World Series Preview

Like most baseball fans, I have no rooting interest in this years World Series. The Yankees have already been eliminated, leaving two underdog-type teams to fight for their first title in a long time (or ever). I suppose I'll cheer for the Rangers, since they're the ones who knocked off New York. Besides, I like when the American League asserts their dominance over an obnoxious NL team.

I thought about trying to attend at least one World Series game this year. It's pretty cheap to fly to the bay area, but you'd better pack a kayak - tickets to AT&T Park are ridiculous. It's actually less expensive to fly round-trip to San Fransisco than it is to get into any of the game. On StubHub, the cheapest you'll find for tonight's game is $515 bucks. On CraigsList, there are more people begging for tickets than actually selling them. And they're probably all serial killers.

I’ve bought and sold a few things on CraigsList, but the amount of transactions is relatively tiny compared to the amount of time I spend browsing the site. Holy cow wow I love browsing the site. It’s a slice, nay, a snapshot of humanity, in all it’s disgusting hypersexuality and materialism.

Every section has it's own quirks and humor. The job section can be overwhelming because there are so many different types of jobs in so many places. There are 31 different categories of jobs on CraigsList, not including a section just for part-time work. And I love that they included an et-cetera section, just in case a job listing doesn’t fit into any of the others. I can imagine someone asking, “So, what line uh work you in?” and I’d reply, “et-cetera.”

Basically, every single job listing is written in a way that makes that position sound absolutely wonderful. Like this one, under the vague heading Project Manager.

A fast growing wholesale business is looking for the right individual to make a huge impact and to help lead the company in growth. Specific responsibilities are: strategic sourcing and vendor relations, accurate fulfilling of custom orders and managing all operations. Other job duties could include margin analysis and pricing and special projects.

Grow with the company. Sounds so loving and collaborative. Also, these ads never tell you how hard the job will be. Sure, they list job responsibilities, but they always sound so simple and easy. Strategic sourcing? Great, combines two of my favorite activities. Vendor relations? Sure, whenever I see the guy refilling the coke machine, I say hello and ask him for a free coke. Managing all operations? Well how hard can that be?

The ad continues to the qualifications section.

Must have a strong project management background with excellent organization skills. Must love details, analysis, decision making and getting things done. Must have strong software skills and be a quick learner in all Microsoft products.

If they’re looking for someone who LOVES details, analysis, decision making and getting things done, they might as well just build a robot. Seriously, some poor sap who needs this job is going to walk in there babbling on and on about how he’s loved details and analysis since he was a little kid. Can you even imagine the kind of environment that values those lame characteristics so ridiculously high? The employees probably cut loose after work by rigidly cleaning their cubicles.

Oh right, World Series. I think the Rangers are really good at getting things done, even though San Fransisco manager Bruce Bochy is excellent at strategic sourcing and managing all operations. Cliff Lee loves details, analysis and decision making, so he'll definitely shut down the Giants offense.

Rangers in 6.

2010 Playoffs - High Fashion

There are a lot of emotions heading into the Twins - Yankee division series. These feelings of fear, pride and hope can't be put into words, but they can be expressed with the help of The Family.

Homer Hanky History

 Everyone knows the two famous Homer Hankies, the ones that directly contributed to the World Series Championships of 1987 and 1991.



These are the classic Homer Hankies. The font and simple slogans were great. They were perfect for their time and place - they just fit right in there.

The next Homer Hanky came in 1997:


As you can tell, these Homer Hankies really aren't technically Homer Hankies, as I believe the Star Tribune owns the rights to that name. But that didn't stop the Twins marketing machine from calling them Homer Hankies and giving them away to fans during the 10th Anniversary celebration of the '87 championship.

The next "Homer Hanky" came in, you guessed it, 2001.

This atrocity is more like a golf towel than a hanky, but whatever. This was given away at the 10th anniversary celebration of the '91 championship.

Then the winning Twins came back, and started making the playoffs again. The return of the genuine Homer Hanky was a much anticipated event in the Twin Cities.

This Homer Hanky is just okay. It has the classic look of the red baseball, but the block lettering is ugly. And the slogan "PROUD AND LOUD" is being overly loud and proud of the loud, to the point of football fan-esque conceit.



The 2003 Homer Hanky strayed from it's roots noticeably, but it's not so bad. The blue is actually kinda badass. .



