There’s a fresh scent in the air: that of playoff baseball. The first round ended with three Division Series for the ages and one very surprising sweep. It seems the historic regular season did not put a stop to baseball’s magical year as the playoffs have picked up right where the regular season left off, albeit without Mr. Bonds.

Damn Yanks

Those pesky Yankees just don’t know how to lose, do they? After dropping Games 1 and 2 at Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Bombers were done. The A’s had picked them apart with graceful pitching and timely hitting. But Derek Jeter made-I hate the fact that I’m saying this-one of the most amazing defensive plays I have ever seen to preserve a one-run victory in Game 3, sending the Yanks a message and giving them confidence they would carry through Games 4 and 5, both victories. Jeter rushed down the first base line, (yeah, you’re not fooling yourself, he is a shortstop and we’re talking about the first base line), caught the ball and somehow flipped to Jorge Posada to apply the tag on Oakland runner Jeremy Giambi, who would have been the game-tying run. And after that play, that moment, the tides turned. The A’s seemingly forgot they only lost 17 games in the second half of the season and were turned down by both El Duque Hernandez in Game 4 and Roger Clemens in Game 5. Now NY faces the Mariners with the chance to get to play for its fourth straight World Series championship.

Foxy

So how many of you saw Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Atlanta Braves? `Twas a 2-0 victory by the D-Backs behind a wonderful performance from Randy Johnson, who has taken some unwarranted criticism for not being an “October pitcher.” Too bad every time he pitches his teammates give him about one run, but that’s another story. The reason I ask if anyone saw the game was that it started at 2 p.m. This isn’t an afternoon game at Wrigley or the first game in a playoff doubleheader. We’re talking about the first game of the League Championship Series. The AL had the day off, but Fox had to air the game in the afternoon so that, heaven forbid, it wouldn’t conflict with the series premiere of Love Cruise, the Maiden Voyage. Come on. That’s bull#G. If the President was speaking (over Friends last Thursday, nonetheless) or something like that, I understand. But Fox’s juicy reality television series is lame at best and should not have conflicted with a game that should have been played in the evening. Baseball fans, including myself, came home from a long day ready for some playoff games only to find out that Game 1 was over! Long over. Can’t wait for that 7th game of the World Series to be played at 1 p.m. on a Wednesday so as not to conflict with Temptation Island 2. Or here’s a better idea: let NBC cover the games. Bob Costas is a better announcer and their intro music is catchier. Anyone agree?

Mo Leadership

In non-playoff related news, Mo Vaughn recently spoke out about a possible return to Boston to play for the Red Sox. After the abysmal second half of the season and the firing of Jimy Williams, not to mention Carl Everett, Vaughn is exactly what the Sox need: an outspoken leader who’s visible in the community and cares about winning. He still has three years remaining with the Angels, but the Sox are exploring trade options that would put him in the middle of the lineup with a healthy Nomar and a happy Manny. Wouldn’t that be nice? Don’t get your hopes up too soon, Sox fans, but a smile may be on the horizon.

Contact Jeremy at [email protected]

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