IF THE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY... September 28, 2008

Actually, they almost do start today.

Usually the playoff picture is crystal clear at this point, or maybe one match up or two... but for the second straight year we don't know what the first round match ups are in either National League Division Series. And the Rays have no idea who they are hosting as neither the Twins nor the White Sox seem interested in winning the American League Central.

The Phillies, wearing those bitching blue hats, finally gave a little clarity for the NL picture.


So let's look at the match ups.

DIVISION SERIES (Best of 5)

AMERICAN LEAGUE
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (AL West)
has home field advantage over
BOSTON RED SOX (AL Wild Card)

This by the way is the only playoff match up written in stone

TAMPA BAY RAYS (AL East)
has home field advantage over
MINNESOTA TWINS (AL Central)

The White Sox are only 1/2 a game behind Minnesota


NATIONAL LEAGUE

One Game Playoff To Determine Wild Card
NEW YORK METS
has home field advantage over
MILWAUKEE BREWERS

If the Mets win

CHICAGO CUBS (NL Central)
has home field advantage over
NEW YORK METS (NL East)

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (NL East)
has home field advantage over
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (NL West)


If the Brewers win

CHICAGO CUBS (NL Central)
has home field advantage over
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (NL West)

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (NL East)
has home field advantage over
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (NL Wild Card)



It's looking like a cool last day.
Let's plug

SULLY BASEBALL ARCHIVE POST OF THE DAY:
I broke down the moments Bobby Cox must regret during his post season run

SULLY BASEBALL BOOK PLUG OF THE DAY:
Generation A's Fans by Donald Marquez Sr.

Sometimes we fans of North Eastern teams think our passion can't be matched by other fan bases. Well Marquez's incredibly entertaining love letter to the A's will dispell THAT notion.

His family, from his grandmother to a sea of nephews, cousins and his own son, is obsessed with the A's in a way that would rival anyone calling in WFAN and WEEI.

I really loved reading the book for many reasons, but mainly because I saw how many similar memories we have.

I grew up in the suburbs of Boston. Don grew up in the East Bay. Yet we both raced to get to the sports section first, we both mark time and family memories with the ups and downs of our teams and we both have little patience for bandwagon fans. His chapter about the lean years of the late 1970s was my favorite one.

I liked the book so much, I will forgive his slamming Red Sox fans pretty hard.
I'd slam the A's too!