League Championship Series Predictions

We're watching the last grains of sand fall on the time remaining in the 2008 MLB season, and of all the places I never expected my heart to be, it was in Tampa freaking Bay. But who else am I going to cheer for?

The Red Sox? Yeah, that was a cute little story four years ago when they pulled off that improbable 3-0 comeback and then swept the Cardinals out of the World Series to finally end their bad luck. But then their luck got good and they're talking about winning their third world title in five years and becoming the first back-to-back winners since, well, the Yankees—that other team we all used to find ourselves so tired of having to watch every October ("Oh, good! I can't wait to hear that fucking Sinatra song over and over and over again when they end the season!").

And while my loathing of Boston is somewhat new to me, don't even get me started on the Dodgers. The last group of people that we want to have a championship team is anybody from Los Angeles.

As for the Phillies, I guess I can't complain too much about the NL East winner taking it all and trying to somehow spin that into a testament to the strength of the division (which, in actuality, of course, it would be nothing of the sort).

So, I'm going to be pulling for the Devil Rays this week, as I'm confident that the World Series beginning in Tampa will leave me with a satisfied feeling of never genuinely having imagined the scenario possible at the beginning of the season. But should Boston march on, I know my fanfare for the final series will be far less enthusiastic, figuring all the while how we should have seen the year ending this way.

Anyway, here's how I think things turn out:




Boston Red Sox over Tampa Bay Devil Rays in five games




I know, I know. "But D. Rock! You just said ..."

What I want to happen and what will happen often has been (and forever will be) two entirely different things. And I've already been imagining just how the announcers are going to sound when Boston's players are already celebrating and acting like asses while the camera pans over the sad faces on the Devil Rays' bench.

"This team has a lot to be proud of," one of them will say. And then the other will respond by saying how nobody thought they would even be here, like the LCS runner-up is still some sort of title you could boast about.

"They'll be around," one will say.

Yeah, well, not this year. But it was a trip, boys.






Philadelphia Phillies over Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games




Now, let's not get confused here. Most anybody who follows sports would have some interest in seeing Manny have to go back into Boston. That's good television.

But I'm all about admitting how much I've underestimated the Phillies. I've been doing it for years. When they won the division last year, their ensuing three-game exit to the Rockies couldn't have surprised me less.

Philadelphia's not only been playing pretty good ball, they've got a little reason to feel slighted. The cameras and the storyline are going to hover around Manny—even more so if Boston wraps up the ALCS early—and don't think the Phillies don't know that they've been relegated to another stage in these playoffs (their opening series with Milwaukee was the logical choice for afternoon scheduling).

The Dodgers get some respect for knocking off the Cubs and making one hell of an opening round statement, but with the Phillies getting the home-field, they're my pick and my preference.