The 2004 Homer Hanky is really pretty cool. I'm not sure if they got the dimensions correct of the field at the Dome, but it's an original idea and still incorporates the old school feel, what with the horizontal red lines and everything. The block lettering is still ugly though; almost as ugly as Jason Kubel's at-bat against Mariano Rivera in Yankee stadium that October.

Somehow, the Twins made it back into the playoffs again in 2006. A classy, circular design was incorporated. I dig it.



The Twins and the Star Tribune pulled out all the stops as they commemorated the 20th anniversary of the '87 championship. The bi-colored, fancy logo and return to that classic serif typeface make this Hanky really stand out. It was given away to the first 40,000 fans on Saturday, August 18th 2007.

This is the 2008 Homer Hanky, which was never available to the public because the Twins lost to the White Sox in the AL Central Tie-Breaker game. They simply reused the already printed hankies for the 2009 Homer Hanky. Going green = jinx.

Here's the ugly 2010 Target Field opener souvenir Homer Hanky. They just took the inaugural TF logo, slapped come non-congruent banners above and below it, then added more corporate logos. This barely counts as a Homer Hanky.

The 2010 Homer Hanky is, again, without a year, but is otherwise a nice simple design. This marks the first postseason Hanky printed with two colors.

The 2014 All-Star Game came to Minneapolis and the Twins naturally slapped a logo on some cloth and called it an official Homer Hanky. The horizontal lines up top are nice, otherwise it's very Target giveaway. If you're keeping score at home, we now have eight hankies for playoff years and five for other.


The super obscure Homer Hankies are only myths, really.

Just look at that thing. It boggles the mind. Apparently, it was printed at the beginning of the 1988 season. The slogan is pretty damn funny, and it turned out to be ironically prophetic. The Twins were actually better in '88 than '87, winning 91 games, but they failed to make the playoffs. Fuck you, Oakland.


And there is a rumor that the Twins printed a Homer Hanky at the beginning of the '92 season, but I can't find a picture of that one. If you have one, let me know. I can only imagine what the slogan was.

Further reading: The story of the first Homer Hanky.


note: this post appeared in original form on September 4th, 2007. 

The part where I jinx the Twins by talking about the playoffs

The Twins start a three-game series on the south side tomorrow night. It's nice to know that we're no longer looking at the central standings, but compiling some standings of our own:
UPDATED

Yankees        88-57       - -
Rays             87-57    .5 GB
Twins            86-58     1.5 GB



Those are the best records in the American League. The playoff picture is pretty darn clear, especially compared with the NL, but there are still some interesting things to look for in September. ITSET (if the season ended today) the Yankees (best record) would face the Rangers (worst record) while the Twins would host the Rays. Starting the playoffs at Target Field? Great. We're not greedy - we're Minnesotans.


But heck, one look at the standings will tell you that the Twins have a real shot at locking up home field for both the ALDS and ALCS. Not only would it be nice to have a bunch of games at TF, but it would really change the way the fans, media and players view the Twins. If they pulled it off, they would probably have the most wins in all of baseball. Now, grabbing one more win than the Yankees in the regular season won't convince everyone that the Twins are a better and World Series bound team, but it might change a few minds in the clubhouse.

Or I'm just looking for some sort of reason to believe the Twins can beat the Yankees in the playoffs. Last year, I convinced myself that they had a better shot than ever because of the way they streaked into the postseason. Of course, they streaked right back out.

Unless the Rays win the east, the Twins wouldn't have to face the Yankees until the ALCS (assuming they beat the Rangers, who just swept them in Texas.) So here are my two questions:

1. If you had to face the Yankees in the playoffs, would you rather face them in a 7-game or a 5-game series? It stands to reason that the better team will win over a longer period of time, and the underdog has a better chance taking a short series. However, this hasn't exactly worked for the Twins in the past. (If the Rays won the east with the best record in the AL, the wild card Yankees would have to travel to Minnesota.)

2. Would winning the championship without defeating New York be as satisfying? Would you rather lose in the World Series after beating the Yankees in the ALCS? Or would you rather win it all but miss the Yankees?

Twins Pennant Race Theme Song 2008

And what do you know Prince was behind it. Haas might have already heard it before, but if he did I'm sure he would've played it for me, and have been like, OMG this is the best song ever. It's called Screams of Passion by the Family, one of Prince's side projects. I can't tell which is more awesome, the Video or the Song. I can't tell. I think the song is though at this point.



What does this have to do with the Twins you ask? Shut up and complain about it in the comments section.

