BASEBALL
	PLAYOFF MATCHUP PREVIEW 9.26.02 The end of the season is a weekend away and the matchups for the playoffs are virtually set.  There are still some home field advantage issues to be resolved, but in all likelihood we know what teams will be facing each other.  Here then, are my predictions on the matchups for the first round. NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants Over the last ten to twelve years the Braves have traditionally been the pitching powerhouse in the National League.  They have always had players like Chipper Jones or Andres Galarraga that were offensive forces, but their strength lied in their pitching.  The same is still true.  They added Gary Sheffield to their lineup, so they are more potent on offense, but they will still live and die with their pitching.  The Giants, on the other hand, revolve around their one man wrecking crew of Barry Bonds.  The Giants pitching staff is probably the worst staff of any team that is going to play in the postseasaon.  Usually good pitching will beat good hitting (that's the usual analysis by the "they" that are always saying things).  The wild card is Bonds, though.  He has become scary good over the last couple of years and this postseason will give him the opportunity to rid himself of the bad reputation of playing poorly when it counts most.  I believe that he will make this a very exciting series.  MY PREDICTION: Braves in a very close five game set. Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals In the name of full disclosure I will just say that I am very biased here.  That being said, the Cardinals have to be the favorites in this series right now.  They are red hot, riding a six game winning streak.   Meanwhile, the D-Backs have lost four straight (including being swept by the Cardinals), and they just lost their best offensive player for the rest of the year.  Momentum is certainly on St. Louis' side.   The thing that worries me is that the Snakes still have the best two pitchers in the NL going for them.   It is entirely conceivable that the D-Backs could win this series while only scoring three runs.  My feel is that the Cardinals have Schilling's number and the Snakes won't be able to score many runs to support their guys.  Whoever gets their second win of the series first will win the series.  MY PREDICTION: Cardinals in four. AMERICAN LEAGUE New York Yankees vs. Anaheim Angels The Yankees aren't as all powerful as they have been in the past few years.  It will catch up with them in the postseason this year, but not in this series.  Their pitching rotation does not overwhelm like it has in years past, but, even though Washburn et al have had a good season for the Angels, the Yankees starters still match up well against Anaheim's starters.  The Yankees offense is also more powerful, has more depth, and is more experienced than the Angels.  It has been fun watching Eckstein, Erstad, Glaus, and Anderson find a way to win, but they will not find their way out of this series.  MY PREDICTION: Yankees in three. Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins I think most people not from Oakland are rooting for the Twins.  The team Bud wanted to contract makes it to the playoffs and a lot of people would like to see them win it all.  Just to stick it in Bud's eye.  All of those people are going to be disappointed.  The Twins have a big advantage when playing in the Metrodome (and always have, see the 1987 and 1991 World Series' for examples), but they won't have home field advantage in this series.  Neither of these teams have overwhelming offenses, but both find ways to win.  I think the edge on offense goes to the A's with the young nucleus of Tejada and Chavez.  The pitching matchup has to go to Oakland as well.  The trio of guys they will have starting in this series are the best 1-2-3 combination in baseball.  The Twins do not have a single pitcher that is as good as any of the three Oakland starters.  MY PREDICTION: Oakland in four (they'll give the hometown fans one thrilling victory in Minneapolis). Check back in after this round for my pennant predictions. Granger
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