MLB Playoff Reflections, So Far...

Sorry I have not had much time to write, but I was down in Tampa yesterday watching the Rays-White Sox and spent some of the evening coming home.

Anyhow, the biggest surprise to me has been how bad the Cubs have really played. Right now, it looks like they are done unless they can somehow win three more games, which is something that has never been done.

The entire Chicago infield looked horrible by making four errors, and the Dodgers thanks to the Dodgers taking advantage of the situation, and the continuing onslaught of Manny Ramirez led them to 10-3 victory. Zambrano looked shaky, despite over-powering at times; alas, his defense killed him -- literally.

It looks like it may be yet another year where the Cubs don't see the series, and if I were the Dodgers' Frank McCourt, I might want to start drafting some papers to sign Ramirez. I would look away, hold my nose, hope he signs on the dotted and that Manny keeps up his new found maturity out West.

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It looks like the Brewers nice little run is done. They don't have the weapons to beat Philadelphia, and their offense seems to be asleep at the wheel.

C.C. Sabathia was off yesterday, and how could you fault him -- they rode his back to the playoffs and has started umpteen days on three days rest -- granted, he might have had an bad day, but you could only go to the well so many times.

Of all people, it seems like Brett Myers did the most damage to Sabathia by making him pitch and exert of a lot of energy trying to get him out. Add the walks and an unexpected Shane Victorino home run and it was all over.

It will be interesting to see how the off-season plays out for the Brewers.

If I were part of the Brewers ownership -- it may might prudent to show the fans that 2008 was not some fluke and offer C.C. a contract -- despite the chances being high he may take the best opportunity for him out there.

Sorry, Milwaukee.

As well, without Ben Sheets, they would have needed a miracle.

I hoped the Brewers would make it at least into the NLCS, but they are no match for an aggressive Phillies team.

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The Rays and White Sox game -- which I saw in person yesterday -- came out the way I thought it would, a victory to the little team-that-formerly-sucked, the Rays.

The star of the game was obviously Evan Longoria. When he signed his six-contract a week or so into the season, I thought the Rays were insane, but they knew something that we didn't, and now they potentially have the bargain of the century.

He hit two home runs to lead Tampa over Chicago. I was not expecting much from the White Sox, and they fought hard -- especially during that bizarre exchange between Orlando Cabrera and Tampa reliever Grant Balfour in the seventh inning (as well as his clutch performance).

They won 6-3, and being amongst all those people in Tropicana Field was cool -- though it was very strange watching baseball in a dome and on turf, ugh.

Sorry, no baseball should ever be played in a dome or on turf.

The White Sox probably lose in 4 as Tampa has a complete team in all facets of the game; meanwhile, Chicago is old, has a weak bullpen aside from Jenks, and depend too much on the home run.

Of course, anything can happen...

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I have been too focused on the other series to give the Red Sox-Angels much mind, but I think this might be out of all the series so far, the most balanced and competitive.

With these two teams, it's sort of "been there, done that"; however, you'll probably get a good series this time around unlike what happened in 2008.

Jason Bay led the Red Sox to victory on the left coast with a two run homer off John Lackey in the sixth inning of Wednesday's game.

I expect this series to go five; both teams have very good pitching, and their offenses stack up well against one another. I give the slight edge to the Angels; however, the Red Sox are the reigning champions and have way too many tools in their arsenal to just fold like a house of cards.