World Series Preview

By TwinsWin83

Two months of Spring Training, 162 regular season games and three rounds of playoff baseball all come down to this: the Colorado Rockies against the Boston Red Sox for the 2007 World Series title. If you had the Rockies as your pre-season pick to win the National League you’re probably out buying a new car or boat with your winnings. The Red Sox aren’t quite the Cinderella story that the Rockies are with their 143 million dollar payroll and World Series title three seasons ago but this squad has taken a much different path to reach baseball’s biggest stage this year then it did in 2004. Will nine days off between the NCLS and Wednesday nights World Series opener cool off the white-hot Rockies? Can Beckett continue his October mastery on the mound and does Schilling have enough left in the tank to recreate his 2004 magic? Stay tuned over the next week and half for the answers.

Rockies vs. Red Sox

Season Series: Rockies 2-1


What you should know: All bets are off. No matter what you might think about Colorado’s recent hot streak or Boston’s October-savvy starting pitchers it’s hard to peg this year’s World Series winner just by looking at the stats. The Red Sox are 2-1 favorites if you’re placing bets in Vegas but even that doesn’t necessarily make them the safe pick here. If you think the new-kids-on-the-block Rockies don’t have a shot against the October-tested Red Sox please see recent articles on 2001, 2003 and 2006 in your World Series guide.


Why the Rockies will win: Because there has never been a hotter team heading into a World Series then Colorado is right now. They have won 21 of their last 22 games and have been playing in playoff-like games for nearly a month and a half now. Just when everyone thinks they are about to return back to earth and fold to a team more experienced than them the Rockies simply bang out another win even more impressive the last. Their pitching staff has been great over the teams historic run, from 17-game winner Jeff Francis to the suddenly lights-out bullpen. The Rockies showed that they could play in Fenway Park earlier this season when they took two out of three games there in an interleague matchup. If Colorado can pull out at least one win in Boston before heading back to Denver for Game 3 they could grab the upper hand in the series. With a defense that doesn’t make mistakes, an offense that seems to manufacture runs every time it needs to and a pitching staff that has been the backbone of the team’s amazing run there is little reason to believe the Rockies can’t compete with the Red Sox in this World Series. I’ve said it before each round this October but it begs repeating: this team seems to have a bit of magic about them this postseason and that could mean trouble for the Sox just like it did for the Phillies and D-Backs.


Why the Red Sox will win: Boston has only seven players on their roster that won a title with the team in 2004 but that doesn’t mean they aren’t equipped for this Fall Classic. Ace Josh Beckett has a history of pitching his best games on the biggest stage and Curt Schilling already owns a place in playoff lure for his bloody sock masterpiece during the Bo Sox last postseason run. Daisuke Matsuzaka seems to have found his fastball again after a solid outing in Game 7 against the Indians and Tim Wakefield always seems ready for some big innings if called upon. The bullpen has been strong with rookie Hideki Okajima setting up Papelbon and fellow newcomers Dustin Pedrioa and Jacoby Ellsbury provided a spark for the offense late in the ACLS. Thanks to yet another All-Star Game win for American League Boston will begin the World Series in the friendly confines of Fenway Park which could play a big role if the series makes it to a sixth game and beyond. If Beckett can cool down the Rockies in the opener it could knock Colorado off Cloud 9 and set the tone for the series.


What to watch for: Rockies staff vs. Dustin Pedroia. The Red Sox leadoff hitter finally got his bat going late in the series against the Indians and the rookie could be the wild card in the series if he can continue to get on base and set the stage for Boston’s powerful middle of the lineup.


Who will win: The Rockies are one of the best stories baseball has seen in a long time but nine days off is a long time to remain as hot as they were without playing an actual game. Colorado only had five days off total in over the previous month before the NLCS ended, and as last year’s Detroit team will tell them, the time off isn’t always a good thing. Beckett will be tough to beat and if Boston has to they can start him three times in the series. The Rockies should play well in Denver but will struggle out of the gates in Boston. The Red Sox use the home field advantage to their benefit one more time and win it all for the second time in four years, ending the Rockies magical and amazing run. Red Sox in 6.


My World Series Champion Pick: Boston
Your Pick?....

