TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2004
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Major League Baseball postseason begins today
By B.J. RAINS
sports@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITTER
During the next month, Major League Baseball will take center stage. The playoffs begin this afternoon with eight teams fighting for the ultimate goal — a trip to the World Series.
The St. Louis Cardinals enter the playoff with the best record in baseball, but since 1995 only one team — the 1998 New York Yankees — had the best regular season record and went on to win the World Series.
They have three Most Valuable Player candidates in Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. All three players have more than 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. Add in Larry Walker, Edgar Renteria and Reggie Sanders, and the Cardinals have the best offense in the National League.
Today
MLB SCHEDULE
The Cardinals' Woody Williams will pitch in game one against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers, which will counter with the soft-tossing left-handed pitcher Odalis Perez, clinched the NL West title on Saturday with a walkoff grand slam by Steve Finley. Finley, acquired on July 21 from the Diamondbacks, has 46 RBI in 57 games with the Dodgers.
Minnesota (Santana 20-
6) at New York (Mussina
12-9). 7:19 p.m. (FOX)
"Larry Walker, Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds in one lineup? Are you joking? They have an all-star team, and I predict them to win it all," Joel Balzer, Whitewater freshman, said.
The Houston Astros enter the post season as baseball's hottest team. Their 36-10 record since mid-August is the best in baseball, and propelled them into the
Boston (Schilling 21-6) at Anaheim (Washburn 11-8). 3:09 p.m. (ESPN)
Los Angeles (Perez 7-6)
at St. Louis (W.Williams
11-8), 12:09 p.m. (ESPN)
Tomorrow
Minnesota (Radke 11-8)
at New York (Lieber 14-
8); 6:09 p.m. (ESPN)
Boston (Martínez 18-9) at Anaheim (Colon 18-12), 9:09 p.m. (ESPN)
Houston (Clemens 18-4) at Atlanta (Wright 15-8), 3:09 p.m. (ESPN)
Source: The Associated Press
playoffs.
The Astros face the Atlanta Braves, which recently clinched its 13th straight division title. An off-season trade for right fielder J.D. Drew paid dividends for the Braves. Drew hit .506 in the regular season, with 31 homeruns and 93 RBI. The Braves will start 15 game winner Jaret Wright in game one, and the Astros will counter with 6 time Cy Young award winner Roger Clemens.
The Associated Press
"The Astros, in my opinion, are the better team. They have played harder teams, and are hot right now," Keaton Mishler, Lawrence freshman, said. "The Braves pitching staff isn't what it once was and the NL East is one of the weakest divisions in baseball."
In the American League, the New York Yankees have the best
record, and will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs because the AL won the All-Star Game. Questions surround its pitching staff as it enters the postseason. Mike Mussina will start game one for the Bronx Bombers, but the rest of its pitching rotation is up in the air. Kevin Brown, Orlando Hernandez and Javier Vasquez all struggled this season, and its effectiveness in the postseason is in doubt. The crucial factor in the series may be the greatest postseason closer in the history of baseball, the Yankees' Mariano Rivera.
New York will host the Minnesota Twins in the first round. The Twins have the best pitcher in baseball with Johan Santana. Santana, the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award, is 20-6. If the Twins are to have any chance of beating the Yankees, they need a victory from Santana in game one.
The Associated Press
As the wild card winner, they will open the playoffs on the road in Anaheim. The Angels.
"The Yankees are America's team. I hate them, but they will probably win it all, like they always do," Chris Harber, Carlinville, Ill., freshman said.
Houston Astros' Mike Gallo, top left, jumps up onto pitcher Brad Lidge, as they celebrate their 5-3 win over the Colorado Rockies last Sunday in Houston, to win the National League wild card spot.
Minnesota Twins' Michael Cuddyer, shown watching his solo home run off Cleveland Indians' Cliff Lee last Sunday in Minneapolis, will start at second base in place of injured Luis Rivas when the Twins meet the New York Yankees today in New York for the first game of the American League Division Series.
