AL division series begins tonight

Television sportscasters assigned to broadcast the American League Division Series are likely to find themselves quite bored this weekend. The first round of the playoffs begins tonight, but with two uneven match-ups, it is likely to be finished faster than a young boy having sex for the first time.

And now, The Tufts Daily presents you with: a bitter Red Sox's fan's guide to the Division Series.



New York Yankees vs. Anaheim Angels

The Yankees are the Strom Thurman of the baseball postseason. They are rich, powerful, have been there forever, and aren't going anywhere unless they collapse and have to be dragged off the field. And since the impact of Roger Clemens' weight crashing down on the grass would probably cause a minor tremor, we are forced to hope that won't happen.

Though New York showed signs of weakness early in the season this year, a solid second half led the Yanks to clinch homefield advantage throughout the AL playoffs. They are traditionally the force to be reckoned with in the postseason, and there is no reason to believe this year will be any different.

The Bronx Bombers have the best offense in baseball, and they led the league with 903 runs scored. If the rotation of Clemens, Pettitte, Mussina, and Wells is not enough to instill fear in the Angels, then the roars of New York crowd certainly will.

On paper, Anaheim looks like it might be able to take a game or two from the Yankees. The Angels led the league in batting average and have a better earned run average than New York (3.69 versus 3.87).

Pitchers Jarrod Washburn and Ramon Ortiz had career years, and the Angels have the best chemistry of any team in baseball. And Mariano Rivera, who has been crucial to the Yankees' success in recent postseasons, was hurt throughout September, and his appearances in the playoffs will be limited.

But when the pressure is turned up, it is experience that makes all the difference, and that is what the Angels lack. New York's five starters are 37-18 in the playoffs, while the only Anaheim starter to ever compete in the playoffs is Kevin Appier, who pitched two games. The Yankees won't need Rivera if they head into the late innings with huge leads.

The Yankees are the four-time defending American League champions _ that is all you need to know.

A wave of Disney's magic wand may have been enough to give Anaheim the wild card berth this fall, but it's October now and that means the Angels turn back into a pumpkin.



Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins

Oakland does not have the advantage of having rowdy rude fans to scare the Twins players, but the thought of facing the Athletics pitching rotation is just as daunting as taking the New York subway at night. We know that Anaheim made the playoffs because of players overachieving, but how the Twins got here is still a mystery. They had no regular players hit over .300 this year, and their team ERA was 14th in the league.

Granted, Oakland's offense is a far cry from the Big Red Machine but don't even bother reading the line-up cards for this series. Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder are the only players who matter.

The Athletics rotation was third in the AL in ERA this season and the aforementioned triumvirate was virtually unbeatable in August and September. All three pitched in the postseason last year and have the experience needed to withstand the pressure of the playoffs. Their records would make any manager salivate _ Zito finished 23-5 with a 2.75 ERA, Hudson went 15-9 with a 2.98 ERA, and Mulder 19-7, 3.47.

Throw in the fact that Zito and Mulder are lefties and the Twins already low team batting average was 30 points less against southpaws and it becomes clear that Minnesota is in trouble.

While Brad Radke is not a bad choice to start Game 1 for the Twins, the Minnesota rotation is shaky beyond that. Game 2 matches up Joe Mays, with his stellar record of 4-9, against Mulder (19-7). Game 3 starter Rick Reed had a good season, but has never been among baseball's finest pitchers. His opponent, Barry Zito, had the most wins in the AL and the lowest ERA of all AL pitchers in the playoffs.

The series begins with two games in Oakland, and the Twins were a .500 team on the road this year. In nine games, the Athletics gave up only 11 runs to the Twins. Minnesota may have saved itself from contraction by winning the Central Division this year, but even the USS Bud Selig won't be able to save them from the Athletics' pitchers.