LCS Preview

By TwinsWin83

Well folks, the first round of the playoffs are over and as we head deeper into October there are important questions surrounding each of the remaining teams. How long can the Rockies keep this up? Will anyone be able to beat the Red Sox starters? Are the Diamondbacks that good or were the Cubs that bad? Is Fausto Carmona for real? No one knows the answers to any of those questions yet and that is why playoff baseball is so great. Here’s a preview of the LCS match-ups as the final four teams battle for a spot in the 106th World Series.

Indians vs. Red Sox

Season Series: Red Sox 5-2

What you should know: The Curse of Rocky Colavito. Sure the Billy Goat and the Bambino get all the press when it comes to curses but the fact remains that the Indians haven’t won a World Series title since 1948. Prior to opening day in 1960 the Tribe traded right fielder and fan favorite Rocky Colavito to the Tigers for would-be flop Harvey Kuenn. What followed was a string of the worst three and a half decades of baseball ever played by a Major League team. From 1959 to 1993 Cleveland managed one third-place finish, five fourth-place finishes and ended in the last place every other season. Now that's a slump. So while the Red Sox and White Sox have slain their demons over the past few seasons with World Series titles the Indians have not, possibly clearing the way for another franchise to reverse a curse this October.

Why the Indians will win: The Indians made it clear in the Division Series against the Yankees that they have a pitching staff to be reckoned with. Sabathia proved he could anchor the #1 spot in the rotation while Carmona showed he could carry his regular season success over into October. Paul Byrd shut-up the critics with a Game 4 victory in New York Monday night and the bullpen was lights-out yet again. If the offense can provide the two-out hits with runners in scoring position that they did in the Division Series the Red Sox are going to have a hard time staying with this confident Cleveland bunch.

Why the Red Sox will win: As solid as the Indians looked in the first round the Red Sox appeared even more impressive in their match-up against the Angels. Boston looked like they are finally clicking after a rocky couple of weeks near the end of the regular season. Beckett and Schilling were at the top of their games and with them scheduled to start the first two games of the ALCS the Red Sox could jump out to a quick advantage. Manny Ramirez is swinging the bat better than he has all year and David Ortiz is his typical self in October. All of these factors, coupled with home field advantage, make the Red Sox very dangerous.

What to watch for: Indians pitching staff vs. Manny Ramirez. Manny is being Manny again and if he continues to hit like he has over the last week it could be a short trip to the ALCS for the Indians.

Who will win: I bet against the Indians in the first round even when I was rooting for them to knock off the Yankees. I think these two teams are incredibly even and the series will eventually come down to how well the bullpens respond to the pressures of October. In the end I think home field advantage wins out and the Red Sox take a nail-biting series. Red Sox in 7.

Rockies vs. Diamondbacks

Season Series: Rockies 10-8

What you should know: Batting averages are overrated. The Diamondbacks were the first team since 1906 to win their division while sporting the lowest batting average in the league, but don’t underestimate them, they led the N.L. with 90 wins.

Why the Rockies will win: Can you say 17 out of 18? There have been few teams in the history of baseball that are hotter than the Rockies are right now, regular or post season. Colorado won 14 of their final 15 games to grab the final N.L. playoff spot and October didn’t cool them down one bit as they blew right by the Phillies in three games in the Divisional Series. The country is finally getting to know some of the Rockies stars as Matt Holliday, Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton lead the teams potent offense. The question in this series for the Rockies will once again be the pitching. Colorado has a clear-cut ace in 17-game winner Jeff Francis but after him it gets sketchy. Game 2 starter Ubaldo Jiminez was 4-12 this season with a 4.28 E.R.A. and the bullpen (excluding the preceding 3 weeks) has been shaky at best. Coors Field could play a big role in this series as the mile-high stadium tends to boost teams offensive output. But just like I said heading into the ALDS, the Rockies seem to have a bit of magic about them right now and that can spell trouble for their opponents. October is when you want to be playing your best baseball of the year and that is exactly what Colorado is doing right now.


Why the Diamondbacks will win: The Diamondbacks proved in the Divisional Series that it is no mistake they are still playing in October. For as young as this team is they showed an incredible amount of maturity in defeating Chicago in a very workman-like fashion. Manufacturing runs and getting solid pitching is the name of the game for Arizona and they didn’t stray from the formula that helped them win 90 games during the regular season. Brandon Webb was nasty as usual in the first round and would present a daunting task for the Rockies if they have to face him three times should the series go seven games. If the Rockies can pull out a game that doesn’t involve Webb they will grab a clear leg up in the series. Home field advantage usually comes into play this time of year and the D-Backs should be able to use that to their benefit when playing in the desert, the question will be how they respond to the hostile and hitter-friendly atmosphere in Denver. Stephen Drew and Chris Young have emerged as future-stars and need to perform at the plate in this series in order to carry the D-Backs usually weak offense.

