J.K. Rolling

Author: Jeff Klein

Ahhh man. I was pulling for the Astros to complete the unthinkable. An eight and a half game deficit to the division-leading Cardinals had dwindled to a mere half game, but Sunday's loss to the Braves assured the 'Stros that they will be watching the postseason from home. Just like me.

You will know where to find me these next few weeks - on the couch in Coffrin lounge. Here's what I will be watching:

Yankees vs. Tigers: What a disappointment for the Tigers. Sunday's loss to the lowly Royals, coupled with the Twins' victory over the White Sox, forced Detroit to travel to New York to face the star-studded, modern-day Murderers' Row Yankees' lineup. Morale must be pretty low in the Motor City. Okay, maybe it's because I'm from New York, but I'm not giving Detroit any chance here. They've lost five straight games, three of which were to arguably the league's worst team, and they don't feature a playoff-type batting order - i.e., they don't work the count and they strike out a lot. Not a recipe for success in the postseason. Prediction: Yankees in three games.

Twins vs. Athletics: The Twins are the anti-Tigers. They have won 10 out of their last 15 games to close out the season and overtake the Tigers as AL Central champions. Their confidence must be soaring now that they have avoided a first round matchup with the talented and experienced Yankees, which would have been their third in four years - they got clobbered the previous two times. The A's, meanwhile, are not a team built to win in the postseason. Though they finished the season 24 games over .500, they have outscored their opponents by only 44 runs. Meanwhile, their team ERA is 4.18. With Twins ace Johan Santana set to start two game in a short series, the A's look to be in trouble. Prediction: Twins in four games.

Mets vs. Dodgers: This intriguing battle will feature a team that has been all but assured of a postseason birth for over a month - the Mets - and one that just snuck into the playoffs as the wild-card in the final few days of the season - the Dodgers. Pedro Martinez is done for the year, but the Mets just have too much offense. Prediction: Mets in four games.

Padres vs. Cardinals: Last year, the Cardinals embarrassed the Padres with a three-game sweep in the first round. The Padres head into this rematch a better team and with a chip on their shoulder. David Wells has regained his form and provides San Diego with a savvy veteran pitcher, while Mike Piazza gives them a big bat in the middle of the order to counteract the great Albert Pujols. Look for the Padres to avenge last year's defeat. Prediction: Padres in four games.