Prognostications

I, Ando, peering deeply, reverently, into my crystal ball, have witnessed the following conclusions to tonights Major League Baseball playoff games:

#1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - 5. Boston Red Sox - 3.

Breakdown- Having never faced Dice-K before, the Angels will struggle at first to get things going and will trail 2-0 early. Finally, in the fourth, Chone Figgins will get on, steal second, and will be subsequently driven in, sparking a scrappy inning where the Angels grind out four runs on a combination of infield hits, a hit-and-run, and at least one Boston error. The Sox will pull within one in the sixth with a home run from J.D. Drew. But the Angels will answer in the top of the seventh with a home run from Juan Rivera. Escobar, having pitched brilliantly for seven innings will yield to the bullpen where Scot Shields, Justin Speier, and Frankie Rodriguez will make things interesting, but ultimately hold down the fort giving the Halos a series tying victory before heading back to the Left Coast.

#2. New York Yankees - 7. Cleveland Indians - 4.

Breakdown- Indians phenom Fausto Carmona will have his hands full with a relentless Yankees lineup. He'll give up at least one run in the first inning, and be gone by the fourth, trailing by four runs. Meanwhile, Yankees pitcher Andy Petite will look like the Petite of old for six solid innings, surrendering only two runs, one unearned. Trailing in the seventh, the Indians will show signs of life, scoring two runs off Yankee middle relief until Joba Chamberlain is brought in to put out the fire. The big offensive contributors for the Yanks will be Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter, each with a pair of RBI and at least one homer between them. Alex Rodriguez will continue to struggle in the postseason.