What to watch for: Diamondbacks staff vs. Matt Holliday. Colorado’s M.V.P. candidate hit .361 in 18 games against the D-Backs this season with 2 homers and 13 R.B.I.’s. The Rockies are going to need to score some runs to support their pitching staff and Holliday has been the team’s offensive spark plug all season. If Arizona can shut Holliday down they might be able to manufacture enough runs to stay a step ahead.

Who will win: It would be crazy to pick against a team that has won 17 of their last 18 games and despite what some might say I’m haven’t completely lost it quite yet. The Diamondbacks great season comes to an end and the Rockies move on to their first ever World Series. Rockies in 6.

So……
My World Series picks: Red Sox vs. Rockies
Your picks?.....

MLB Playoff Preview

By TwinsWin83

Ah yes, it’s the best time of the year. No, not Christmas, it’s October and that could only mean one thing: the MLB playoffs. Before we make our picks here is a preview of the first-round matchups.


Yankees vs. Indians

Season series: Yankees 6-0

What you should know: It’s all about A-Rod. If Rodriguez doesn’t produce this year in the post-season everything he did during the regular season (.314, 54, 156) will mean nothing in the eyes of New Yorkers and that could lead to his exit from the Bronx this offseason.

Why the Yankees will win: The Yankees have been the best team in the American League since the All-Star break and are going up against a team in Cleveland that has little post-season experience. Yankee Stadium can be a daunting place to play for visitors any time of the year but especially in October. New York has two pitchers (Pettitte and Clemens) who live for October and another (Wang) who has been one of the best in the league over the past two regular seasons. If their newly-revived bullpen can support Clemens, who isn’t much more than a 5-inning pitcher now, and if the offense hits like they are capable of this team is going to be tough to beat.

Why the Indians will win: The Indians have played great baseball over the past month, running away in the Central from the Tigers and Twins. They survived a subpar first-half of the season by Travis Hafner who didn’t find his swing until September. If Hafner is hitting the Indians have a dangerous offense to go along with several solid starting pitchers and one of the better bullpens in the American League. Fausto Carmona was one of 2007’s breakthrough pitchers winning 19 games to go along with an impressive 3.06 E.R.A. and could be the wild card in this series.

What to watch for: Sabathia vs. A-Rod. The pressure is on the soon-to-be AL MVP Rodriguez and Sabathia needs to prove he can lead the Indians pitching staff. The Yankees haven’t faced Sabathia since 2004.

Who will win: As much as I would like to see the Indians prevail in this one I think the Yankees have too many weapons and are too October-tested. Yankees in 4.

Angels vs. Red Sox

Season Series: Boston 6-4

What you should know: Neither team has played a meaningful game in a while. Even though the Bo Sox nearly let their A.L. East lead dwindle away they spent the majority of the season comfortably in first and the Angels, following a late-August collapse by the Mariners, were never threatened again in the West. Both these teams need to step up their level of play if they want to advance past the ALCS.

Why the Angels will win: The Angels might have the best all-around team in the league with great pitching, solid defense and an offense that can be overpowering at times. If the Angels win it will be on the backs of their starting pitchers and defense, a formula that should sound familiar to Twins fans. The Angels have been a force when they’ve reached October recently and the 07’ squad might be their most talented yet.

Why the Red Sox will win: The Red Sox have seemingly breezed through this entire season, up until the last couple weeks when the Yankees put some pressure on them. They have three starting pitchers (Beckett, Schilling and Matsuzaka) who can be lights-out on any given night and an offense that can be scary when healthy. David Ortiz is magical at Fenway in October and if they bring a lead into the 9th odds are Papelbon will slam the door on the opponent. The questions will be how will Matsuzaka respond on the big stage and how healthy are Manny Ramirez and Curt Schilling.

What to watch for: Beckett vs. Lackey. Two Cy-Young front runners go head-to-head in the series opener and after watching Beckett against the Twins last week I give the edge to Lackey at home in Game 1.

Who will win: The big issue for L.A. right now is that Vlad is not 100% healthy. He might be a major part of the team’s offense but I believe the Angels are well-rounded enough to win even if Vlad is forced into a limited role. Angels in 5.

