Heading into the American and National League Championship Series only one thing is for certain: the World Series will see a team from the AL East taking on a team from the NL Central.
In an added bonus, both wildcard teams will get a shot at a World Series berth.
Standing in the Astros' way will be the St. Louis Cardinals, the best team in the regular season as they posted a 105-57 record.
The Cardinals won their series with the Dodgers in four games, but it looks like the case will be the best team over the past six months combined taking on the hottest team over the last month.
The matchup may come down to pitching and, in that case, St. Louis has the advantage. By finishing early, the St. Louis starters will be rested whereas both Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt threw twice against the Braves.
The offensive edge also goes to St. Louis. With three MVP-caliber players in Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds accompanied by Larry Walker, Edgar Renteria and more, the Cards had the league's most potent offense.
But do not put it past the Astros and the killer B's (Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio, Carlos Beltran and Jeff Bagwell) to plate some runs-they put up 38 runs in the first five games of the playoffs.
The Cardinals are definitely the favorites, but the Astros took the season series 10-8, so anything could happen.
The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will meet in the American League Championship Series for the second year in a row as the eager baseball world gets to see the rematch it's been waiting for since Aaron 'effing' Boone's blast into the New York night in the bottom of the 11th last October. The two teams' diamond discord will likely escalate and even the casual baseball fan's apathy will turn to anticipation.
The two teams simply do not get along, and with the Red Sox taking 11 of 19 regular season meetings-in their best effort to reverse their usual role and capture the title of Goliath-the competitiveness, and of course animosity, could be at an all time high.
After a seven-game thriller last fall, the Red Sox chased then-free agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez in an attempt to strengthen their title hopes and, perhaps most importantly, keep him out of pinstripes. Unfortunately for the BoSox, the future Hall-of-Famer sold his soul and suited up for The Boss. It became just another reason that the two teams in a league of their own would like nothing more than to defeat the other.
The Yankees beat the Twins 3-1 to advance, while the Red Sox swept AL West Champion Angels.New York will start Mike Mussina in Game 1 in the Bronx, and hope to ride Rodriguez's offensive surge despite some injuries to the pitching staff-namely, Kevin Brown and Orlando Hernandez. Boston has an injury problem of their own as ace Curt Schilling, who will oppose Mussina in Game 1, will have to nurse a tender ankle and look to the Red Sox bats to carry the load. The fun starts tonight at 7 p.m.
--compiled from staff reports
