.

Edge: Yankees

Catcher:

Jorge Posada has worked with every Yankee pitcher this season and he really knows how to play-call. At the plate, this switch-hitter has done a pretty good job with a .277 average, 29 home runs and 93 RBI's. Posada can be counted on to throw out would-be base stealers on a consistent basis.
Ivan Rodriguez has had a fantastic season in helping the young pitching staff of the Tigers develop at a faster rate than most people thought. He also has a high rate of throwing out base stealers. I-Rod hit .300 with 13 HR and 69 RBI. He'll have to be better in the post-season as the clean-up hitter in the Tiger's line-up.

Edge: even

1st Baseman:

Gary Sheffield has all of 2 games as a 1st baseman in his career. His defense is not going to be what it should be, especially if he gets a throw in the dirt which will inevitably happen. His bat is no problem though, as in this injury-plagued season, Sheff blasted 6 HR and hit .289 in just 34 games (Sheffield missed a good chunk of the season with torn wrist ligaments due to a collission at 1st base. The big question will be ow Sheffield's wrost holds up with his violent swing. Also playing some 1st base will be Jason Giambi who is also battling wrist problems that will require surgery at some point. This season, Giambi hit .253 while cracking 37 dingers. He also knocked in 113 runs.
Veteran Sean Casey, acquired in a trade deadline deal with the Reds, will get the bulk of the work at 1st base. He cracked 8 long balls while batting .272 for the Tigers. Casey should provide some power into this line-up.

Edge: Tigers.

2nd Baseman:

Second-year player Robinson Cano is having a career year at the plate, hitting .322 with 18 HR and 72 RBI's. He's smooth in the field and will make a solid DP combo with Derek Jeter. This kid is going to be a star for years to come and he's only 22.
The Tigers will counter with Placido Polanco, who's a pretty effective # 2 hitter, batting .295 with 4 HR and 52 RBI's. Polanco will have to be better at driving in runners for the Tigers to succeed against the Yankees.

Edge: Yankees

Shortstop:

Derek Jeter is simply the best at his position in the game. He rarely makes an error in the field and makes even the toughest plays look easy. This season, Jeter is the runner-up for the batting title in the American League. He's also a front runner for the American League MVP. He really helped the Yankees when they were missing Outfielders Matsui and Sheffield for extended periods of time. Jeter finished the regular season with a .343 average and 14 HR and 97 RBI's. The Yankees might need him to crack a few more HR's in the post-season, but then again probably not. Jeter is traditionally clutch in the post-season and there is no reason to think this season will be any different.
Carlos Guillen is no slouch in the field as he has real soft hgands and has hlped the Tigers complete many DP's this season. At the bat he hit .320 with 19HR and 85 RBI's. Guillen will have to continue that type of hitting in the post-season. Guillen also has speed to burn and could be a thorn in Posada's side.

Edge: Yankees (because of Jeter's proven track record in the playoffs.)

3rd Baseman:

Alex Rodriguez is having an awful year in the field, committing 20 errors of the course of the season. Physically, he's healthy, mentally he has a tendency to verthink sometimes and thus the errors occur. The misfortunes in the field have also turned into mistfortunes at the bat, as he struck out 139 times and hit .290, which is low for his standards. His HR's were down slightly with 35 long balls. A-Rod managed to drive in 121 runners. At the end of the season, Rodriguez was showing signs of improved play, both at the bat and in the field.
Brandon Inge is slowly learning to play 3rd base and is also prone to errors. At the plate, he hit .253 with 27 dingers and 83 runs batted in. Inge is a great athlete and is always playing hard. He could make things intreresting at this position.

Edge: even.

Left Fielder:

Hideki Matsui is coming off his first major injury (broken wrist) and has just returned to his regular position after a couple of weeks DH'ing. Normally, Matsui is a very reliable hitter and his defense is pretty solid. However Yankees fans will be holding their collected breaths when Matsui attempts a diving catch that the same thing doesn't happen to his wrist again. Over his shortened regular season, Matsui managed to hit .302 with 8 HR and 29 RBI's.
Monroe is a pretty solid outfielder who can hit for power, as demonstrated by his 29 HR season. His average is a little on the low side (.255) and will have to be better for the Tigers to advance to the next round of the playoffs. Monroe is not much of a threat to steal, but he can run when he has to.

Edge: Yankees.

