The first round matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics may very well be the most high profile and intriguing division series matchup this year. A high-octane offense, led by Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra and AL batting champion Bill Mueller, helped Boston gain the wild card bid this season, while the swingin' A's once again rode the arms of starting pitchers Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder to the AL West crown.
While Oakland's rotation is one of the most highly touted in baseball, the loss of Mark Mulder to a season-ending hip injury is a major problem for the A's. Tim Hudson (16-7, 2.70 ERA) has been superb throughout the 2003 campaign, but 2002 Cy Young winner Barry Zito battled inconsistency all year and managed only a record of 14-12. Ted Lilly (12-9, 4.18 ERA) had an excellent late-season run and even amassed a 22 inning scoreless streak, but he was tagged for five runs in four innings on the season's final day and may have had his confidence shaken.
Boston will also rely on their dominant ace pitcher, Pedro Martinez (14-4, 2.22 ERA), along with Tim Wakefield (11-7, 4.13 ERA) and Derek Lowe (17-7, 4.47 ERA), who will pitch the first three games of the series. Important to note is the fact Lowe will be pitching in Fenway Park in game three, where he has won 11 games and only lost two this season.
The biggest advantage for the Athletics is their bullpen. Keith Foulke has been one of the finest closers in baseball this year, accumulating 43 saves and a 2.08 ERA. The work of set-up men Chad Bradford and Ricardo Rincon has also been solid. In contrast, Boston's relievers have been consistently inconsistent all year, and any baseball fan can easily remember current Boston closer Byung-Hyun Kim's infamous choke-job in the 2001 World Series, when he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
If The Red Sox hope to advance in the playoffs, they will be riding on the back of their prolific offense. Boston hit for an average of .289 this year, far outpacing the relatively anemic Oakland performance of .254. The Red Sox can field on a daily basis a lineup that features nine legitimate threats at the plate.
The shakiness of Boston's bullpen notwithstanding, the difference in this series will be the absence of Oakland's ace hurler Mark Mulder. As good as the remaining Oakland starters may be, they will not be quite good enough to quell Boston's big bats, falling in five ganes.
Minnesota enters its series against the New York Yankees as a significant underdog, particularly since they were unable to gain a single victory in seven games against the Evil Empire this season. That said, the Twins had the best second-half record of anyone in the American League, and their youthful exuberance may be able to carry them over the grizzled veterans of New York.
However, it will be a tough task for the Twins to defeat the Yankees, a team that has won four world championships since 1996. New York has undoubtedly the most experienced team in baseball, and that factor will pay major dividends against a young Minnesota outfit. Also, this New York squad remembers how the upstart made the ALCS last year, and they will not underestimate Minnesota's ability.
Game one starter Mike Mussina (17-8, 3.40 ERA) boasts a 20-2 career record against the Twins. Fellow hurlers Andy Pettite (21-8, 4.02 ERA), Roger Clemens (17-9, 3.91 ERA) and David Wells (14-7, 4.25 ERA) all have plenty of playoff experience and know how to win big games. The resurgence of closer Mariano Rivera will also be a huge asset. The Yankee offense, led by Alfonso Soriano (.291 BA, 37 HR) and Derek Jeter (.325 BA), is solid. Most importantly, manager Joe Torre has a wealth of experience in managing -- and winning -- playoff games.
The Twins are not nearly as stocked with talent. While Johan Santana has pitched phenomenally this season (12-3, 3.07 ERA), the rest of the staff should not be able to match up with their Yankee adversaries. Midseason acquisition Shannon Stewart managed to spark the Twins offense, but Torii Hunter (.250 BA) will need to perform better in the postseason than he has throughout the 2003 campaign.
While the Twins have the talent to pull off an upset, the determined and experienced Yankees should be able to make a return to the ALCS with a four-game victory.
What a series it would be between the Red Sox and the Yankees. One of the most bitter rivalries in all of sports takes center stage in the ALCS. Neither team displayed an advantage during the course of the regular season, as New York held a slim 10-9 advantage. While New York's experience will help them defeat Minnesota, the worn and weary arms of their aging staff will be tested by the potent Boston hitters.
The Yankees have been a picture of consistency this year in methodically advancing to another AL East crown. In contrast, the Red Sox have been more streaky and, in turn, more explosive. While the Yankees were able to coast into the postseason, the Red Sox spent the final weeks of the season showing their flair for the dramatic, culminating with a win for the ages against Baltimore on a game-winning homerun from David Ortiz.
The Red Sox just seem to be able to come up with the big wins this year that have largely eluded them in the past, and they have momentum on their side. As shaky as Boston's bullpen may be, New York's relievers -- particularly those in middle relief -- have been far from lights-out this season. There are too many ways that Boston's lineup can hurt the Yankee pitchers.
When Boston enters its first World Series since 1986, two epic tales of futility will meet in the clash between the Cubs and Red Sox. It will be decided by a seventh game, and Boston, in front of a rabid home crowd (remember the All-Star gamethe American League gets home-field advantage) will finally break the curse in seven games.