When Curt Schilling was traded to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason, the Red Sox immediately became the favorites in the American League. It may be the wild card winner, but with Schilling and Pedro Martinez, it has what it takes to break the postseason curse and advance to the World Series. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz are both MVP candidates for the Sox, which for the first time in years, have a proven closer in Keith Foulke.
which won the World Series as the wild card team in 2002, have an MVP candidate of their own, in Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero, who signed with the Angels as a free agent in the offseason, carried the Angels on his back during the last week of the regular season, hitting six home runs in the last seven games of the season to help them clinch the AL West title. It will be Curt Schilling and Jared Washburn in game one.
"The Red Sox have what it takes to win in the playoffs: power pitching." Matt Bradbury, Olathe freshman, said. "Schilling and Pedro should propel the Sox past the Angels and
Yankees, and into the World Series."
The Cardinals and Dodgers will play the first game of the playoffs today at noon on ESPN, from Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Angels will host the Red Sox at 3 p.m. on ESPN, and the Twins and Yankees will play in prime time at 7 p.m. on FOX. The Astros will open up at 3
p. m. in Atlanta tomorrow, on ESPN.
"There isn't one clear-cut favorite. Every team has a chance," said Kansas City, Mo., junior Steve Wallace. "It should be a lot of fun, and I look forward to the games beginning this afternoon."
Edited by Steve Vockrodt
Baseball playoffs ready relief from struggling football team
With the Kansas baseball team kicking off its fall exhibition season this past weekend, we can only look forward to the this year's team adding to its back-to-back 30-win seasons. Until the regular season begins in February, baseball fans should tune in to what should be an exciting postseason in Major League Baseball.
Most sports pundits contend that every year is the best in a particular sport. This of course was, "the best season ever." Not that it wasn't good, but I hate that the media has to label each season as "the best." As the regular season came to a close yesterday and the playoff picture became clear, it's time to take a
JACK WEINSTEIN
jweinstein@kansan.com
look back at the dog days of summer.
Let me be the first to apologize to all the Chicago Cubs fans out there. After a year in which they were expected to contend for the World Series, the Cubs were beaten out for the National League Wild Card spot by the Houston Astros, that won its
tinal seven games of the season,
and the division title by the St.
Louis Cardinals that won a
league-high 105 games. Cubs
fans all over the world have to
repeat what has become their
mantra: "Wait till next year."
In the NL West, the San Francisco Giants were left out of the postseason by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but that doesn't diminish the record-setting season Barry Bond put up. At 40, Bonds continues to get more God-like as he makes the impossible a reality. He became the third member of the 700 home-run club on Sept. 17. He finished the season with 45 home runs and 702 for his career, 12 behind Babe Ruth and 53 behind all-time
leader Hank Aaron.
The Atlanta Braves won the NL. East division for the 13th consecutive year. On May 18, it didn't look like the Braves had a chance to contend for the title, as they were the victim of Randy Johnson's perfect game. Johnson became the oldest man at age 40 to throw a perfect game, the 17th in Major League history. It was the first since 1999.
In the American League East, the Yankees made the playoffs for the eight millionth time, even though some of its best players were hurt or didn't produce most of the season. This included its best pitcher, Kevin Brown, who missed considerable time largely because of a broken hand he suffered punching a clubhouse wall. No matter, they're the Yankees and they always win.
The Anaheim Angels won the AL West, but didn't overshadow the Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro broke George Sisler's 1920 hit record of 257 in a season. Ichiro ended the year with 262 hits, 225 of which were singles. The Angels will face the AL Wild Card winner, those resilient Boston Red Sox, in the first round of the playoffs. Unlike its cursed counterparts in the south side of Chicago, Boston faithful have at the least another two weeks before their hearts are broken.
The Minnesota Twins used the Kansas City Royals along
with the rest of the sorry division as a punching bag along their march to the AL Central title. Eventual Cy Young award winner Johan Santana is the only hope for a team that will be embarrassed by the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs.
If you're like me, you're probably tired of watching the offensive ineptitude of our football team. If you're looking for a break from the disaster that is quickly becoming KU's football season, check out postseason baseball. If nothing else, it should be one of the best play-offs ever.
Jack Weinstein is an Overland Park senior in English
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