Mikey: Oh what fun it is going to be. Talk about everybody having their rivals lined up in a row. The ever dominant Braves ride into their series with the Mets with Larry Jones leading the way. And at the same time the Sox bring the tattered remains of their pitching staff to Yankee Stadium. Boy, talk about no love lost. After choosing three of four correctly in the Divisional Series, here are my picks for the C.S.:

Yankees in 5. Possibly 6 depending on Pedro who I was ecstatic to see pitch 6 innings last night. Mets in 6. Never thought you would see that did you. Hey, I am rooting for a subway series. Larry and the Braves choke as usual.

This could be the best 3 weeks in NY Baseball history with each team getting a chance to beat their most hated rivals and then each other. Lets go Yanks. Lets go Mets. You know that hurt.

JB: Hurt me, anyways. Not sure how sincere you are about Pedro - but since he'll undoubtedly be a Yankee in his twilight, might as well get some groundwork in! And rooting for the Mets, well, I can see right through that - the possibility of taunting Doc for a year after the Yanks eat their lunch. But this could backfire - the Mets kicked some Yankee ass this season, and not so long ago...

the Weasel: I agree with Mike's predictions and thoughts. The Sox have been heroic, but playing way over their head. If they could pitch Pedro 4 times during the series, they might win. However, the rest of the starting staff is questionable. While they did perform this season, they seem at their shakiest right now. Pedro deserves all of the respect in the world, having arguably the best season a pitcher has had in ages - dominating to say the least.

However, in the long haul, the Yanks will prevail. They have much better offense, and pitching that seems to get better under pressure - a money team. They have more depth than the Sox, and are used to winning. Yanks in five!

I, too, hope that the Mets win. The Braves may be the best team in baseball, but they have shown vulnerability in the post season. I would love to see all of the excitement a subway series would generate. It would be great for baseball, as well.

In the end, the Yanks will beat the Mets, as starting pitching will prevail. As seen against Texas, the starters, while somewhat erratic during the regular season, all pitch well when money is on the line. The Mets have built a lot this year, but still do not have the balance that the Yanks, (or the Braves), have.

Brendan Stew: It is perfectly acceptable to root for the Mets if it will serve the greater good of mankind in the form of a Subway Series. In that event, however, all Met fans will be taken out back and soundly beaten. I am also rooting for the Mets to beat the Braves.

Yankees-Sox, Mets-Braves... I was in O'D's last night watching the game and thinking, "Man, they're going to have to pry me off the ceiling by the time the next round of playoffs if over."

JB: I can relate - after 12 miles over 3 mountains in the Adirondacks, and a 5-hour drive home (with the radio on), I could barely keep my eyes open, but I had to watch to the end. These be some classic games.

Mikey: Well I tried to root for the Mutts but it just hasn't come naturally. Now I talk to Met fans and they say that at least they hope that the Yanks will beat the Braves in the Show. I guess even they have given up hope. I should have picked Atlanta in 4 like I thought was going to happen in the 1st place. Don't worry Met fans. We will take care of the Braves in the Series. Sorry John, but the Sox will be beaten. I was hoping that game last night would go 15 innings. There would have been nothing left of the Sox pitching staff.

Can't wait for Saturday's Yankee-Sox game. Old vs new. This could be a game for the ages if the Rocket can hold up his end. Somehow I doubt it. But if he does have a brilliant game left in his bag, this would be the time to let it out.

Doc: I never really believed you were rooting for the Mets in the first place.

Mikey: Well, I was rooting for the Mets. I wanted a subway series so the Yanks could whoop 'em in the Series. That would have been far more satisfying than the Mutts getting knocked out now. Just remember, in 1996 the Braves were up 2-0 on the Yanks and the Yanks beat em. Maybe the Mets will do the same. LAAAAAAAARRRY!

Joey C: Damn, those Mets are a scrappy bunch. I was leaning toward the Braves because, as a non-New Yorker, the notion of a subway series is repellant to me, but I was rooting for the Mets by the time it was over. I suspected it was over (didn't you?) the moment Kenny Rogers walked out of the bullpen. He's not exactly what you'd call a go-to guy.

JB: Ya just gotta...

Mikey: This is what I believe. For the first round: Atlanta in 4. Yanks in 4. Red Sox in 5. Sorry Mutts fans but Arizona in 5. I do hope I am wrong about that last one but I have a feeling the Big Unit will have a lot to say about this one. Especially because the Mets rotation is not where they want it going in. I just can't see Yoshii outpitching the Randman. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

Doc: I agree with your assessment of Randy Johnson being a key factor in this series. But the Mets may be getting hot at the right time. They have a better overall offense than Arizona, the best infield that ever lived, a deep and strong bullpen, and a group of starters without a real ace that are all about capable of the same results in any one game. But we'll give Randy the benefit of the doubt: Mets in 4.

Yuckees will probably win in four -- on swagger alone they should be able to take Texas. Atlanta already lost today -- take that, Chipper! We'd love to see the smug Braves get knocked out in the first round. If Pedro shines, the Sox will beat Cleveland, but the Indians are more than capable of winning three games on their offense alone.

