The little *

The Mets "finally" got theirs yesterday, with the Yankees, A's, and Cardinals soon to follow. The Met clinching delay is probably the most press the Pirates have gotten all year, and most of the articles I read included surprise at Trachsel's 6 good innings. Their rotation is a pile of injuries, kids, and subpar veterans, and I wouldn't trust it to get past a Padre or Dodgers team that's just played a month's worth of postseason-level baseball. Every year a wild card team "surprises" in the playoffs - why should we be taken aback this year? Hate to talk about things like grit or toughness but the Mets just got swept by the Pirates in the three most meaningful/pressurefilled/advertised/overblown games they've played in months. The same argument goes against the Cardinals, actually, and I wouldn't be surprised if last night's home run madness turns out to be an NLCS preview. Were the Phillies to sneak in there, I'd certainly favor their deep rotation and two hitters 'gainst Leitch's two-star squad.
As for the American League, the Yankees will be playing the Wild Card team and so I am sorely hoping for Minnesota to pass the Tigers, leaving the two best staffs in the league to bludgeon each other while my team's absurd lineup sends doubles and homers into the long grassy gaps of Comerica. Both the Twins and A's ought to have a very good chance against the Yankees, whichever series they meet, so I'll go against both my own rooting interest and today's standings to predict an Oakland-San Diego World Series.