In Cyberspace, No One Can Hear You Smirk

I don't mean to cast aspersions on our gracious host, but Jay has been known on occasion to say things just to tweak yours truly into spittle-flinging irascibility. Consequently, I'm having some difficulty figuring out whether he's serious about "Angels over Red Sox in five."

First of all, if you're picking the Angels over the Red Sox, pick 'em in four. Schilling might lose Game 1 to Jarrod Washburn--this seems to be standard operating procedure for the Red Sox in a short series--but he's not losing Game 5 if it gets that far.

Secondly, some of my esteemed co-scribbler's other picks seem motivated by less than purely objective considerations. Pick the Astros over the Braves? Fine, especially when Rocket and Oswalt get no fewer than three starts in five games. Pick the Astros to sweep the Braves? Ummm, that seems to me to have more to do with Brian Jordan in 2001 than it does with Carlos Beltran in 2004.

I don't mean to imply that it's crazy to pick the Angels. Vladimir Guerrero had the single most gut-wrenchingly effective game any hitter had against the Sox this year. David Eckstein hit .472 against his first pro organization, striking a blow for second grade yearbook photo hair everywhere. Mike Scioscia is playing chess, and Terry Francona thinks he's got it under control as long as he's not in Molasses Swamp. All of this is cause for concern.

Only, somehow, I'm not worried. I've just got a feeling that, as hot as the Angels have been, they had to burn too much fuel just to get to the starting line. It'll be a hard-fought series, but as long as the Sox can score early I like their chances.