SPORTS WEDNESDAY

ok, well, we know the cardinals choked. to top that off, they announced they're bringing back big mac to be their batting coach next year. he has a lifetime .263 batting average. in 16 major league seasons, big mac struck out 1596 times. the cardinals lost to the dodgers because they couldn't muster any offense & their superior pitching faltered. big mac is the solution? i don't think so. tony larussa, god bless him, has a great animal rescue program here in the bay area. i admire his effort here to save this dog but mac won't help save the cardinals next season. keeping holiday around & getting one more bat will do that.

so...no cardinals. i did pick the yankees. i was never convinced that last year's phillies were the real thing(even as they won the series)& couldn't bring myself to pick them at the start of the season or as the playoffs began. i can't do it now either. there's a good chance the yankees will win this thing in 5 games. i just don't see it going to 7 games. however...that being said:

if the phillies get to cc in game one & win it, that changes everything. if a-rod disappears again, as he's done the last few years in the playoffs, that changes everything. if burnett blows up in game two, that changes everything. if the yankee bullpen leading up to rivera(the great weakness exposed during the playoffs)continues to be erratic, that changes everything. if the phillies come out swinging & connecting, that changes everything. if cole hammels pitches like he did last year in the series, that changes everything.

but...i don't see any of this happening except, maybe, cc not being sharp in game one & cliff lee being dominant. it could just as easily be the opposite scenario. that's why we watch. despite the nyt's whore-homer article yesterday, the yankees don't make this series anymore exciting JUST BY BEING IN IT(except for whore nyt's sports writers). the yankees could sweep this just as easily as boston did a few years ago. vegas odds makers are saying a yankee 4-1 or 4-2 series victory is the likeliest scenario. unless...

yankees in 5 w/them winning the first two games in dominant fashion. i don't think it'll be a thrilling series. it WILL have some great stories, especially for nyt whore sports writers.