Classic Series

From a self-interested point of view, I can take two positions on this series, okay three.

1) Since two of my friends are divided as to which team they favor, I can hope for a split series.

2) Since I am an AL West fan (mostly Oakland, but the Southland has made me an Angels fan as well), hope that whichever team wins the series is a sweep.

3) Pick one team to sweep the other and choose between my friends.

Sooooo...Southern California and prudence win out. I hope that one team (I don't care which) sweeps the other and that the other is banished to wait until next Spring to play ball. This of course assumes that the A's and Angels split and are successful against the rest of the West.

I would really like to see Oakland win the Series and the Angels play well in the playoffs. The Angels don't really deserve a second series yet, they don't have the pitching to justify it in my mind. Both Western teams have shown the strength of their AAA teams this year riding out injuries or the loss (by contract) of a league MVP. Not that the Angels haven't spent their share of money, but Dallas McPherson, Shone Figgens, Jeff Davanon, etc. have really stepped up in their play as major leaguers.

The underdog in me would like to see the Cubs win the series, or at least make it to the playoffs again. Bostonians have their gripes, to be sure, but it is much better to be perennially second to a dynasty than to be perennially cellar dwellers.

Whoever wins this has been a great season. We truly are in a golden age of baseball.