Ho Hum. Playoffs Have Begun

Wow. For all the excitement generated in the anticipation, I'd have to say the first round of the playoffs spattered with disappointment.

Two of the games were determined by pitcher meltdowns that lasted less than three outs and the other fizzled, with the hometeam Yankees bowing down meekly in the bottom of the 9th in Yankee Stadium in a 1-2-3 inning.

Cards lead Series, 1-0

In St Louis, where Stan the Man threw out the first pitch, the Cardinals went to an early lead, aptly, on a solo shot by Albert Pujols. Larry Walker, 1 for 16 against Dodger's starter Odalis Perez, made it 2-0 in the bottom of the third. The Cardinals broadcasters tried their best to paint a picture for the listeners:

"Standing room only crowd on its feet, red and white flags everywhere..."

St Louis has been waiting half the season, about the time the NL Central was decided, for things to pick up again. Curtain calls for their heroes was the norm for the day. Five homeruns by the Cardinals tied the postseason record.

Odalis continued his meltdown in that third inning, and by the time he was finally done, the Cards were already ahead 6-0. As noted by Sports Amnesia yesterday, the Cards would have to win early because of the Dodgers amazing record in close and extra inning games, and they did.

This series gets a breather already and will be back on Thursday.

Boston leads series, 1-0

I switched off the Cardinals game with the outcome already well decided and nothing left but the crazy yarn spinning of the folksy Cardinal radio broadcasters. The Red Sox were opening at Anaheim. Unfortunately, my MLB.COM broadcast was only broadcasting from the Angel's flagship station, not the Red Sox, so between innings, I was forced to listen to garbled Spanish commercials and idiotic and deflating Angels commentary.

Like the Cards game, this one was over in one inning, the top of the 4th, when the Sox scored 7 runs, equaling their largest single-inning output ever in the postseason, to take a commanding 8-0 on the way to a convincing 9-3 drubbing. Good. I don't like the Angels and hope they get swept. Even if it is at the hands of the Whinge Nation.

Take note: Curt Schilling improved to 6-1 with a 1.74 ERA in postseason play.

Luckily for the Sox, the Angels aren't the Yankees. The Yankees of course, are the team Pedro muttered broken-heartedly, "I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy.".

I can't help but wonder if this is the beginning of the end of Pedro. We'll get an indication tonight. Martinez lost his final four starts of the regular season but he's 9-1 lifetime against the Angels. If he doesn't sparkle and give the Sox a 2-0 lead going back to Boston, well, the postseason might be all but over for the Sox already. Beating the Angels is no big deal.

Let's sing it again in unison: Sports Amnesia hates the Angels!

Twins lead series, 1-0

Have to admit, this was the hardest series to predict. I did have the Twins figured as being up 2-0 going back to Minny originally but really, I cannot envision the Yankees losing two straight in Yankee Stadium. Well, I can envision it, hope for it, pray for it even, but I don't think it will happen.

A record setting five double plays saw the Twins through their first game in Yankee Stadium in a 2-0 victory over the Yankees but who, really, can be surprised when the hottest pitcher in baseball, Johan Santana, was on the mound?

I look forward to any humiliation the Astros can pound home on the Atlanta Braves, even IF Roger Clemens is pitching - rooting for the Rocket, blech.

I look forward to seeing if Pedro continues his late season swan dive into mediocrity and gets shelled by the Angels.

I look forward to seeing if the Yankees bats will be as lifeless tonight as they were against Santana.