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With the Major League Baseball Playoffs about to begin and the Mariners being eliminated about three months ago, here’s a local guide to who you might root for to win the world series and the ties they may have to the area.  I realize some of these are not local ties, but just interesting stories to follow as the boys of summer aim to be the boys of October.

Tuesday night the last team will play its way into the playoffs, so we’ll start with the White Sox and Twins, winner is in, loser goes home

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Twins

The ultimate low-budget success story.  How are the Twins even in this position?  In the off-season they stood by and watched their electric centerfielder Torii Hunter go to the Angels and they trade away their ace and cy-young award winner Johan Santana.  Yet the Twins continue to win without paying big salaries.  The Twins have one of the best catchers in the game in Joe Mauer, but if called upon watch for former Gonzaga Bulldog Mike Redmond to step in.  The Twins also have former Mariners closer Eddie Guardado, who luckily for the Twins, is not their closer.

White Sox

If you are a Mariners fan, there is a big story in this one for two reasons.  Ken Griffey Jr. is searching for his first world series ring which would mean two things for M’s fans.  One - it would be nice to see Junior get that monkey off his back.  Two - if Junior does win a ring, he would be more likely to sign in Seattle this off-season.  If junior can win a ring he can finish his career in Seattle.  Griffey has been very open his entire career that he wants to win a ring, and if he doesn’t get one this year, I can’t see him going to a team that has NO chance to win one anytime soon.  Other former M’s pitchers Horacio Ramirez and Matt Thornton are in the bullpen.  The biggest local connection is the White Sox closer Bobby Jenks who grew up in north Idaho.  Lets not forget that former Mariner Joey Cora is a Coach with the Sox, and learning how to win in the post-season, this is interesting because I’m sure his name will come up this winter as a candidate for the Manager job in Seattle. 

Red Sox

The defending champs.  If you’re looking for a reason to root for the Sox, I’ll give you an answer in two words:  Jason Bay.  He’s a triple-local guy, Trail, B.C., North Idaho College, and Gonzaga.  Bay is a two-time All-Star who has flown under the radar in the bigs because he played in Pittsburgh.  This post-season is a chance for Bay to really step forward as an elite player in baseball.  He will have a lot of attention on him because he plays for Boston, and he was traded for Manny who is lighting the world on fire.  With opportunity comes pressure and it will be fun to watch Bay to see how he responds to the pressure.  Want more reasons to cheer for the Sox?  Former Mariner Mike Timlin, former M’s farmhand Jason Veritek, and Mike Lowell who I spotted and interviewed last winter sitting right behind the Gonzaga bench in the Kennel right here in Spokane.  (I have to add that I’m obligated by marriage to cheer for the Red Sox if the M’s aren’t playing, so Go Sox!)

Rays

The true Cinderella story.  Here’s a team that has finished dead last every year in their existence except for one year they finished 4^th.  What are the Rays doing here?  If you like underdogs, you have your team.  All season long we have waited for the Rays to wake up and realize they are the Rays and fold.  It never happened, they won the division.  I can’t seem to find a local connection to the Rays, but they are a lot of fun to watch.  If nothing else it should give M’s fans some hope.  If the Rays can turn it around, anybody can.  Biggest reason to cheer for the Rays:  They aren’t the Yankees.

Angels

AL-West Champs.  Lets face it, as Mariner fans we’re tired of seeing these guys.  I don’t think there has been a bigger Mariner killer in history than Vlad Guerrero.  It might be fun to watch this team beat up on somebody else for a change.  It should be a lot of fun watching the Angles and Red Sox in the opening round.  For my money the two best teams in the American League will meet in a best-of-five series and those are always a crap-shoot.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies

The old man is still playing.  Jaime Moyer is 146 years old and still pitching well.  The M’s gave up on the old guy because he was too old over two years ago.  All he did this year was go 16-7 this year (7 more wins than any M’s pitcher this year).  As a die-hard M’s fan you have to pull for Moyer, he gave everything he had for our team for 11 years.  Also watch for former Mariner Greg Dobbs off the bench.   The Phillies are always fun to watch because Ryan Howard might hit a ball that doesn’t ever come down.  Here’s a fun fact, Howard led the Majors in Home Runs, and RBI’s and didn’t make the All-Star team.  Gotta love the fan vote.

Brewers

Hard not to root for the Beer Makers.  The U.S.S Sabathia might pitch every game in the playoffs.  It’s always fun to watch a professional athlete who might be in worse shape than I am.  The difference is he can throw in the upper 90’s and I’ve driven in the upper 90’s.  Hey remember Mike Cameron?  He’s still around roaming the green stuff in Milwaukee.  And a name from a long time ago, Salomon Torres (remember we traded Shawn Estes for him?)  Fun team to watch and not many people have bigger swings than Prince Fielder.

Cubs

Will it ever happen?  If you are looking to root for a team who’s fans need a championship you have found your team.  Once the Red Sox won, everyone turned their attention to the Cubbies to finally get a title.  The Cubs havn’t won a world series since 1908, heck they haven’t even been to one since 1945.  If that wasn’t enough, who would be the man responsible for leading the Cubs to glory?  Sweet Lou.  It’s hard not to root for Lou, and also hope he blows his top at least one and sends first base into right field.

Dodgers

Manny being Manny.  There is a lot of attention on Manny in L.A. and for good reason.  Man-Ram has hit nearly .400 since joining the Dodgers and he’s a threat to go deep every time he steps to the plate.  I think the best story here is Joe Torre.  The Yankees didn’t want him back, now his Dodgers are in the playoffs, and the Yankees are “at home, washing their tights.”  Any time we can root for someone that can make the Yankees look bad, that’s a good thing.  Don’t forget former Mariner Derek Lowe pitching in game one.  It would be fun to see the Dodgers and Red Sox meet in the series with Lowe, Man-Ram, and Nomar heading back to Fenway.

 Enjoy the playoffs everybody.

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