Center Fielder:

Johnny Damon was a great free agent pick-up for the Yankees. He proven his worth with his trong defense, however he needs to improve his throwing. At the plate, Damon hit a decent .286 with 24 HR and 80 RBI. The RBI total might have been higher if not for the fact that Damon hits lead-off. He can also give I-Rod fits as he will likely attempt to steal bases with a good chance to succeed. Look for Damon to be a major player in the playoffs.
In his first full Major League season, Curtis Granderson has shown he can play in the Majors. Granderson has the speed necessary to play Center Field and he can steal bases. At the plate Anderson hit .260 with 19 HR and 68 RBI's. One thing Granderson will need to improve on is his patience at the plate as he struck out an astronomical 178 times in the regular season. He needs to learn to ait for his pitch. Granderson should do okay in the playoffs.

Edge: Yankees.

Right Field:

Bobby Abreu, acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline, will control Right Field for the Yankees. He was on a roll over the final 58 games of the season, of which he played for the Yankees, where he hit .330 with 7 HR and 42 runs batted in. Abreu is a threat to steal, so pitchers will have to watch him closely. His defense is pretty good and he is expected to make a major contribution to this team.
Magglio Ordonez is the Tiger's clean-up hitter and he's a pretty good one at that. He hit .277 with 24 long balls and 104 RBI's. Ordonez can contribute on the defenseive side of the ball as well. He won't provide much of a threat to steal, with runners in scoring position, he'll drive them in 35% of the time.

Edge: even

Designated Hitter:

For the Yankees, Jason Giambi will primarily assume this role. When helthy, he can crack the ball over the wall at a pretty consistent rate (37 HR in the regular season.) However, he is not at 100% heading into the post-seson, as he has a bad wrist and will need surgery at some point, he's hoping to postpone until after the season. If Giami is unable to perform, Gary Sheffield will take his place. Sheff is probably closer to full health than Giambi, as he came back from his wrist surgery a couple of weeks from the end of the season and has shown no significant ill effects from the injury. Look for Sheffield to contribute a key hit in this series.
The little known Marcus Thames will serve as the DH for the Tigers. He smashed 26 HR , while hitting .256 and driving in 60 runs. Thames will be hard pressed to match the Yankees combo at this position.

Edge: Yankees.

The Yankees have a very deep bench featuring the likes of the present dayMr. October in Bernie Williams, who can still contribute, although he is getting older. Also, acquired at te trade dealine to shore up the Outfield was Melki Cabrera, who on any other team would be a starter. Backing up Posada will be second-year player Sal Fasano, who haas done OK in the games he played, hitting just .217 with 5 HR and 15 RBI's. He strikes out about a third of the time. Andy Philips will be a back-up infielder who can play defense. He hite .240 in the 110 games he played. Miguel Cairo won out over Aaron Guiel and Craig Wilson for the final bench spot. Who was left off is also a big part of the reason why the Yankees bench is so deep (Wilson and Guiel.)
The Tiger's bnch is not nearly so deep, as Omar Infante is probably the best of the bats with a .277 average in '06. Vance Wilson can also hit with a .283 average in the regular season. None of the bench players on the Tigers are proven power hitters as Wildson hit 5 HR to top the bench players. Perez has speed and is likely the only steal threat off the becnch.

Managers:

Joe Torre is a proven winner, as he has led the Yankees to 4 World Series. He hasn't won in five years and he's hungry for a win. Torre handles pressure situations very well and possesses a lot of patience.
Jim Leyland has won 2 World Series, both with the Florida Marlins. This season, he has taken a young Tigers team under his wing and guided them to an unexpected Playoff appearance. He knows when to be stern and when to be laid-back, with the majority of the time spent being pretty laid back. Unforntuately, this team's lack of experience in the post-season will be their undoing.

Edge: even

Intangibles:

The Yankees go into the post-season with a well-rested squad, as hey played the final 2 games of the season with mostly back-up players, choosing to take the luxury of resting their stars knowing they had 1st place locked up. The Yankees are on a 2 game losing streak, but again their stars didn't play in the final game. This team could field a team at the All-Star game and win.
The Tigers of the 1st half are not the Tigers of the 2nd half, as the team went .500 after the All-Star break, and some of their key players went into bad slumps toward the end of the season (Casey, Thames and Monroe.) Their pitchers started to tire at the end of the season, and heir numbers weren't as good in the final couple of weeks. They will have to find ther second wind, if this team has one, and fast.

Edge: Yankees.

Series Predicton: Yankees in 3