Cubs vs. Diamondbacks

Season Series: Arizona 4-2

What you should know: Arizona has the best record in the NL. Who would have thought when this season began that the Arizona Diamondbacks would enter October with home field advantage throughout the NL playoffs? The Cubs appeared very talented coming out of Spring Training but struggled out of the gates before finding a groove after the All-Star break. In a wide open NL field either of these teams could get hot at the right time and breeze through this side of the bracket.

Why the Cubs will win: Because it’s about time. With visions of Billy Goats dancing in their heads the Cubs will try and break a 99-year curse while relying on ace Carlos Zambrano and two lefties in Ted Lilly and Rich Hill. If the starters can keep Chicago in the game they have a chance with an offense that can explode at any time, especially at home. Even in an injury-shortened season Alfanso Soriano led the team with 33 home runs. He, along with Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, need to put a charge into the Cubs offense. The Cubs won a mediocre Central Division but if their stars step up and play like stars Chicago could sneak by again, this time in a weak National League field.

Why the Diamondback will win: The D-Backs have defied the critics all year, winning with a young team and what was one of the worst offenses in the National League. Arizona has the reigning Cy-Young winner in Brandon Webb who has a wicked sinker and can beat anyone in the league when it’s working. Eric Burns is a spark plug, stealing 50 bases this season, and if the D-Backs can get runners on and move them around the teams pitching is good enough to keep them in any game.

What to watch for: Brandon Webb vs. The Cubs. Webb is nasty and had a streak of 42-consecutive scoreless innings this year which included a game against the Cubs. If Chicago can get to Webb it could put the D-Backs in a big hole for the rest of the series.

Who will win: It would be great to see the Cubs win it all this season and we could cross one more “cursed” team off our list (i.e. White Sox, Red Sox) but I just don’t think this is the Chicago team to put the Billy Goat to rest. The Diamondbacks are scrappy and will ride Webb and home field advantage to a series win. DiamondBacks in 5.

Rockies vs. Phillies

Season Series: Rockies 4-3

What you should know: Two Cinderella’s don’t get to go to the ball. The Rockies and Phillies are the two feel good stories of this year’s playoffs but one of them will be heading home after this first-round matchup. The Phillies won the East despite a less-than-average pitching staff and the Rockies have stormed into the playoffs by winning 14 of their last 15 games.

Why the Rockies will win: The Rockies are the hottest team in baseball heading into the playoffs and if the Cardinals taught us anything last year it was that the best team doesn’t always win, the team that’s playing the best at the time does. Many people don’t know much about the Rox but Colorado is stocked full of potential stars. Matt Holiday should be the NL MVP (.340, 36, 137), Troy Tulowitzki, who anchors a solid defense at shortstop, should be rookie of the year and Todd Helton is always dangerous at the plate. The Rockies have a high team E.R.A. but it is seemingly offset by their top ranked offense, shown by their franchise record 90-wins this season. Jeff Francis quietly won 17 games pitching in a home stadium infamous for hampering pitchers careers. This team seems to have a bit of magic about them as October gets under way and that could spell trouble for opponents.

Why the Phillies will win: The Phillies were nearly as hot as the Rockies over the final weeks of the season, apparent by their ability to catch the sinking Mets who they trailed by 7 games with 17 games left to play. They have defied the odds by winning 89 games this season with an offense that carried a patch-work pitching staff. There are two potential MVP candidates on the Phillies roster in Ryan Howard (.268, 47, 136) and Jimmy Rollins (.296, 30, 94), both of whom can ignite this team with one swing of the bat. Although the pitching staff has struggled this year Cole Hamels and 44 year-old Jamie Moyer won 15 and 14 games this season, respectively. They, along with the bullpen, will need to pitch well to give Philadelphia a chance this post-season. Former Twins pitchers Kyle Lohse and J.C. Romero have come onboard for the Phillies this season and helped spark the teams late season run.

What to watch for: Colorado’s pitching staff vs. Chase Utley. Howard and Rollins might be the most talked about right now in Philadelphia but no one is more important to the Phillies than Utley. Chase leads the team with a .332 average and drove in 103 runs in a season where he missed 30 games with injury.

Who will win: After watching the tie-breaker game on Monday night the Rockies are too hard to pick against. The Phillies luck runs out. Rockies in 4.

So that means……
My ALCS Picks: Yankees vs. Angels
My NLCS Picks: Diamondbacks vs. Rockies

Your Picks?...