First Round of the MLB playoffs

It's go time clowns. The regular season is over, and while I'd like to take the time to gloat over the demise and total destruction of the Mets, we have too much to cover and too little time to do it.
The final day and a half of the season left us with some very interesting match-ups that I think, contrary to what those cloned pundits say, is going to be ugly lopsided and a complete clusterf**k. There could be some good baseball played in there and the cream will rise to the top, but we need to weed through the pretenders and get to the legitimate squads that deserve to be crowned.
The first round of the playoffs will tell us a lot. I guarantee that while the fans are still feeling out the playoff teams, they are doing the same thing. So the teams that will get out of this first round will be the ones that are hungry, play sound fundamental baseball and more importantly have their superstars step up.

Wednesday Oct. 3
Rockies vs. Phillies

The Rocks are coming of a very emotional win, and both teams are coming off very emotional Sept. so expect this game to be relatively low scoring. I know they are both offensive giants and they will be playing in Phillies Tupperware container of a ballpark, but they are going up against the aces of the staff and will be tentative against a team that they don't normally play against.
Cole Hamels is the best pitcher left in the National League Playoffs and his change up is straight nasty. Not to mention, the Phillies have to win every single time he is on the mound to be successful and they know this. Relying on Jamie Moyer and whatever scrub they can round up will spell defeat and will catch up to them later on, but this first game will be dominated by the Philadelphia Sillies.
Jeff Francis got wrecked the last time he took the mound against this squad to the tune of 8 runs in 3.1 innings and still has too many problems with his control to be able to work around the raw power that is Ryan Howard. If you want to see a guy who has as much impact on the game because of his mere presence in the lineup, look no farther than Howard.
The Phillies have the best pitcher and even though they will face the best hitter (Holliday), he only bats .301 against left handed pitchers.

Phils 6, Rocks 2

Angels vs. Red Sox

I think I should tell the readers off the bat that I despise the Red Sox. Well probably more the fans than the team, but they are still a bunch of self-righteous whiners that can't handle their own inferiority.
With that being said, Josh Beckett is still more a part of the Marlin culture of winning that the Red Sox culture of choking and he is having a phenomenal season. By far, he this was his career year and if he can harness the intensity that he had in the 2003 playoffs the Red Sox will have a guaranteed "W" every third start.
I really like how the Angels take care of the baseball. They play great defense, especially outfield defense which is extremely underrated, and they run the bases better than anyone, which is also underrated. But it's those things that win close ball games and this series will be the best. I'm going to watch every game of this series because it is by far the best baseball you will see this fall.
Sox win the first game after a dominated pitching performance by Beckett and the Angels hope they can get Vlad healthy and ready to go before it's too late. Oh and that Sox bullpen is very shaky and they definitely need someone to step up and get the ball to the 9th or they will also be in trouble.

Sox 4, Angels 2

Cubs vs. Diamondbacks

The Cubs are definitely an exciting team and after watching Alfonso Soriano for a year in Washington they definitely have a player that is hungry, willing and capable of winning the game in so many different ways.
The D-backs, my boys, haven't been in this situation in a while and while they don't have an offense to speak of, they just straight win ballgames. They will scratch you to death with speed and desire, not to mention Brandon Webb has a silly sinker.
Both these teams have very similar styles of play so the determining factor will be the manager. Lou is a pro and he's got that team's head in the right spot. The Cubs should pull out the series but this game is all about the baby back ribs.
Carlos Zambrano is crazy, and when I say crazy I mean bordering on psychotic on the hill. He is going to flip out before the 4th inning and that metal collapse will happen even sooner if the umpire is unfavorable or the Dbacks put up some early runs. Brandon Webb is completely the opposite, and his stoic front which boarders on comatose will prevail. He'll keep Soriano off the base paths and the rest of the cubs will remain baffled at the dozen of groundballs he induces.

Dbacks 7, Cubs 3


That is your first day clowns. Like I said, we are still feeling out these teams and it should at least prove to be an eclectic playoffs.