Good comments...
If you love drama then this is the best time of the year. The Indians are an enjoyable team to root for with their young talent and don't care attitude. If the Sox don't get in then I am riding Cleveland as my adopted team. They have good starting pitching, a great pen and bunch of hitters that can park the ball when needed.
The Sox have problems. Guys are wearing down, slumps, sloppy play and a starting pitching rotation that cannot figure out who or what they want to be. Clement is a head case and simply cannot keep his head in the game. He's either walking people or leaving the ball over the plate. I think that Tek calls too many pitches off the plate which extends his pitches per batter faced. Wakefield has been great at times but when that knuckleball don't dance, it becomes batting practice for the other team. Schilling is not back yet and that really hurts a team not having a #1 guy that they can turn to.
The Wankees are scoring runs and winning the close ones as of late. They are simply a scary offense. The starting pitching has actually been better than Boston's and they are simply hitting when the Sox cannot.
Oakland made it interesting when there was no way that they should have. Congrats to Billy Beane for retooling this team so quickly. They have some great young arms and a bullpen that is scary.
I pick the Cards to do it this year on the basis of the pitching staff. They will whack the Padres then outlast Houston or the Braves (another young team worth watching) and then beat the American League champs in 6.
I'm pulling for the Tribe in the AL. I grew up in Cleveland and would like to see them do well. I'd very much like for them to win the pennant.
But I'm rooting for the 'Stros in the NL. If the Indians and the 'Stros meet in the series, I would have to go for Houston. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. Both teams have to get into the playoffs first, and then they'll face some tough competition. The Astros will have to get past the Cards somehow and that is a tall order. We shall see.
The biggest problem the pale hose have now is their rotten attitude. They believe they're done. The best way to fall apart is to expect to fall apart.