Baseball Playoffs

[Coach]

Twins vs. Yankees

Johan Santana was amazing this season, especially in the second half. He will get two starts in the best of five series. Couple that with the Yankee's struggles with starting pitching and I say the Twins in four.

Red Sox vs. Angels

Vladimir Guerrero should win the MVP and has been on a tear of late. Pedro Martinez has struggled over the last month, but Curt Schilling will get two starts and deliver. I think this will be the best first round series, Red Sox in five.

Dodgers vs. Cardinals

The Cardinals have an explosive offense, shaky pitching, and home field. The Dodgers have a banged up Eric Gagne and a big lefty lineup that matches up well with the strengths of the Cardinals bullpen. Even though the Cards clinched long ago, have struggled lately, and may be a little sluggish the first game or so, Cardinals in four.

Astros vs. Braves

The Astros had one of the best second halves ever to clinch the wild card. I think that momentum carries them through the first round, Astros in five.

Edited October 4, 2004 by Coach

[PerryG2480]

Twins vs. Yankees...gotta say Yankees in 5. I hate it, but the evil empire strikes again.

Red Sox vs. Angels...Anaheim came on strong at the end and has solid pitching. I think Schilling loses one..Angels in 5

Dodgers vs. Cardinals...St. Louis has been my favorite National League team since I was 4, too much firepower on offense, Cards in 4

Astros vs. Braves...I would love to see Houston take this, but their record in playoff series makes me wonder if this year will be any different. Braves in 5.

[Coach]

Todays winners:

St. Louis over Los Angeles

Boston over Anaheim

Minnesota over New York

[CMJ]

My picks were

Yankees

Red Sox

Cardinals

Braves

Who the hell knows though.

[Coach]

How great is the Minnesota defense? And to think they are even better with Rivas at second.

This is a funny line from a espn.com Page 2 article about the Twins being the anti-Yankees:

They may not have much, these Twins. They may not have "money" or "clean uniforms" or a "baseball stadium that doesn't suck." But they have hustle, they have heart, they have Johan Santana, and they have love for the game and for each other.

Edited October 6, 2004 by Coach

[CMJ]

I hope the Twins can win, but without Santana on the mound....

[PerryG2480]

The Twins seem to get here every year...weren't they supposed to be contracted?

[Coach]

They were named as a canidate for contraction by Bud Selig. The Twins get here a lot because their division has been weak the last few years (since those mighty Indian offenses weren't dominate anymore), and they have taken advantage of it. This year because of how great Santana has been and the Yankees have some glaring vulnerabilities, they have a real shot to do more damage in the past.

Edited October 6, 2004 by Coach

[Coach]

Well crap. I listened to that whole thing tonight on the radio.

Gardenhire should have pulled Nathan.

That was one of the best games I have ever listened to on the radio. I couldn't pull myself away the whole time and even though it was a let down in the end, it was a great game.

[Gakusei]

I really hope the Twins can pull it out; they're my second favorite team in baseball. I still remember watching all those games with my dad as a kid. Kirby Puckett, Chuck Knoblock, etc.

[Coach]

Last night's winners:

Yankees over Twins (tied 1-1)

Red Sox over Angels (Boston up 2-0)

Houston over Atlanta (Houston up 1-0)

[CMJ]

Let's go Sox.

[Coach]

Well I got three out of four in the first round. I expected the Angels to put up a much better fight, and the Yankees won a couple of games they had no business pulling out, as usual. It just makes you hate them more.

Red Sox vs. Yankees

Schilling has been waiting for this, and the Red Sox have some heavy hitters in their lineup. The Yankees starting pitching is still a question mark, but they have a couple of sluggers themselves. I can't pick the Yankees with a clear conscience, so I say Red Sox.

Astros vs. Cardinals

The Astros had an amazing run to get to the playoffs and will have Oswalt and Clemens, but the Cardinals can smash the ball and the Astros bullpen isn't anything to worry about other than Lidge. I will pick the Cardinals to make it to the Fall Classic.

[CMJ]

I've been conditioned to not believe we can beat the Yankees. I'm sure NY will win in some dramatic way in the 7th game.

St. Louis will pound Houston.

[Coach]

What a change in the mood of this game here in the 7th. Mussina had a 8-0 lead and had not allowed a baserunner. At the 7th inning stretch it is now 5-8 and the Red Sox are right back in it. Huge turnaround.

[Coach]

The Red Sox tacked on two more runs in the 8th, a foot or two from tying it with an Ortiz homer, and going to the bottom half it's 7-8. If you turned this off when it was a blowout, here is your chance to turn it back on and catch the last inning or so.

[ikickmajorace85]

Playoffs would be alot better if the Rangers were in it, however, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE the red sox win

[Coach]

Well it's probably over now, the Yankees scored 2 in the bottom of the 8th. There are 2 outs and it is 10-7. Rivera came in for the last of the 8th and will work the 9th. It would take a miracle, but they did make a statement with the comeback.

[KingDL1]

Go Yankees!!!

Go Astros!!

[CMJ]

After 6 innings in Game 2....Yankees up 3-0. I think I'm going to be ill.

[Coach]

Yankees and Cardinals win.

Yankees up 2-0

Cardinals up 1-0

[Bryan316]

Come on, 'Stros. Pull it together.

[Coach]

News

Curt Schilling might be done pitching this postseason because of an ankle injury that will require surgery. That's the grim reality facing the Red Sox after the right-hander needed an injection of painkiller in his right ankle prior to starting game one of the ALCS against the Yankees. Red Sox team physician Dr. Bill Morgan told reporters on Wednesday that the sheath that covers two tendons in Schilling's ankle is torn, allowing one of the tendons to slip out of its groove and rub against bone. The BoSox will try to fit Schilling with a special brace for the ankle and he will throw a bullpen session on Friday to determine his status for the rest of this postseason.

Views

Schilling's ankle has been bothering him for several weeks so this is not a shocking development. Of course, if he has to be shut down it will deal a serious blow to Boston's chances of advancing to the World Series. Moreover, fantasy owners will be left to wonder how the ankle will hold up next season to the everyday pounding associated with planting and pushing off the pitching rubber. Surgery will also impact his offseason conditioning.

[Coach]

The Red Sox have come back from 3-0 and it is 3-2 with Schilling to pitch tonight. I'm not getting excited yet, because then I will just get let down...but there is a chance...

[CMJ]

I'm as proud as the Red Sox as I have ever been about any of my teams. I still don't think we can come back, but they've given us fans quite a ride.

Oh, and I'd take a bullet for David Ortiz.