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The A’s swept the Twins. Didn’t think that was going to happen.

Saw this posted elsewhere about another team, so I thought I’d post it for the Texas Rangers. If you’re still undecided about which team to root for in the playoffs, perhaps you can base it around which former Texas Rangers players are on the team:
American League:
Yankees: Alex Rodriguez
Athletics: Esteban Loaiza, Justin Duchscherer, D’Angelo Jimenez
Twins: Dennys Reyes, Phil Nevin, Jason Tyner
Tigers: Kenny Rogers, Pudge Rodriguez, Craig Monroe, Marcus Thames
National League:
Dodgers: Aaron Sele
Mets: Darren Oliver, Julio Franco
Cardinals: Randy Flores
Padres: Chan Ho Park, Rudy Seanez, Chris Young, Adrian Gonzalez
I think that’s everyone. I miss anybody?

I decided to take a look at what is going on with the 40 man roster and comittments to 2007. I’ve seen bits and pieces here and there, but not a complete list. After asking Jamey Newberg a couple of questions about minutae regarding arb eligible players, I think I’m correct in this list.
2007 Committed Money:

• Hank Blalock – $4.75 Million
• Kevin Millwood – $7.5 Million
• Mark Teixeira – $9 Million
• Michael Young – $3.5 Million
• Ron Mahay – $1.2 Million team option
• Total: $25.95 (assuming Mahay’s option is picked up)

2007 Dead Money:

• Alex Rodriguez – $7 Million
• Phil Nevin – $2 Million (signing bonus due Jan 15, 2007 – not sure if we pay or not, could be Twins)
• Buck Showalter – $2 Million

Free Agents:
Adam Eaton ($4.65 Mil)
Carlos Lee ($8.5 Mil)
Eric Young ($700,000)
Gary Matthews ($2.8375 Mil)
Jerry Hairston ($2.3 Mil, Rangers owed 0, $1.5 Mil covered by Cubs)
Kip Wells ($4.15 Mil)
Mark DeRosa ($675,000)
Rod Barajas ($3.2 Mil)
Vicente Padilla ($4.41 Mil)
Arbitration Eligible:
“Arbitration eligible” means they’re bound to us (unless they’re non tendered), but we do not control salary.
Akinori Otsuka ($1.75 Mil)
Brad Wilkerson ($3.9 Mil)
Rick Bauer ($350,000 est)
Joaquin Benoit ($775,000)
Miguel Ojeda ($350,000)
Ron Mahay ($1 mil, also has 07 team option)
Rangers Controlled Salary Players:
“Rangers controlled” means they are not yet eligible for arbitration, and we can dictate salary.
C.J. Wilson ($331,500)
Daniel Haigwood (Unknown, presumed min)
Drew Meyer (Unknown, presumed min)
Edinson Volquez ($329,000)
Frank Francisco ($331,500)
Freddy Guzman (unknown, presumed min)
Gerald Laird ($332,000)
Ian Kinsler ($327,000)
Jason Botts ($328,000)
Joaquin Arias ($327,000)
John Koronka ($329,000)
John Rheinecker (Unknown, presumed min)
Josh Rupe ($328,000)
Kameron Loe ($348,770)
Nelson Cruz (Unknown, presumed min)
Nick Masset (Unknown, presumed min)
Robinson Tejeda (Unknown, presumed min)
Scott Feldman ($329,000)
Victor Diaz (Unknown, presumed min)
Wes Littleton (Unknown, presumed min)
Hopefully that’s all right. I believe it is, but if I’m flat out wrong on something, and you can prove it, please let me know. :)

If you think I’m way off base, or would like to post your own predictions, please post a comment below.
I normally don’t do this, because I like to think my prognostication skills are right up there with some of the great Powerlock pics on XM’s “Baseball this morning” radio show.. :) However, I decided to take a stab at it this year so I can get this down before any of the games start and see if any of these are right.
ALDS: Athletics vs Twins
I say the Twins will win this in five. Having seen Oakland a lot, I’m more familiar with them, and I’m not picking the Twins because I don’t want the A’s. They seem to be the same team for the most part, and I have to give the edge to Minnesota’s pitching over Oakland’s. Plus Esteban Loaiza in the playoffs has bad memories for me as a Rangers fan. :)
ALDS: Tigers vs Yankees
Given the Tigers limped into the playoffs, one would think they’re prime for a sweep by the Bronx Steinbrenners. While I do think the Yankees will beat the Tigers, I don’t think it will be a sweep. I say the Yankees in four.
NLDS: Cardinals vs Padres
Last year when the Padres made it into the playoffs, everyone expected them to get annihilated, and they did. This year however, I think they have more of an edge due to the near total collapse the Cardinals had at the end of September. That does’t mean they’ll stink up the joint, but I give the Padres this in either four or five, I’m not sure.
NLDS: Dodgers vs Mets
The Mets are probably the best overall team in the NL, especially in the playoffs, but their starting pitching is suspect. The Dodgers aren’t world beaters either, but my gut feeling says that they don’t have enough to overcome the Mets. I say Mets in five.
It’s harder to predict the second round, as you never know who might get hurt, what roster changes might get made between rounds, but I’ll take a stab at it. This assumes everyone stays healthy. If someone gets hurt, I might want to revise my guesses.
ALCS: Twins vs Yankees
While I like the Twins, and would dearly love to see the Yankees knocked on their ass again, my gut feeling is that the Twins don’t have enough to overcome what Steinbrenner’s pocket has bought. Yankees in six. I say the Twins have enough to pick off a couple of games, but not the whole series.
NLCS: Padres vs Mets
Assuming I’m right in that the Padres get past the first round, they’ll probably be charged up to make a run at getting to the World Series again, but I don’t think they match up as well against the Mets, so I’m going with Mets in six.
World Series: Yankees vs Mets
This combination is something that I’m sure the sponsors will love, but I wager most everyone outside of New York couldn’t care less about. The only thing more boring than a Yankees/Mets World Series is a Yankees/Braves world series. Course, Yanks/Mets doesn’t have that godawful “chop” Braves fans do.
Anyway, barring injury, I say Yankees take it in seven. I don’t have any real reason for that, except I’ve picked my other series at 6, and they don’t all usually go in six, and I think the Mets are better than just one game winners.
Yawn. If it really does end up being Yankees Mets, I probably will only watch the final game in the series, and perhaps the announcements of the lineups for the first home game (as I do like watching that). But I can’t get excited about Yankees/Mets AT ALL.
Now those are what I think is going to happen. What do I WANT to happen?
ALDS: Twins over A’s, because I don’t want the A’s to win as they’re from our division.
ALDS: Tigers over Yankees, because outside of NY, everyone wants the Yankees to lose. Plus the Tigers are DUE!
NLDS: Padres over Cardinals: Mostly so I can feel good about the ex Rangers there having some success.
NLDS: Dodgers over Mets: As I’m a Phillies fan, I’m no fan of the Mets, plus I want both NY teams out early.
ALCS: Tigers over Twins: As I said before, the Tigers are due. I’d like to see that.
NLCS: Dodgers over Padres: I would prefer the Dodgers in the World Series, they’re due as well.
WS: Tigers over Dodgers: While I wouldn’t mind if either of these teams won, if I have to pick one, I pick Detroit, mostly due to the several former Rangers are that are on that team.
Now that that’s all over, can we sign Gary Matthews to a 5 year, $25-$30 million contract, so we can have something Ranger related to talk about? :)

Since Giardi has now been unfairly dumped by the Marlins, I thought this on the picture that’s making the rounds in the stories of his dismissal.
Is it just me, or does Joe Girardi look like Joe Satriani in these pictures?