[malakhi]

Yankees fan in Yankees blue.

My almost-four year old son is a huge baseball and Yankees fan. Has been since 1999 when he watched his first World Series with me. Derek Jeter is his favorite player; he has a poster of him on his bedroom wall. His whole room is decorated in a baseball theme.

I'm more of a National League guy myself, but I find myself rooting for the Yankees because I really like the team that they have. They are consummate professionals, and they do all the little things that make baseball fun to watch. They don't live and die by the home run ball. I have a great deal of respect for Joe Torre.

Should be an interesting World Series. Schilling is one helluva pitcher. Arizona would be smart to shorten the rotation and let Schilling pitch games 1, 4 and 7. Figure that Johnson will pitch two of the remaining games, and Arizona has a better chance than anyone else to beat the Yankees. Any predictions on the outcome? I think it goes at least 6 games, but the Yankees win.

[eastsider]

My almost-four year old son is a huge baseball and Yankees fan.

As I've told you before, angelo, your son is wise beyond his years.

Arizona would be smart to shorten the rotation and let Schilling pitch games 1, 4 and 7.

There won't be a game 7.

Figure that Johnson will pitch two of the remaining games, and Arizona has a better chance than anyone else to beat the Yankees.

IMO, we've met our biggest challenge: the Mariners. I was at the final game on Monday night, and what it lacked in suspense (especially compared to Sunday's game!) it made up for in fan bonding. I have never seen this level of fan coordination from Yankees fans in chants, singing, etc. Reminded me of the old Expos games where the fans would sing in unison up in Montreal. (At least I understood the latter, seeing as my Canuck family has preserved the home-made recipes which we trot out over the holidays to wash down our meat pies : ) I thought the Mariners played better in the regular season.

I have a soft spot for the Diamondbacks, only because I lived in Phoenix for a few years. (That's a soft spot in my heart, angelo, not my head.) But if Oakland and Seattle succumbed to the Juggernaut, I can only imagine what will happen in the Series to an expansion team like the D'backs with a mere four-year history.

Any predictions on the outcome? I think it goes at least 6 games, but the Yankees win.

Arizona will be overwhelmed. Cf. my post of April 27 at 41:127: Yanks in 4.