Buy Me Some Peanuts & Cracker Jacks

I am a Kansas City Royals fan and a Kansas Democrat, so it can be assumed that my tolerance for suffering is pretty high. Consequently, my picks for the playoffs and World Series are as follows, in order of preference:

1. Atlanta Braves. I know, I know. They fold in the post-season. However, I have been a Braves fan since we got cable years ago and they were terrible. If I liked them when they couldn't win in the regular season, I can like them when they screw up in playoffs.

2. Boston Red Sox. Anybody who has been the foe of the Yankees for the better part of a century gets my vote. It would be fun to see them win it all if the Braves can't.

3. Minnesota Twins. See a trend here? A team who cannot win in playoffs, a team who has not won a World Series since 1918, and a team which was slated to be wiped off the face of the earth a few years ago. I like the Twins. I think they play really good baseball. They play outstanding defense which I like better than home runs, in spite of what Joe Morgan and Jon Miller say. Chicks like home runs my ass. Not this chick.

4. St. Louis Cardinals. When I am in a perfectly honest frame of mind I would have to admit that this is most likely the team which will win it all. They appear to be almost incapable of losing.

5. California Angels. I have nothing against. I just like the ones above them better. Actually, I was delighted to see them beat out the A's and the Rangers. Now those teams I don't like.

6. Houston Astros. I am inclined to put anything from Texas last, but the Astros had to compete with the Dodgers and the Yankees, so they came in third from last. I rooted for them against the Mets in 86, but I really find it difficult to cheer for them except when they are playing certain teams (Giants, Mets, Marlins, etc.)

7. LA Dodgers. Don't know why I put them so low. I think it is the fault of the media. They (the media) tend to act as though only teams in New York and LA (and only the Dodgers in LA) matter and people are only interested in them. So I am easily influenced, only negatively.

8. New York Yankees. This goes without saying. I have been an anti-Yankee fan since probably before I was born. I did root for them last year because those nasty Marlins beat the Cubs and I don't like Florida any better than Texas or New York, but of course they lost last year. Maybe I should root for them again this year.

Note: I only rooted for them in the World Series. I rooted for them to get beaten up to that point.

If I were a betting person, or if I had money to bet, I would have to back the Cardinals even though they are not my favorite team. I think they are just awesome. But then, other teams have been awesome and been beaten by lesser teams. Remember Oakland, LA, Dennis Eckersley and Kurt Gibson?

I do love baseball.