American League
Boston Red Sox v Kansas City Royals
Can the Royals derail the Red Sox juggernaut?
While they are a capable unit with Raul Mondesi a bona fide superstar in the making, I’m not sure anyone can stop this absolutely monstrous Boston bunch.
They certainly come out showing plenty of fight with a dour 4-2 road win at Fenway to open proceedings and shock the Boston faithful a second time with a 3-2 win the next day.
The Sox show signs of life with a 5-3 Game 3 victory in KC and eke out a series-levelling 7-6 win the next night but the Royals stop the bleeding in dramatic fashion with a 2-run jack by Mickey Tettleton giving them a walkoff 6-4 win.
KC ices what will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest upsets in MLB history with a blowout 6-2 win.
Fred McGriff is named MVP.
National League
Atlanta Braves v Pittsburgh Pirates
I have been talking up these Braves for a while now and feel like I know them almost as well as I do my own group.
Such a well-rounded squad and pitching that is up there with the best of them means we will need to do everything right to beat them.
That sweep of a handy Dodgers club shows they are primed.
Rick Reed remains out for us while Larry Walker apparently has a niggle he is playing through.
We win a highly-competitive opening game 7-5 with the runs coming in bunches for both sides and then Brown gives us the sort of start that caused us to acquire him as he allows just 3 hits over 7+ and we do just enough against Smoltz to win it 3-1.
Game 3 is another quality affair that we eventually win 6-4 in 10 on a 2-run homer by Andres Galarraga, with Bonds having gone yard twice earlier and we finish them off in four straight with another walkoff win, this time 1-0 on a 10th-inning solo shot by series MVP Moises Alou.