IT'S PLAYOFF TIME!!!!!

Thanks to a strong 9-1 finish over the last ten games the Dodgers ended the regular season with a solid 88-74 record. This gave the a tie with the Padres for the second best NL record, but thanks to continual beat downs at the hands of the Padres, the Dodgers had to console themselves with a wild-card berth as opposed to the NL West title. And while it may seem like splitting hairs, it really isn't.

Instead of playing the near dead Cardinals at home, the Dodgers are forced to travel to NY to face the Mets and their 97 regular season wins. The Mets, though, have been going through a bit of a psychological struggle. The loss of Pedro has certainly got to sting, and their remaining starters (this includes you, Tom Glavine!) haven't looked real great recently. They do have a very good bullpen, but Wagner has a career 7+ ERA in the post-season...

On the Dodgers side, Derek Lowe lives his life to pitch high pressure games, and he's been nearly unhittable over the last month so the timing is right for him to dominate again this October. Greg Maddux may be 40, but he's been pretty damn consistent for the Dodgers since coming over, Grady Little just has to keep a tight reign on his pitch count. Hong-Chi Kuo hasn't had a lot of starts, but NY is susceptible to lefties, and so far Kuo's delivered. That leaves Brad Penny and his aching back. Penny's had a +6 ERA since starting the All-Star Game, but he also has a world series ring that he got by beating the Yankees twice in the span of a week and a half...

Offensively, the Mets would seem to have the upperhand, what with the all the homeruns they hit (and they play in a pitcher's park) and bases they steal. But the Dodgers lead the senior circuit in OBP and team batting average. Plus, Furcal, Lofton, Lugo and Repko give the Dodgers sufficient speed. So while the boys in blue put up runs by whittling you away, the Mets just slug teams into submission...

All in all, it seems a bit of a draw, though the records are different. The cheese predicts (fingers crossed) the Dodgers win in 5...