JB: The Mutts and the Yuckees??? Sho' glad I'm in Boston where the baseball commentary reaches the 5th grade level... Must be the Harvard influence - "F*#kin Yankees f*#kin suck!!!" The Sox played the Indianswell this season (8-4, I think) and Pedro Martinez has these guys for lunch. The worst (longterm) mistake Mike Hargrove has made in his tenure is leaving Pedro off the All-Star team 2 years ago. And Pedro will never forget it. That being said, it is now 'go time', and this time of year the Indians seem to take joy in shellacking the Sox. And yes, they have about the as nice a lineup as is possible - speed at the top, power, on-base, bench, and as strong up the middle as anyone in history. 1000+ runs scored, the most in 50 years - 'nuff said. Then they added the great Harold Baines for the charge. May a Red plague befall you all...

Mikey: I have a feeling that Mark's wish that the Braves lose in the 1st round has nothing to do with their smugness. The Mets and their fans fear the Braves. And rightfully so. The Braves have owned them the way the Yanks have owned Texas. Mets fans should be wishing for a rematch so they can whomp the Braves themselves. That is sweet baseball.

Sorry Sox fan. That really was a bummer last night for the Sox. I am sure they had that game in hand till Pedro hurt his back. Now they will likely lose the series in four. I am still rooting for them as it would be so much sweeter to go through the Sox to get to the World Series.

The Mets come home in good shape after splitting the first two in Arizona. Still think they will lose in five though. The Mets have more punch but the D'backs have more pitching. And despite today's back page, although he has been great, I do not think we can hang the moniker of Senor Octobre on Edgardo Alfonzo just yet. Maybe after about 10 more big playoff and Series homers.

The Yanks look like the 98 version. Not that the 99 version is bad. They just had that invincible glow around them the other night. Will Texas ever score another run against them in the playoffs? Over the last four games the Rangers have scored a total of one (1) run. An ERA of 0.25 against the Rangers is unbelievable. These guys scored something like 945 runs in the regular season. That comes to an average of 5.88 runs per game.

The Braves came back as expected with Millwood on the mound. I just cannot help but think that Houston is over matched here. Still say Braves in four though it may go five because the Stros beat Maddux in game one.

JB: Your compassion (the Pedro-Sox reference) is noted...

Mikey: Actually, I am hoping we get to play the Sox, a team that outplayed us in the regular season. Why? Because beating the teams that have beaten you is what makes it fun. Believe me, I fear Pedro and the Sox because Pedro can win a short series almost single handedly. Yankee fans want the challenges. We are not smug, we are unafraid. The Mets and their fans are afraid of the Braves. Though I can't figure out why. They will probably choke along the way to the Big Show as always.

JB: I think you hit the nail on the head, Mikey Stew. If I'm the Mets or the Sox (coincidently, I'm for both), the road to the Big Trophy has to go through the Braves or, as far as the Sox situation, the Indians and the Yanks. The more you luck out in a championship run, the less rewarding it's going to be. Let's face it, the Championship should represent the best team of the year, not a good team that has a good run (although in present circumstances, this is of course possible.)

(Boston, October 3, 1999) As Al Berkompas once said, "Baseball's a funny game like that - you can be goin' like a houseafire and suddenly it turns the other way." Well, the Mets are back on fire with the weekend sweep of the Pirates, and if the slumping Reds prevail tonight (or tomorrow, if the rain continues), there will be a 1-game showdown in Cincinnati. Just as I was mocking their starters, they ante-up some stellar clutch pitching. Rick Reed had a 3-hit shutout (12 k's) yesterday, and Hershiser came up big this afternoon, surrendering a run on 2 hits in 5+ innings. The winning run came on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th with bases loaded.

JB: Ya Gotta Believe! The Mets destiny is once again in their own hands...

Mikey: I hear if it is a 3-way tie that the Astros and Reds have to play a playoff game to decide the division and the Mets will automatically take the wildcard since they would have a better winning percentage with one less game. What a rip-off that would be for the Reds or Stros.

JB: Gotta agree with you on that one - there must be a better way...

Doc: So all of a sudden you're an Astros and Reds fan? Give me a break. What's really unfair is that Kevin Brown decided to sit on his ass on the bench today instead of take his turn against the Astros. That's a ripoff.

Mikey: And what exactly does that have to do with what I said? The Lords of Baseball never counted on a 3-way tie and a Central Division team now stands to be penalized for tying for their divisions lead. Sorry but that would be a rip-off.

Doc: It's just that your only response to JB's "Ya Gotta Believe" is to point out what a shame it would be if the Reds or Astros were left out in the cold? It's all academic now -- there ain't no three-way tie, so it's time to be a New Yorker! We still may have a shot at a Subway Series.

Mikey: At least Johnny agrees with me. But as you say, it is all academic now. Go Mutts. I would love to see the Yanks open up a can of WHOOP ASS on them in the Series. That would be 2 cans with the one we may need for the Red Hose in the playoffs.

Doc: Yes, let's hope we can finally in our lifetimes see the Mets and Yanks duke it out in October. I've got a feeling that the Yanks are already in -- the Mets need all the positive vibes we can throw out there.

JB: The Yanks may need a growler fulla WHOOP ASS for the Sox - these guys still don't realize they're a very average team... this could spell trouble for whoever they play.

Mikey: Don't think I don't know that John. That Martinez guy scares me. I hope the Sox go 5 in the opening series so he will likely only be able to go 2 in the championship series.